The Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex will join refuges across the country in the annual National Wildlife Refuge Week celebration on October 13th from 10 am-3 pm. This years event will be held at Cape Meares NWR located on Three Capes Scenic Route west of Tillamook.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff and volunteers will provide displays, brochures and posters to introduce the public to the Oregon Coast NWR Complex. An interpreter from the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department will also be available to answer questions and provide information about Oregon State Parks.
The event is free and all ages are welcome. An interactive game will be set up for kids. Spotting scopes and binoculars will be available for wildlife viewing. Fish and Wildlife staff will help identify birds and marine mammals and answer questions about fish and wildlife.
Cape Meares provides excellent wildlife observation opportunities. At a previous NWR week event held at Cape Meares, visitors spotted a resident pair of peregrine falcons, two bald eagles, and a migrating orca. Other wildlife often observed from this headland include: pelagic and Brandt=s cormorant, black oystercatcher, common murre, and gray whale. Fall migration will be in full swing and it is not uncommon to see large flocks of migratory birds flying to their wintering grounds. Sooty shearwater, pacific loon and surf scoter are among the migratory birds seen during the fall season.
The Cape Meares also features an historic lighthouse located at the tip of the headland. The lighthouse is open from 11 am to 4 pm and the Friends of Cape Meares Lighthouse & Wildlife Refuge provide guided tours. A wide paved trail provides easy access to the lighthouse from the parking lot.
President Theodore Roosevelt established the National Wildlife Refuge System in 1903 to preserve wildlife and its habitat. Three Arch Rocks NWR, visible from Cape Meares, was the first National Wildlife Refuge established west of the Mississippi to protect nesting seabirds.
The Oregon Coast NWR Complex consists of six refuges along the Oregon coast from Tillamook head south to the California border. Three Arch Rocks, Cape Meares, and Nestucca Bay NWR=Century Schoolbooks are all located in Tillamook County. Siletz Bay NWR is located in Lincoln County and Bandon Marsh NWR is in Coos County. Oregon Islands NWR covers 320 miles of the Oregon coast and includes every rock, reef, and that is exposed at mean high tide.
Join us as millions of people across this great nation celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week. Shade-grown coffee and other refreshments will be provided. Bring a picnic lunch and experience the beauty of your public lands. For further information regarding this event contact
