Events / Volunteer
Winter Wildlife Field Days 2025 Días de Campo de la Vida Silvestre de Invierno 2025
Saturday, March 1st through 31st - See schedules for events The location of the events varies, please check the schedule
Winter Wildlife Field Days 2025
Días de Campo de la Vida Silvestre de Invierno 2025
March 1st - 31st (with online activities available throughout the month)!
A bilingual and accessible nature adventure hosted throughout the entire month of March and all across the mid-Willamette Valley! Everything is free with in-person events in your favorite nearby nature spots, including places you won’t need a car to get to. Check our schedule and find an event near you.
2025’s theme is “Habitat is Home!” We are looking forward to seeing you this year!
Winter Wildlife Field Days 2025 Website
Monarchs and Milkweed
Sunday, March 23rd 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Gehlar Hall Classroom, Ankeny Hill Nature Center, 130 Ankeny Hill Road SE, Jefferson, OR 97352
Learn about Monarch butterflies and how to attract
them to your yard! Pick up free milkweed seeds.
About the presenter: Stephanie Hazen is a retired veterinarian, Master Gardener and Master Mellitologist. Photography is a special interest of hers, and she took many of the photos you will see.
Soil. It's all about soil!
Saturday, March 29th 10:00AM to 12:00PM Snag Boat Bend Unit, See directions below
Most people only have a vague idea of what soil is and how it works. You will learn more than you ever thought possible, the reason you are alive, what nutrients are, and how soil stores water and nutrients. We will look at the soils on the Refuge and explain why we see what we see there.
About the presenter: James Cassidy has been an instructor of Soil Science at OSU for almost 20 years and is also the faculty advisor for the wildly popular OSU Organic Growers Club. He will give a lecture and then a short walk at the Snag Boat Bend unit of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Location: The Snag Boat Bend Unit is located on Peoria Road approximately 10.6 miles south of Highway 34 and immediately south of the town of Peoria. Google Maps Pin
Driving Directions From I-5: Take Exit 228 for Highway 34, Lebanon, and Corvallis. Drive 8.7 miles and turn left onto Peoria Road for Peoria and Harrisburg. Drive south on Peoria Road for 10.6 miles and, after passing through Peoria, turn right at the sign for the Snag Boat Bend Unit. Drive 0.1 miles and pull into the parking area on the right.
Early Morning Spring Birding
Saturday, May 24th 7:00 am – 10:00 am West side of McFadden Marsh, William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge (see map link below)
Bring your binoculars! Birds wake up hungry and are most active in the morning.
Discover the sights and sounds of some of the more than 250 birds at the Refuge.
About the presenter: Rich Hoyer began keying out wildflowers, raising butterflies and moths in his bedroom, netting tadpoles and dragonfly larvae, and catching snakes, lizards, moles, and voles with his younger brother and father before he finally discovered birding at the age of 14. His musical ear is always tuned into bird voices, and he has nearly instant recall of thousands of bird songs and call notes in his head.
Rich has bachelor’s degrees in Zoology and German and is a professional birding guide.
The diversity of Rich’s natural history interests is well represented in his
blog, Birdernaturalist.
Discover the Wonders of Woodpecker Loop
Saturday, June 14th 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Woodpecker Loop at William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge
Take a nature walk to enjoy fresh air, identify plants and animals, and share knowledge about what we see and hear. Bring your binoculars!
About the presenter: Jasmine Graves is a local nature enthusiast who enjoys photography and birding. She is a native Oregonian with knowledge of local flora and fauna. She received her degree in Fisheries and Wildlife from Oregon State University. She owns a small gallery in Alpine where she shares her passion of wildlife conservation with hikes, presentations, and classes.
Community Volunteer Days at Ankeny Hill Nature Center
3rd Saturday of the Month, 10:00AM to 12:00PM Ankeny Hill Nature Center, 130 Ankeny Hill Road, Jefferson, OR
No sign-up required and no experience or tools needed! We have all you need and plenty of projects we need help with. You’ll help with everything from weeding, water and mulching to interpretation, brochure folding and event support.
