Finley Wildlife Refuge

April 16, 1983

For our group of seventeen Finley adventurers, the five-mile walk around the Refuge was indeed a pleasant, rewarding experience. Hikers at the end of the day shared with each other what was most special to them.

For some it was the marsh hawk greeting us as we drove into the Refuge or walking on the soft green moss carpet along Maple Knoll or holding the newt in the palm of the hand. For others — it was the squeek that bull frogs make as they jump into the pond, and the patterns of geese flying overhead or the quiet wide expanse of fields and woods with the Cascades in the distance. Still for others, it was seeing or hearing fifty species of birds . . . identifying an owl pellet for the first time . . . or observing the marsh wren singing his lovely song and proudly establishing his territory in McFaddens Marsh.

But for all of us (and the leader especially) the highlight of the day was finding a mother Killdeer making a lot of noise in the parking lot and not moving. We looked around for the nest and couldn’t find it — no wonder — she was standing over the two eggs in the gravel! A few sticks and a sign were quickly erected to alert other motorists. Killdeers usually fly away from their nests.

Nature lovers included Ardath Church, Barb Elsen, Jessica Dole, Sloan Heermance, Janet Hogan, George Jobanek, Herb and Lelia Lee, Nancy Means, Elizabeth McMullin, Alys Riley, Doris and Merle Traudt, Paula Vehrs, Johathan Wilder, Irene Zentner and Dot Leland, leader.

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