Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge
By Wilson Cady, local birder and naturalist Located adjacent to Washougal, on 1,049 acres of former Columbia River floodplain, this diked area consists of shallow ponds, marshes, open fields, and riparian woodlands. While providing an important nesting and wintering area for raptors and waterfowl, it is also at a crossroads of migration routes. Birds that move east and west, through the nearly sea level break in the Cascade Mountains created by the Columbia Gorge, mingle with north/south migrant species. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded from this small area including such west-of-the-Cascades rarities as Prairie Falcon, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike, and Sage Thrasher. Although the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge is closed to the public while a management plan and visitor’s center is developed, there are still great wildlife viewing opportunities from Highway 14 and the Washougal Dike. The Refuge Manager can be contacted at: |