Anders Price
Map: St Francis Xavier Mission eBird: Cowlitz
This trip covers an area of the Lewis County countryside, with stops at three access sites to the mighty Cowlitz River, as well as opportunities for some birding at roadside areas looking over fields, shrubs, woods, and relict oak prairie. On February scouting trips, treats included Rough-legged Hawk, White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Meadowlark, American Dipper, and Spotted Sandpiper. Other possibilities include Barrow’s Goldeneye and Northern Shrike. Some years birders have even found Black-shouldered Kite. Among more common birds in the area you’ll find American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, and California Scrub Jay.
This route begins less than an hour south of Olympia at the St. Francis Xavier Mission church. The birding sites detailed below are all off of Spencer Rd. Several of them are covered in Dave Hayden’s excellent Birding Guide to the Highway 12 Corridor which is a great resource for further exploration of this region. All the river sites have pit toilets and at least one picnic table. The birding is from or near the car and during some short, level walks; parts of it would be appropriate for mobility-restricted birders. Altogether it makes for a leisurely day of birding and tooling around the countryside. A scope is helpful.
Directions: The church is located at 139 Spencer Rd, Toledo, WA 98591. Coming down Interstate 5 from the North, take Exit 63 (Toledo/Winlock), go left from the offramp. After about three miles, the speed limit drops to 40 MPH. Shortly, make a sharp left onto Jackson Highway. Go about two miles to the flashing traffic light (keeping an eye on the fields and hedgerows, if possible). Go right on Spencer Rd., the church is on your left.
A note about traffic: While traffic on Spencer Rd. and Jackson Hwy. is light, it moves fast and there is little shoulder. Great care must be taken stopping for birds or walking along the roadside. A few pullouts are located in the site descriptions. Some side roads, such as Howe Rd. and Schoolhouse Ln., are less trafficked, though a little care is still needed. As usual, respect private property and avoid blocking driveways and field access points.
The church is an easy spot to navigate to, as well as a good meet-up location. It’s also worth a quick check for birds. You can examine the margins of the cemetery for sparrows and scope the fields across the road for meadowlarks and raptors. Of note, this is the oldest Catholic church in the state, established in 1838.
From there, drive along Spencer Rd. (below the church, it bends to the left), watching the wires for American Kestrel and California Scrub Jay. Shortly, Buckley Rd. crosses Spencer. Go right on Buckley to where it ends at the not-well-marked Massey Bar fishing access to the Cowlitz River. In addition to the river access, there is a field and wooded hillside with a small waterfall, where a mixed flock of passerines was playing among the twigs on a scouting visit. Massey Bar is worth a quick check, and has the only bathroom at the beginning of the road trip.
Return up Buckley Rd., cross Spencer, and at the top of Buckley go left into a pullout directly opposite the stop sign to park along Jackson Highway. From here you can walk back on Buckley and scope the wooded edge of the Ed Carlson Memorial Field airport runway for raptors (there was a long-staying kite here a couple of winters ago), as well as walk the road checking the bushes, trees and fields. Overhead, planes coming in for a landing may make you want to duck.
Next, return down Buckley to Spencer and continue east (left) to Schoolhouse Ln. Go left on Schoolhouse, and immediately park on the shoulder. From here you can take a little walk along Schoolhouse. The lower part has some especially productive shrubby margins, as well as views over nearby fields for raptors and meadowlarks (kites and shrikes have been seen here, too, over the years). If you are nimble and attentive to traffic, walk down Spencer to the first copse of oaks. On one scouting trip, concerted pishing here revealed first Bewick’s Wrens, then a bunch of Brown Creepers, and finally good views of a White-breasted Nuthatch.
Back in the car, continue only a stone’s throw down Spencer before turning right on Howe Rd. This is a lightly traveled road that goes for a couple of miles before returning to Spencer. The fields, fences, and woods give opportunities to see a variety of birds, including American Kestrel. At the only intersection, go left to stay on Howe (rather than straight onto East Howe). Howe Rd. ends at Spencer Rd. Turn right on Spencer.
About one and a half miles down Spencer, turn right into the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery/Blue Creek Boat Launch. The hatchery itself is not open to the public now due to the pandemic, but there is some good birding here. It can be busy if the steelhead or salmon are running. There are several spots to check the river, trees, and shrubs, and killdeer may be strolling the boat launch parking strip’s short grass. There were already early swallows over the hatchery ponds during the last week of February. Birders have a good chance for close up views of American Dipper by walking back into the woods on a trail along the fence of the hatchery ponds at the far end of the boat launch parking area. The fence ends where some of the water the hatchery takes out of Blue Creek goes back into it. Dippers seem to favor this spot. Dippers may also be seen along the Cowlitz.
Back at Spencer Rd. turn right and go about six miles to the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery/Barrier Dam Boat Launch. The Osprey nests along the way should be occupied soon. At the stop sign at the intersection with Fuller Rd. go straight, then bear right at the split onto Salmon Ln. to get to the hatchery.
Like Blue Creek, the salmon hatchery itself is currently closed to the public. Never-the-less, there are still decent vantages for scoping the pond behind the barrier dam where a variety of ducks hang out. Look for Barrows Goldeneye among the commons, and watch the Common Mergansers navigate the fast water below the dam. Listen for American Dippers, especially around the bottom of the fish ladder, and scope the far bank carefully for Spotted Sandpiper.
That’s the final stop on this road trip. If you need more, you can retrace your steps or consult Dave Hayden’s guide (referenced above) for nearby hotspots. The quickest way back north is to exit the hatchery, turn right on Fuller Rd., and left on Highway 12, which takes you back to Interstate 5 in about ten miles. All photos by Anders Price.
BEFORE YOU GO:
Before heading off for a birding adventure, here are some things to consider –
1. It’s always best to have a partner with you – both to maximize the joy and to minimize the risks. BHAS cannot ensure that these locations are totally safe.
2. Don’t forget to bring your mask and hand sanitizer. Have your mask handy and put it on when passing another person not in your party.
3. Leave valuables at home.
4. Check the weather and the bird reports before heading out. An easy way to check what birds have been seen is through Birder’s Dashboard http://birdingwashington.info/dashboard/. It is a simple way to research a species, place, or checklist.
