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Special Bird Service Society

LXCL:Come as you are, land softly among community.

Friends of the Feather

LXCL:You benefit from generational wealth, and have disposable income to support a local non--profit providing access &amp; opportunity to racialized communities in the outdoors.

Contributing Cormorant

Join Special Bird Service (SBS), Always Be Birdin&#39;, and the Oregon Black Pioneers for a free community birdin&#39; and natural history walk along the Columbia Slough Trail, near the historic site of Vanport City in North Portland, Oregon. When? Sunday, October 4th, 2026 | 10:00 AM&ndash;1:00 PMWhere? Historic Vanport Marker, 1809 N Broadacre Rd, Portland, OR 97217, United States This gathering is open to self-identifying Global Majority, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other racialized people of colour (BIPOC). No previous birding experience is necessary, and binoculars are not required. Whether you know every bird by name or are simply curious about what lives along the Columbia Slough, you&#39;re welcome here. We&#39;ll spend the morning walking together along the slough, paying attention to birds, plants, wildlife, water, and the human histories held within this landscape. We&#39;ll take our time, share knowledge, ask questions, and make room for different ways of noticing and experiencing the outdoors. This is also a place with a powerful and complicated history. The land around Heron and Force Lakes was once part of Vanport City, a wartime housing community built in the 1940s to house workers in the Portland-area shipyards. Vanport became Oregon&#39;s second-largest city, with a population of more than 40,000 at its peak, including a large Black community. On May 30, 1948, catastrophic flooding destroyed the city and displaced its residents. The land is now West Delta Park and Heron Lakes Golf Course. Today, the Columbia Slough and surrounding wetlands remain important habitat for birds and other wildlife. Heron Lakes and the broader Columbia Slough landscape include significant wetland, riparian, and floodplain habitat within a highly urbanized part of Portland. We&#39;re gathering here to hold those ecological and human histories together &mdash; to bird, to learn, to remember, and to build community. Our Hosts This walk is co-hosted by three organizations bringing different but complementary perspectives to the gathering. Special Bird Service (SBS) is a community-powered organization working to remove barriers that have historically excluded BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ communities from outdoor spaces. Through birding, recreation, education, and ecological stewardship, SBS creates opportunities to build connection between people, birds, land, and one another. Always Be Birdin&#39; is a birding-focused storytelling and media project celebrating the joy, curiosity, and community that comes from paying attention to birds.&nbsp; This walk is part of our wider Birdin&#39; Beyond Borders journey, connecting birders and communities across the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Black Pioneers is Oregon&#39;s only historical society dedicated to preserving and presenting the experiences of African Americans statewide. For more than 30 years, they have illuminated the seldom-told stories of people of African descent in Oregon through engaging exhibits, public programs, publications, and historical research. They also partner with local organizations to identify, interpret, and preserve sites with African American historical significance. Their mission is to research, recognize, and commemorate the history and heritage of African Americans in Oregon. We&#39;ll be joined by Oregon Black Pioneers Executive Director Zachary Stocks, who will help us connect our time outdoors with the histories and stories of Black life and presence in Oregon. Documentation -&nbsp;This event is also being filmed and photo documented as part of the Birdin&#39; Beyond Borders documentary project. By registering, please be aware that video, photography, and audio recording may take place during the event. We&#39;ll communicate clearly about documentation and do our best to respect individual boundaries and photo preferences throughout the day. Come as you are. Bring your curiosity. Let&#39;s see what the Force Lake has to show us &mdash; and what histories and stories this landscape has to tell. What to Expect -&nbsp;We&#39;ll begin together at 10:00 AM with introductions. Everyone will have an opportunity to share their name, pronouns, and a question of the day &mdash; a simple way to arrive, get to know one another, and set an intention for our time together. From there, we&#39;ll begin our walk and talk along the trail to Heron Lakes stopping throughout the morning to look and listen for birds and other wildlife, share observations, and explore the natural and cultural history of the landscape. &nbsp;The trail in this area is generally flat and follows a chipseal surface. You do not need binoculars or previous birding experience. There will be plenty to notice with your eyes and ears, and participants with cameras, scopes, field guides, or other birding equipment are welcome to bring them. Details&nbsp;At the beginning of the walk, facilitators will orient everyone to:<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Restrooms: We&#39;ll identify the nearest available restroom facilities at the beginning of the event. They are a half mile walk away from the meet point so use the bathroom before coming.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">First aid: We&#39;ll identify our designated first-aid person/persons and where the first-aid kit is located.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Emergency procedures: We&#39;ll review what to do if someone becomes injured, separated from the group, or needs additional assistance.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Medical care: The nearest major emergency department is Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, 2801 N. Gantenbein Ave., Portland, OR 97227. Legacy Emanuel is a Level 1 trauma centre and provides emergency services. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Meeting point: We&#39;ll gather at the designated meeting point - Vanport Marker, 1809 N Broadacre Rd, Portland, OR 97217, United States</li></ul>A Few Things to RememberPlease dress for the weather and wear footwear appropriate for walking on a trail and levee surface. Bring:<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Water</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Snacks</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Binoculars, if you have them</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">A camera, if you&#39;d like</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">A spotting scope, if you have one</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Any personal medications or accessibility equipment you need for several hours outdoors</li></ul>We&#39;ll stay together as a group, follow established trails, respect wildlife, and adapt our pace where possible to support the needs of the people attending. Force Lake is an urban wetland system, so we&#39;ll be mindful of the habitat around us and observe birds and wildlife without causing unnecessary disturbance. Most importantly, there is no &quot;right&quot; level of bird knowledge. You don&#39;t have to know what something is to be curious about it. We&#39;re here to bird, learn, remember, share, and spend time together. Come curious. Leave connected.

Join Special Bird Service (SBS), Always Be Birdin', and the Oregon Black Pioneers for a free community birdin' and natural history walk along the Columbia Slough Trail, near the historic site of Vanport City in North Portland, Oregon. When? Sunday, October 4th, 2026 | 10:00 AM–1:00 PMWhere? Historic Vanport Marker, 1809 N Broadacre Rd, Portland, OR 97217, United States This gathering is open to self-identifying Global Majority, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other racialized people of colour (BIPOC). No previous birding experience is necessary, and binoculars are not required. Whether you know every bird by name or are simply curious about what lives along the Columbia Slough, you're welcome here. We'll spend the morning walking together along the slough, paying attention to birds, plants, wildlife, water, and the human histories held within this landscape. We'll take our time, share knowledge, ask questions, and make room for different ways of noticing and experiencing the outdoors. This is also a place with a powerful and complicated history. The land around Heron and Force Lakes was once part of Vanport City, a wartime housing community built in the 1940s to house workers in the Portland-area shipyards. Vanport became Oregon's second-largest city, with a population of more than 40,000 at its peak, including a large Black community. On May 30, 1948, catastrophic flooding destroyed the city and displaced its residents. The land is now West Delta Park and Heron Lakes Golf Course. Today, the Columbia Slough and surrounding wetlands remain important habitat for birds and other wildlife. Heron Lakes and the broader Columbia Slough landscape include significant wetland, riparian, and floodplain habitat within a highly urbanized part of Portland. We're gathering here to hold those ecological and human histories together — to bird, to learn, to remember, and to build community. Our Hosts This walk is co-hosted by three organizations bringing different but complementary perspectives to the gathering. Special Bird Service (SBS) is a community-powered organization working to remove barriers that have historically excluded BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ communities from outdoor spaces. Through birding, recreation, education, and ecological stewardship, SBS creates opportunities to build connection between people, birds, land, and one another. Always Be Birdin' is a birding-focused storytelling and media project celebrating the joy, curiosity, and community that comes from paying attention to birds.  This walk is part of our wider Birdin' Beyond Borders journey, connecting birders and communities across the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Black Pioneers is Oregon's only historical society dedicated to preserving and presenting the experiences of African Americans statewide. For more than 30 years, they have illuminated the seldom-told stories of people of African descent in Oregon through engaging exhibits, public programs, publications, and historical research. They also partner with local organizations to identify, interpret, and preserve sites with African American historical significance. Their mission is to research, recognize, and commemorate the history and heritage of African Americans in Oregon. We'll be joined by Oregon Black Pioneers Executive Director Zachary Stocks, who will help us connect our time outdoors with the histories and stories of Black life and presence in Oregon. Documentation - This event is also being filmed and photo documented as part of the Birdin' Beyond Borders documentary project. By registering, please be aware that video, photography, and audio recording may take place during the event. We'll communicate clearly about documentation and do our best to respect individual boundaries and photo preferences throughout the day. Come as you are. Bring your curiosity. Let's see what the Force Lake has to show us — and what histories and stories this landscape has to tell. What to Expect - We'll begin together at 10:00 AM with introductions. Everyone will have an opportunity to share their name, pronouns, and a question of the day — a simple way to arrive, get to know one another, and set an intention for our time together. From there, we'll begin our walk and talk along the trail to Heron Lakes stopping throughout the morning to look and listen for birds and other wildlife, share observations, and explore the natural and cultural history of the landscape.  The trail in this area is generally flat and follows a chipseal surface. You do not need binoculars or previous birding experience. There will be plenty to notice with your eyes and ears, and participants with cameras, scopes, field guides, or other birding equipment are welcome to bring them. Details At the beginning of the walk, facilitators will orient everyone to:<ul><li>Restrooms: We'll identify the nearest available restroom facilities at the beginning of the event. They are a half mile walk away from the meet point so use the bathroom before coming.</li><li>First aid: We'll identify our designated first-aid person/persons and where the first-aid kit is located.</li><li>Emergency procedures: We'll review what to do if someone becomes injured, separated from the group, or needs additional assistance.</li><li>Medical care: The nearest major emergency department is Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, 2801 N. Gantenbein Ave., Portland, OR 97227. Legacy Emanuel is a Level 1 trauma centre and provides emergency services. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.</li><li>Meeting point: We'll gather at the designated meeting point - Vanport Marker, 1809 N Broadacre Rd, Portland, OR 97217, United States</li></ul>A Few Things to RememberPlease dress for the weather and wear footwear appropriate for walking on a trail and levee surface. Bring:<ul><li>Water</li><li>Snacks</li><li>Binoculars, if you have them</li><li>A camera, if you'd like</li><li>A spotting scope, if you have one</li><li>Any personal medications or accessibility equipment you need for several hours outdoors</li></ul>We'll stay together as a group, follow established trails, respect wildlife, and adapt our pace where possible to support the needs of the people attending. Force Lake is an urban wetland system, so we'll be mindful of the habitat around us and observe birds and wildlife without causing unnecessary disturbance. Most importantly, there is no "right" level of bird knowledge. You don't have to know what something is to be curious about it. We're here to bird, learn, remember, share, and spend time together. Come curious. Leave connected.

Special Bird Service Society

Birds & Belonging

1809 N Broadacre Rd

Friends of the Feather

Free

Contributing Cormorant

$15

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