Birding at Fort Yamhill

This morning Jeanette and I went birding at Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area, another of our favorite places to bird. It is also steeped in the history of the contact and interaction of the native populations, the invading settlers, and the United State Army. It's always thought provoking to visit this park, particularly this section of the historical trade route used by the coastal and valley natives for thousands of years. In fact, according to David Lewis, author of "Tribal Histories of the Willamette Vallet", recent archeological evidence supports human habitation at 10,000 years. Let that settle in your mind. So, as we walk this ancient path, boarded with ferns and trees, seeking out birds by song and sight, it is for us a sacred moment.