Masonville and Muddy Valley Roads
Home » Birding Locations » Yamhill County » Mcminneville Area
Seasons
Checklists
Location
Travel two miles SW out of McMinnville on Hwy 18 and turn right onto Masonville Road. Follow this road 1.5 miles to its junction with McCabe Chapel Road/South Yamhill Cemetery. A walk through this cemetery and up the hill to the open field can be very birdy. NOTE: If you continue on McCabe Chapel Road and then onto Oldsville Road you will come to the Erratic Rock State Natural Site. Continuing on Masonville Road from the cemetery, you round a hill and pass a sign for the Gahr Reserve. Continue over the next hill to a pull-off on the left that looks down into a weedy wetland. Turn left at the junction of Muddy Valley Road. Over the first hill there is a unkempt field on the left which is well worth your time. The Maysara Winery folks are birder-friendly and you can drive all the way up to their tasting room area. Check both the vineyards and the woods on the hill. Half a mile further south along Muddy Valley Rd a small orchard on the west side of the road has bird boxes. At the end of Muddy Valley Road you will arrive at Bellevue and Highway 18 again.
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
At South Yamhill Cemetery you can find Chipping Sparrows near the driveway and you may find Brown Creeper, Pacific Slope flycatcher, Western Wood-Peewee, and Western Tanager. At the Erratic Rock State Natural Site check out the large rock carried in by a glacial ice floe and enjoy the view. Look for Lazuli Buntings. The weedy wetland on Masonville Rd has wintering waterfowl and raptors. The unkempt field on Muddy Valley Rd has Yellow-0breasted Chat, Wrentit, Lazuli Bunting, Rufous Hummingbird, Common Yellowthroat, Cedar Waxwings and more. Mountain Quail have been hear here. At the Maysara Winery look for Wild Trukeys in the vineyards, Bullock’s Orioles, House Wrens, White-breasted Nuthatches in the oaks, and ducks on the pond. Lewis Woodpeckers were nearby on Muddy Valley Road early 2022. Near the small orchard down the road Western Bluebirds, Say’s Phoebe, Willow Flycatcher, and Wrentit have been found, and a rare Mountain Bluebird put in an appearance. The open fields have hosted wintering raptors and Northern Shrike.
Discussion