Priest Hole
Seasons
Checklists
Location
From the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument – Painted Hills entrance on Bridge Creek Road, drive miles north to Twickenham Road (on the right). Take Twickenham Road 2.1 miles and then take a signed dirt road on the left and drive 1.2 miles to Priest Hole.
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
The area offers camping, a vault toilet and a boat launch. Most of the camping areas are in the open, but there is a stand of tall Cottonwoods and a riparian area along the John Day River. Look for raptors, including Swainson’s, Norther Harrier and Red-Tailed Hawk. Look for Virginia Rail, Common Merganser and Belted Kingfisher along the river. Summer migrants include Western Kingbird, Ash-throated and Dusky Flycatchers. Except for one visit in January, the area has only been birded from May-August.
Nearby Birding Locations
- Fossil Sewage Ponds - Farm Pond
- Hoover Creek Road/Hoover Creek Reservoir
- Butte Creek Road
- Shelton Wayside Park
- Shady Grove Rest Area
- Kimberly Area
- Girds Creek Road
- Julia Henderson Pioneer Park
- Kahler Basin Road
- Fossil Sewage Ponds
- Cottonwood Creek Road
- Robinson Canyon - Pine Creek Conservation Area
- Twickenham Area
- Rowe Creek Reservoir
- Spray (Town)
- Service Creek
- Umatilla National Forest
- Rowe Creek Road
- Pine Creek Conservation Area
- John Day Fossil Beds National Monument - Clarno Unit
- Hancock Field Station
- Burnt Ranch Campground
- Bear Hollow
- Clarno BLM Boat Ramp
- Bear Hollow County Park
- Butte Creek Summit
- Winlock Road
- Fossil (Town)
- Clarno Road
- Muleshoe Recreation Area
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