Prineville Sewer Ponds – THE PRINEVILLE SEWER PONDS ARE NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER THIS FACILITY! WE HOPE THIS WILL BE A TEMPORARY SITUATION SO WE ARE STILL INCLUDING THIS IMPORTANT LOCATION IN THE SITE GUIDE. WATCH FOR FUTURE UPDATES.
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THE PRINEVILLE SEWER PONDS ARE NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER THIS FACILITY! WE HOPE THIS WILL BE A TEMPORARY SITUATION SO WE ARE STILL INCLUDING THIS IMPORTANT LOCATION IN THE SITE GUIDE. WATCH FOR FUTURE UPDATES.
On the very western edge of Prineville, Hwy 126 crosses the Crooked River on a big bridge. The road to the sewer ponds (O’Neil Hwy 370) heads NW just on the west side of the bridge. Leave Prineville on the O’Neil Hwy 370 and the main entrance to the ponds is on the north side of the road about 0.5 miles from Hwy 126. (Click on “View AGoogle Map” for a very good view of both ponds.) Birders are welcome to visit during business hours (Mon-Fri 8:00 to 2:00) but make sure you don’t block the road and make sure you are out before 2:00 so you don’t get locked in. You must have permission to visit this site in off hours. You can obtain permission by emailing Chuck Gates. A keypad lock restricts access to the ponds.
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THE PRINEVILLE SEWER PONDS ARE NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER THIS FACILITY! WE HOPE THIS WILL BE A TEMPORARY SITUATION SO WE ARE STILL INCLUDING THIS IMPORTANT LOCATION IN THE SITE GUIDE. WATCH FOR FUTURE UPDATES.
Several large ponds here normally have some open “water”, even in the coldest months. These ponds support large numbers of ducks and a variety of shorebirds in the spring and fall. The habitat close to the river is excellent for migrants, sparrows and Black-crowned Night-Herons. Winter flocks consist of hundreds of Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, Common and Barrows Goldeneye, Ruddy Ducks, Buffleheads and Mallards. Look for both Cinnamon Teal and Blue-winged Teal in early to mid-summer. There is an active heron rookery near the first pond and herons are here year-round. Shorebirds use these ponds in spring and fall. Common shorebirds include Killdeer, Wilson’s Snipe, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher and Red-necked Phalarope. Common waders include American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, both yellowlegs and an occasional White-faced Ibis. Riparian woodlands produce good warbler flocks along with Lazuli Bunting and Western Tanager to name a couple. Wood Ducks nest here as do Common Yellowthroat, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Cliff Swallows and Killdeer. There is a large Banks Swallow colony here and Common Nighthawk feed here nightly in summer. Many rare birds have been reported from this location. Eurasian Wigeon, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-necked Grebe, Horned Grebe, Green Heron, Peregrine Falcon, Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Red Phalarope, Sabine’s Gull, Franklin’s Gull, Short-eared Owl, Red-eyed Vireo and Purple Martin have all been recorded.
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