Summer Lake Wildlife Area is one of the best places in Oregon to view and photograph migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, and other waterbirds. Similar to a national wildlife refuge but managed by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW), the area consists of a large marsh, multiple ponds, and associated uplands. Summer Lake is located in southern Oregon, in an area that is included in the Northern Great Basin geographical region of the United States.
Summer Lake Wildlife Area was created in 1944, with the primary objective of protecting and improving waterfowl habitat and providing a public hunting area. It is now popular not just for hunting, but also for wildlife viewing, photography, and environmental education due to its geographic setting, the abundance of wildlife present, and species diversity. ODFW has created an 8.3-mile auto tour loop that offers some excellent photo opportunities. Additional dikes and roads that are closed to motor vehicles afford excellent hiking and viewing opportunities. The tour route is closed during hunting seasons – early October through late January.
For wildlife photographers, I recommend visiting in March for the migrating flocks of brightly plumaged ducks, geese, and swans. April and May are good for migrant shorebirds, other waterbirds, and songbirds passing through the area. May through July can be good for breeding waterfowl and shorebirds.
I really enjoyed seeing and photographing Sandhill Cranes in several of the drier areas while I drove the tour loop.
American Coots are ubiquitous in wetlands throughout the western United States, so perhaps ignored by many photographers, as are some flora that we consider weeds. I find them challenging to photograph because of their dark, black feathers and bright white bills. With just the right angle of light, I was able to make this photograph that included the red part of the bill, and the light on the eye.
Trumpeter Swans, one of the largest bird species in our area, are pretty easy to spot at Summer Lake Wildlife Area due to their size. Their bright white plumage can be a challenge for photographers as our camera metering systems tend to blow out the highlights when we’re on matrix/evaluative metering. You might have to quickly dial down your exposure setting with the compensation adjustment button.
This swan, like many of the Trumpeters at Summer Lake, has a large ID collar. Not the greatest for trying to make a “pure” wildlife image, but an opportunity for storytelling about these beautiful creatures.
Whenever I visit their habitat, I love listening to the song of the Red-winged Blackbird.
One of the highlights of my recent visit to Summer Lake Wildlife Area was being able to come back with a photograph of this Great Horned Owl. The former privately-owned River Ranch, which includes a beautiful old wooden barn, is now part of the protected wildlife area. High up in the rafters of the barn is a large owl nest. This guy/gal tolerated me as long as I stood at the entrance to the barn and didn’t get too close to his/her owlets. I really enjoyed just observing this owl and was astounded that I was able to make a photo in the dim barn light with a handheld photo. My Nikon Z6 and 100-400mm Nikkor S + 1.4x teleconverter for an equivalent of 560mm gave me a sharp image at 1/80 second with the combo of VR on the lens and in-camera image stabilization.
If you want to plan a visit to Summer Lake Wildlife, here are some suggestions and resources:
- ODFW website: https://myodfw.com/summer-lake-wildlife-area-visitors-guide
- Visiting the wildlife area and the auto tour route requires an ODFW Parking/Day Use permit. These are NOT available on site, but can be purchased on the ODFW website, select retail outlets in Oregon, and at Summer Lake General Store.
- There are three campgrounds on the loop drive. They are pretty basic with tables, fire pits, and vault toilets, but no hookups. The sites are wide open, so no privacy, but are nice and level for staging your RV, trailer, van camper, or tent. There is no charge for camping if you have the ODFW parking permit. The great thing about these campsites is that you can be onsite for both sunset and sunrise photo ops with little or no extra driving or walking.
- Lodging at Summer Lake:
- Summer Lake Lodge has hotel rooms and cabins.
- Ana Reservoir RV Park is just a couple of miles from the entrance to Summer Lake Wildlife Area.
- Summer Lake Hot Springs – a bit south of the wildlife area, but a great option if you want to just chill with comforatble accommodations and hot springs.
- Gasoline, groceries, camping supplies and more are available at the well-stocked general store in the town of Summer Lake.
by 