Blog Posts
- Spring over to Albany February 28, 2024
- 2024 Photo Contest February 7, 2024
- Love from Albany! January 30, 2024
- Outdoor Fun for Wintertime January 4, 2024
- Albany Outdoor Adventures January 1, 2024
Explore Albany, Discover your story
The Willamette Valley is a wonderful place to explore with a pair of binoculars — or just a keen pair of eyes. The mid-valley’s mild climate makes it the winter home for certain bird species, and the rivers, lakes and forests are teeming with life as well. The Willamette Valley Birding Trail is your best resource for birding in the area. Download the Santiam Loop section for a guide to spotting burrowing owl, Oregon Vesper Sparrow, and other species native to the mid-valley area. If you look carefully while walking in grassy meadows in Linn and Benton counties, you might spot a Fender’s Blue Butterfly (PDF), a rare butterfly native only to the Willamette Valley. The following spots should help you create your own itinerary of nature while you’re here: