The birding in this area is well worth the effort to find it. On your way there, in late spring watch for Ash-throated Flycatcher along KR Nielsen Rd as this is one of the few likely places to see them in the Willamette Valley. The riparian woodland trails along Coyote Creek offer easy walking, with Black Phoebe, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Cassin’s and Hutton’s Vireo, and Swainson’s Thrush among the nesting species. Also watch for Belted Kingfisher, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and Great Blue Heron. Coyote Creek is a great place to put in a canoe or kayak for better views of waterfowl on the reservoir 2 mi to the N (though not navigable mid-October through March due to high flows and dangerous currents). When the creek is navigable, it is a flat-water run, so a shuttle is not required. The area is closed Oct 6 – Jan 25, and open only on Saturdays Jan 26 – April 30.

From Site F8 cross Hwy 126 and go S on Central Rd 0.8 mi. Turn L (E) on Cantrell Rd and proceed 1.4 mi to where the road crosses a bridge. Park along the road shoulder near the bridge to access trails on either side of creek.