Paddle with a Scientist

About a dozen community members recently had the opportunity to paddle from the bay in Charleston into the South Slough Estuary.

The community members were participating in a Paddle with a Scientist event organized by South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.

The kayakers experienced the rich cultural and natural history of South Slough on a trail that flows with the tide. During the five-mile paddle, they kayakers got a view of Reserve rarely seen by visitors.

They also got a unique view of local wildlife, including a variety of birds, while they made their way through the waterway.

Program participants were joined by naturalist and bird expert Joe Metzler, who gave them a sneak peek into his work with the purple martin.

The world's largest swallow, martins are uncommon in Oregon. They nest both solitarily and colonially in nest boxes specially put up for them, in crevices in human-made structures, and in cavities in snags and pilings, according the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Scientist Metzler has installed several purple martin nest boxes in the Reserve. He was interested see if any purple martin babies had hatched in them.

“I'll show you my system where I can actually capture the box, take it down, examine the young inside, and put it back safely,” Metzler said before the paddle.

“I only do this when I have a large group of people like this so that I can share at one time and not disturb the birds too much. So I hope you enjoy that today, and I'd love to answer any questions that you may have,” the local scientist told the group of kayakers.

Many of those who took part in the Paddle with a Scientist brought their own kayak, while others opted to rent a kayak provided by the South Slough Reserve.

At the start of the day, the group gathered near the bridge in Charleston to ready their equipment. Then, drivers paraded their cars to the ending point, before being shuttled back for the one-way paddle.

South Slough Reserve Education Specialist Eric Dean paid special attention to the wind and the tides as he directed the paddlers through the bay and along the estuary. The paddlers varied in skill levels, but all stayed close and gathered at different meeting points throughout the day.

During a break at a beach, Scientist Metzler was able to show the kayakers a box with three viable purple martin eggs. The group was excited to see the nest and eggs and hear more about Metzler’s work.

A few hours after they entered the water, the community members made it to their final destination. They shared a feeling of accomplishment and community as wrapped they up for the day.

The South Slough Estuary Reserve offers a variety programming designed to connect community members with estuaries and coastal watersheds. They provide people of all ages and backgrounds with the chance to learn through activities like bird watching, kayaking along water trails, and nature-based crafts.

Their community class calendar is regularly updated with upcoming events. Those who are interested can also learn about newly added classes by subscribing to the Reserve's newsletter.