Great Basin and Owyhee Uplands
63. Summer Lake Wildlife Area
OWESA geographic model: | geomorphology | climate | vegetation | wildlife
| human settlement
Geomorphology
Climate
Vegetation
Wildlife
This is one of the best places in Oregon to view migrating waterfowl and
other shore birds. The area consists of a large marsh with associated uplands.
An 8.3 mile automobile tour route bixects the area. Early spring is the
best time to view migrating flocks of waterfowl. The area is home to trumpter
swans and nesting snowy plovers. As many as 250 species of birds are seen
here, including gadwall, redhead, Canada geese, lesser snow geese, greater
white-fronted geese, American wigeon, green-winged and cinnamon teal, killdeer,
American avocet, black-necked stilt, sandhill crane, great blue heron, black
crowned night heron, long-billed curlew, American white pelican, tundra
swan, American coot, and snowy egret. See the Oregon Wildlife Viewing
Guide (1994) for important additional details on wildlife description,
viewing information, and directions to wildlife viewing sites.
Human Settlement
Summer Lake Wildlife Area is located 22 miles north of Lakeview and managed
by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildflife. The lake was given the current
name of Summer Lake by Captain John C. Freemont, of the US Topological Engineers,
on December 16, 1843. As he looked down from the ridge which his party had
climed from the west on a snow laden day he saw the sun shining on the lake,
bordered with the green grass and the contrast was so great that he named
the mountain Winter Ridge and the lake Summer Lake.
Sources
McArthur, L., Oregon Geographic Names , 6th Ed., 1992. Oregon
Historical Society Press, Portland, Oregon.
Yuskavitch, J., Oregon Wildlife Viewing Guide , 1994. Falcon
Press, Helena, Montana.
Visitor's Guide :Oregon Fish Hatcheries and Wildlife Management Areas
, n.d., Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Portland, Oregon.
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Copyright
Phil Kessinger, 1997
Eugene,Oregon USA
All Rights Reserved
phil_k
at
efn.org
Revised December 2002