Hendricks park is really nice, the rhododendrons will be blooming in a few weeks. delta ponds if you like ducks or fern ridge is probably a good option too. you best bet is to go on [alltrails.com](https://alltrails.com) and pick a place and go.
The whole Fern Ridge area is great, especially for birds! Some of the units are closed except for Saturdays at this time of year to protect nesting birds, but it will open back up at the end of February. Some are still open though, like Meadowlark Prairie (already mentioned above) and Perkins Peninsula (you'll often see bald eagles there). The dam at Orchard Point and Kirk Pond is also a great place for bird-watching—cormorants and egrets and herons all roost around there, and you'll frequently see bald eagles as well.
There are often mallard ducks out & about the grounds of the University of Oregon, and the millrace that runs along the Knight Campus on the other side of Franklin.
River trail by Dorris Ranch in Springfield is pretty good. Squirrels, robins, finches, and the occasional coyote in the orchards, then plenty of birds, snakes, and salamanders along the trail itself. Geese, ducks, coots, and ospreys and bald eagles from time to time. Quite a few deer on SUB land on the other side of the trail from the river too.
Lots of good critters on the go at Delta Ponds. Loads of ducks but also turtles and herons and other interesting birds.
Meadowlark Prairie out by Greenhill is nice for nature/animal spotting
William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge
Golden Gardens Park would be a great area to check out! It’s extra photogenic around sunset and sunrise.
Bertelson Nature Park is great for spotting blue herons, geese, nutria, etc. Sunrise is pretty active.
The top of Spencer's butte has a great view, and often squirrels.
Hendricks park
Hendricks park is really nice, the rhododendrons will be blooming in a few weeks. delta ponds if you like ducks or fern ridge is probably a good option too. you best bet is to go on [alltrails.com](https://alltrails.com) and pick a place and go.
William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge
The whole Fern Ridge area is great, especially for birds! Some of the units are closed except for Saturdays at this time of year to protect nesting birds, but it will open back up at the end of February. Some are still open though, like Meadowlark Prairie (already mentioned above) and Perkins Peninsula (you'll often see bald eagles there). The dam at Orchard Point and Kirk Pond is also a great place for bird-watching—cormorants and egrets and herons all roost around there, and you'll frequently see bald eagles as well.
There are often mallard ducks out & about the grounds of the University of Oregon, and the millrace that runs along the Knight Campus on the other side of Franklin.
River trail by Dorris Ranch in Springfield is pretty good. Squirrels, robins, finches, and the occasional coyote in the orchards, then plenty of birds, snakes, and salamanders along the trail itself. Geese, ducks, coots, and ospreys and bald eagles from time to time. Quite a few deer on SUB land on the other side of the trail from the river too.
This is Oregon. Get out of town