This refuge did NOT live up to it's name (smiling). We came here to escape ANOTHER dreary weekend in Seattle. Forcast for Hermiston Oregon - DRY! WARMER!....... We are GONE!! To our delight the refuge may be named COLD but it was WARM enough that we wound up taking off layers and putting away our gloves. So pleasurable. The refuge is nicely laid out with a variety of waters and scenes and well populated with birds even at this time of year. We walked about 5 miles total the first day and did not begin to cover everything. Mark did all our bird photography the first of our days here. Some subjects were backlit and not effectively captured and others - well - peek and see! We saw a wonderful variety of birds over our three day visit! For more information on this refuge go here:

http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=13581