“You are facing Sturgeon Lake. In the fall and spring, you can see flocks of Canada geese and sandhill cranes. They return from their northern nesting grounds in Alaska in early September. The cranes feed on waste grain from the recently harvested fields nearby and then fly to Sturgeon Lake each night to roost. As many as 3,500 sandhill cranes stop on Sauvie Island each fall and thousands of geese. You might also see large flocks of northern pintails and American widgeons on the lake in the fall, as well as tundra swans. When Lewis and Clark traveled through this area, they wrote that the noise from these numerous birds was “horid” and kept them awake all night. Throughout the year, great blue herons can be seen fishing on Sturgeon Lake. ”
From Oak Island Nature Trail Guide: George Middle School and ODFW