A story in four steps: Watch our new Community Nature Center grow, see the blank space where nature will bloom, see the stunning concept vision, and zoom in on the exact spot your engraved brick will be permanently installed! 🧱🌳 ➡️Leave your mark: https://ridgefieldfriends.org/news/buy-a-brick/

👻 Happy Halloween! Final day of #BatWeek! Say farewell to our insect-eating heroes. 🦇 The November Newsletter is out! It features huge BirdFest thanks, Brick Project updates, and info on the 2026 Calendar—perfect for gifts! https://conta.cc/4qyjpZg #RidgefieldNWR

This #MotivationMonday, we're motivated by the pure passion seen at BirdFest & Bluegrass this year. This beautiful pencil drawing of "Osprey" was gifted to the Friends by the talented young artist, "Queen Vulture." Their skill reminds us to pursue what we love this week. This artist is going places!

🦇 #FunFactFriday: Bat Power! Our PNW bats can live 20-30 years by hibernating! 🤯We celebrate #BatWeek now because they are just starting their long winter's nap. Respect these incredible, long-lived insectivores!

The power of the Refuge System! 👏 This is why we support conservation and our U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partners! Check out the amazing success story of the Columbian white-tailed Deer! www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/col... #ColumbianWhitetailedDeer #pnw #wildliferefuge #RidgfefieldRefuge

Happy Fall! The tiny fly swarm is here, but it's never just one bug! 😅 It's fruit flies, fungus gnats, or drain flies—and the fruit/drain flies are invasive in Washington! Set those vinegar/soap traps. #PNWFungusGnatSeason #FlyLife #FallVibes #InvasiveSpecies

Happy National Reptile Awareness Day! We're celebrating by politely requesting that everyone make themselves aware of some reptiles today. It's kinda our job. 🐢🐍 #NationalReptileAwarenessDay Image of a Garter Snake by Jan Eklof, 2019 @prophotosupply.bsky.social Ridgefield Refuge Photo Contest Winner

Our BirdFest Art Winners Are AMAZING! Stop scrolling & check out the spectacular winning artwork inspired by the Ridgefield Refuge! Huge congrats to our powerhouse winners: Emmaus Brownfield, Jaxon Landman, & Daisy Selin, who crushed it in all 3 categories! Which is your favorite? #BirdFest2025

Relive the magic! ✨ @the.reflector.newspaper covered all the highlights from this year's BirdFest & Bluegrass, where community met conservation and music. Check out the article! 👉 bit.ly/ReflectorBir... #BirdFest2025 #BluegrassMusic #RidgefieldWA #CommunityEvent #TheReflector #PNWLife

What a Day yesterday! THANK YOU! 🙏 Our musicians, vendors, volunteers, and guests made BirdFest & Bluegrass 2025 a huge success! Thank you for celebrating community and nature with us. See you next year!

☀️ IT'S NOON! Markets/Displays (Carty/Downtown) are closing at 2 PM! Shop, vote, and see the Photo Winners now! Music is LOUD all afternoon! Join the party! Full schedule: linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue...

🤯 AERODYNAMICS HACK! #FunFactFriday Our Bird of the Year, the Osprey, is a flying genius! When it catches a fish, it rotates the catch to be HEAD-FIRST to reduce wind drag! They fly smarter, not harder. Celebrate the Osprey TOMORROW at BirdFest & Bluegrass (Sat, Oct 4)! linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue...

We mourn Dr. Jane Goodall, but her powerful legacy of hope lives on. She proved that "Every individual makes a difference." We extend that message to our Refuge System! Every volunteer, visitor, and donor fuels conservation. Let her inspire your actions today. #JaneGoodall #Conservation

BirdFest & Bluegrass is Sat, Oct 4! Music is all day: Live Bluegrass performances & jamming at multiple downtown spots. Shop at Vendor Marketplace (Davis Park), or the Children's Entrepreneur Market (Overlook Park) 9AM–2PM. Kids' binocular craft to win Moola in Davis Park! linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue...

🎉 BEST NEWS! BirdFest & Bluegrass is FULL STEAM AHEAD this Sat, Oct 4! Refuge lands are OPEN & FREE (including seasonal trails). Core events (hikes, Art Contest) are ON! Some activities shuffle downtown (due to no refuge building access). Plan your day! linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue...

4 DAYS! 🤯 BirdFest & Bluegrass is THIS SATURDAY, Oct 4th! Your final warnings are HERE: ✅ Downtown is ON (Shutdown or not!) ⚠️ LAST DAY to hike Kiwa/Carty trails! 🔗 Get hike sign-up links & merch! Read the newsletter NOW! conta.cc/4o0S6ot #BirdFest2025 #wildliferefuge

LAST DAY TO HIKE Kiwa/Carty trails is TODAY (Sept 30) except BirdFest & Bluegrass! 🚨 Reminder Auto Tour Rule: Starting TOMORROW, Oct 1 (and all day Oct 4 for BirdFest!), you MUST stay in your vehicle on the River S Unit. No exceptions for our migratory birds! 🚗🐦 www.fws.gov/refuge/ridge...

BirdFest & Bluegrass is Oct 4, 2025! Imagine this: kids discovering the wonders around them (maybe even with their own craft binoculars!), live bluegrass music in the crisp fall air, and everyone enjoying our landscape. Guided hikes, workshops, Art Contest: linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue... #BirdFest2025

Rain, Shine, or Shutdown! 🤯 BirdFest & Bluegrass is THIS SATURDAY, Oct 4! Downtown fun is 100% secure! For Refuge activities (hikes/tours), we have backup locations ready if needed. The festival is happening! Stay tuned for updates & plan your day: linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue...

🛰️ Mission Complete. We’re overwhelmed with gratitude. Thanks to your generosity during Give More 24! and the full matching support we received, we made an incredible impact together. Thanks to you: • Trails & habitats thrive • Nature exploration opps grow • Conservation ed reaches our community

The suns are setting… but there’s still time to give. Final match hours. Final push. Let’s close this mission together. www.givemore24.org/organization... #wildliferefuge #givemore24 #communitysupport #weneednature

Mission update: We are rocketing towards meeting our match goal, and the Force is still with us. Tap the button. Make it count. www.givemore24.org/organization... #GiveMore24 #wildliferefuge

A Milestone for Wildlife & Community! We’re thrilled to celebrate a generous GiveMore24 $1,000 match thanks to Fibre Federal Credit Union! Every gift helps protect wildlife, preserve habitats, & connect more people with the treasures of Ridgefield Refuge. www.givemore24.org/organization...

THIS. IS. THE. DAY. Give More 24! is LIVE. Every gift is matched up to $3,000. Give now: www.givemore24.org/organization... #givemore24 #communitysupport #wildliferefuge

10 DAYS until BirdFest & Bluegrass (Oct 4th)! Your adventure starts NOW. Which one are you? The Planner: Register for guided hikes/workshops! The Collector: Get your hoodie & new Osprey button The Artist: Enter the inaugural Art Contest! linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue...

Take a moment to watch this! Every acre we protect, every child we engage, & every community we connect brings us closer to a future where nature thrives & people belong. Join us in standing together for the mission, make a GiveMore24! gift: givemore24.org/organization/RidgefieldFriends #GiveMore24!

A heartfelt thank you to The Hugh & Mair Lewis Charitable Fund of the Community Fndn for SWWA, for the $500 matching gift during GiveMore24! Your support helps protect wildlife, preserve habitats, and create lasting connections throughout our community. www.givemore24.org/organization...

Want to learn from the best at BirdFest & Bluegrass? Our registration-only hikes are filling up fast! Don't miss out on: Nature Journaling with the Ridgefield Art Association Bird Photography with Peter Cavanagh Early-bird Birding with Ron Escano linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue... #BirdFest2025

Big news! New BirdFest & Bluegrass clothing! Show your love for the refuge and the festival with our new t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies. Choose from our dated 2025 design or a classic, undated logo. They're perfect for the festival and all year round. Shop: frmwrgifts.printful.me #BirdFest2025

The inaugural BirdFest & Bluegrass Art Contest is a chance to showcase artistic talent & celebrate the wildlife of the Ridgefield Refuge. Hhosted w/the Ridgefield Art Association, it's open to bird-loving visual artists of all ages. Learn More: pnfarm.com/event/birdfe... #BirdFest2025

​No tigers here, but we do have something even more important: a thriving habitat for local and endangered species. Our work is all about promoting healthy ecosystems so wildlife and people can coexist. #RefugiodeVidaSilvestre #urbanrefuge #wildliferefuge #PNWPhotographer #nature

The 2025 BirdFest & Bluegrass schedule is LIVE! 🎉 Get ready for a jam-packed day of nature and music. Don't miss our exclusive, registration-only events! Secure your spot now. View the full schedule and register: linktr.ee/BirdFestBlue... See you Oct 4! #BirdFest2025

BirdFest & Bluegrass 2025 buttons on sale now! $5.00 at select businesses: -Seasons Coffee Tea & Remedies in the Old Liberty Theater -Backyard Bird Shop Vancouver Full official schedule coming very soon! Learn more about Osprey: ridgefieldfriends.org/birdfest-blu... #Birdfestandbluegrass #Festival

EARLY GIVING IS LIVE! Channel the Force and help us hit light speed toward our goal. All gifts will be matched up to $2,500 — so give early, give boldly! www.givemore24.org/organization... #wildliferefuge #wildlifephotography #PNW #nature #RebelForNature

“The path to Jedi mastery begins with protection.” A gift of $75 helps bring to life efforts that preserve habitats and protect native species across the Ridgefield Refuge. GiveMore24! is Sept 25—but you can give early, starting tmrw, Sept 9. Strike early. Strike true. #GM24 bit.ly/FRNWRGM24

🔊🔊 (Volume up!) Today is #NationalWildlifeDay! Listen to the sounds of Sandhill Cranes taking flight in the fog. Every day is a chance to celebrate and protect the incredible animals that share our planet. How are you celebrating today? #wildlifeconservation #endangeredspecies #SandhillCranes

Big news! 📣 Here's what's happening at the Refuge: Photo Contest: Last chance! It closes tonight. BirdFest: Mark your calendars for Oct 4! GiveMore24: Early giving starts Sep 9. Commemorative Bricks: Leave your legacy! & See stories about our cranes and bees. conta.cc/4636yF2 #RidgefieldNWR

Don't be shy! 🙈 Today's your last day to submit your photos for our annual contest. The deadline is tonight! bit.ly/RNWRContest25 #photocontest #wildlifephotography #raccoon #ridgefieldnwr

Happy Labor Day! The animals at the Refuge have figured out the true meaning of the long weekend: rest. Napping cranes or sunbathing otters remind us to take a moment. After all, everyone—animal or human—deserves a break. We hope you're enjoying a peaceful & restful holiday. #LaborDay

SHARE if you also love running away from your problems by visiting national wildlife refuges! When I do, my problems are GONE It’s the only time where I don’t think about what’s going on in life. Just being mindful and in the moment. Which refuge do you love visiting to get away from your problems?

This is your sign! 📸 You have until Sept 2 to submit your photos to our annual photo contest. Don't miss your chance to win! #photocontest #wildlifephotography #ridgefieldnwr

Don't forget to head into iQ Credit Union in Ridgefield before August 30, & vote for the Friends in the community nonprofit contest! We could win $3k with the drop of a token. Anyone can vote who stops by the bank - get there before it's too late! #communityfirst #wildliferefuge #natureconservation

We've been seeing a lot of juvenile Cooper's Hawks going through their "awkward teen" phase lately. It's a sweet reminder that even majestic birds have to learn how to fly! #Birding #Wildlife #CoopersHawk #NatureIsAwesome #RidgefieldNWR

Jedi math is simple: 1 gift = 2x the impact Help us unlock our match to build a new Nature Exploration Area, protect wildlife, and power access to the outdoors. This is the way. #GM24 #JediMath #UnlockTheMatch #RefugeRebellion

"In wild places, truth you will find. Support them, you must." — Master Owl-da Wise, he is. This Give More 24!, back the Friends of RNWR in preserving access to the wilds of Ridgefield — for every creature, great and small. #GM24 #YodaWisdom #RefugeMatters #OspreySkyWalker

A tremor in the Force... A matching gift has emerged, and every dollar you give will be doubled during Give More 24! Channel your inner Jedi and help build a future where everyone can access nature, from younglings to Grand Masters. Sept 25. Save the date. #GM24 #TheMatchAwakens #OspreySkyWalker

The patience is real. 🧘 Just like this Great Egret waiting for the perfect shot, we know you've got some incredible moments captured at the Refuge. Show us your best photos by entering the Pro Photo Supply Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Photo Contest! bit.ly/RNWRContest25

Buzzy news! 🐝 A tiny carpenter bee, Ceratina micheneri, was just discovered at Ridgefield NWR. This is the first time it's been recorded this far north in the PNW! A huge thank you to the OSU researcher for this finding. What's your coolest discovery? #funfactfriday

Hanging out at a refuge can help you learn about birds really fast, but it's a gateway to bird puns! #birdpuns #urbanrefuge #birding #photography #wildliferefuge

It's #WingedWednesday! Ever see a male duck that looks... off? After mating, drakes shed their flashy feathers for drab "eclipse plumage." While most are back to vibrant colors, species like Wood Ducks, Shovelers, & Blue-winged Teals can stay in this low-key look longer. Spot any at the Refuge?