Time for a migratory ocean jaunt south – Tin Mountain Conservation Center invites you to join them in the Nature Program “Winter Birds of Plum Island” on Saturday, February 20 for our annual trip to Plum Island in Massachusetts where snow buntings, harriers and rough-legged hawks are just a few of the possible birds you may see.

 

Plum Island, an 8 mile barrier island that is part of Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, and Ipswich, Massachusetts offers an excellent opportunity to observe migratory birds. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge occupies three-fourths of the island. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “The Refuge was established in 1942 primarily to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for migratory birds. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge is of vital stopover significance to waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds during pre-and post breeding migratory periods. The refuge consists of 4,662 acres of diverse upland and wetland habitats including sandy beach and dune, shrub/thicket, bog, swamp, freshwater marsh, salt marsh and associated creek, river, mud flat, and salt panne. These and other refuge habitats support varied and abundant populations of resident and migratory wildlife including more than 300 species of birds and additional species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and plants.”

 

Recent sightings include the Great Horned Owl, Snowy Owl, Short-eared Owl, Bufflehead, Northern Harrier, Hooded Merganser, Common Golden Eye, Bald Eagle, Northern Shrike, Snow Goose, Red Throated Loon, Ring-billed Gull, Northern Pintail, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk and more.

We’ll meet at Tin Mountain at 7:30am and carpool south. If you are thinking of coming but plan on meeting us down there, be sure and let us know!  Call 447-6991 for reservations.

Tin Mountain Conservation Center Nature Programs are funded in part by L.L. Bean and NRCS. TMCC Nature Programs are open to the public and donations of $3.00 per person and $5.00 per family are appreciated.