Saturday, March 24, 2012

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary


Pictures Below, check them out!

Topsfield mapTopsfield map 

Hand feeding Chickadee's




Ipswich River 
Wildlife Sanctuary
Topsfield, Massachusetts 



Description
Ipswich River offers more than 10 miles of interconnecting trails that invite you to explore the forests, meadows, and wetlands.


Canoe along eight miles of the Ipswich River that run through the sanctuary and camp on Perkins Island, located a half-mile up the river (members can rent canoes from May through October). Members can also rent a cabin that is conveniently located close to the sanctuary’s office and program facilities and sleeps four.


In April, listen for the chorus of American toads and pickerel frogs. Watch for river otters, painted turtles, and great blue herons at various times throughout the year. Climb the drumlin and esker, landscape features created by a glacier 15,000 years ago. Huge rocks and exotic trees and shrubs that were part of a former arboretum provide an adventurous walk along the Rockery Trail.


Massachusetts Audubon's largest sanctuary, this property covers 2,800 acres of diverse habitats, including fields, vernal pools, forests, swamps, islands, eskers, and eight miles of the Ipswich River. Many species of animals make their home here either seasonally or year round. The Sanctuary offers an observation tower, a backyard-bird observation area. The diversity of habitats and wildlife provide an ideal setting to study energy flow and nutrient cycling in the environment. Adaptations, biodiversity, watersheds, and river ecology are also explored. 

Address
Phone
1 978.887.9264
Website
Hours
Tue - Sun:9:00 am-4:00 pm
For Your Safety
  • Do not feed any animals, including farm animals
  • Stay on trails to avoid ticks and poison ivy
  • Do not smoke anywhere on the sanctuary
  • Do not pick or collect plants or crops without permission
Avoid Conflicts with Wildlife
  • Do not bring pets, leashed or unleashed, on to the site
  • Picnic only in designated areas
  • Do not bring motorized vehicles or bicycles onto the site
  • Hunting, fishing, or trapping are not permitted



Click on any photo to start slideshow format: (all photos on this page ©Dave Peatfield)


Deer grazing in the field of Bluebirds


Bluebird coming in for a landing


Northern Cardinal


Eastern Bluebird










Palm Warbler (Rare)

Palm Warbler (Rare)


Hairy Woodpecker

Black-capped Chickadee

American Robin

Hairy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker 

Hairy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker 

Hairy Woodpecker 

Canada Goose

Canada Geese in flight

Canada Geese in flight

Canada Geese

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird 

Hairy Woodpeckers

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch zooming in on fly off the end of his beak




First plant life of the spring



Bufflehead (center),  Ring-necked Duck (upper right)

Bufflehead (center),  Ring-necked Duck (upper left) 


Mill Gate

Bufflehead 

Bufflehead 

Bufflehead 


Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker 

Red-bellied Woodpecker 

Red-bellied Woodpecker 

Hand feeding Chickadee

Hand feeding Chickadee 

Hand feeding Chickadee 

Mallard's

Mallard's 

Mallard's 

Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel 

Just taking it all in!

Red Squirrel 

Mallard

Easy trails and stair-step climbs

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallow 

Tree Swallow 

American Crow



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