The nearly 2,000-acre landscape features drumlins, eskers, forest, meadows, swamps, and wetlands, offering many habitats attracting shore and song birds.
Returning to one of Mass Audubon’s largest sanctuaries along the endangered Ipswich River in Topsfield, Massachusetts, it’s one of my favorite local-ish spots, for what I thought would be a quick mid-day stroll. Enjoying the beautiful weather after several days of rain, I was there for nearly nine hours and not even traversing more than five miles.
The day began hanging out on the second platform of the observation tower, as there was shade, and I would otherwise be completely exposed to the sun. Some Red-Winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and a few others darted around the edge of Bunker Meadows. I was mostly admiring some of the turtles sunbathing on logs and chuckling as they occasionally fell off. After burning off the last of the morning sun, it was time to move on and check out a new scene.
Stop number two would be at the tip of the Ipswich River Trail, where it seemed to be very quiet and undisturbed. Hundreds of tadpoles swim about at random bursts and trajectories, clinging towards the edge of the water in the sunlight. Movement catches my eye and notice a Northern Water Snake swimming towards me. It really was heading into a marshy spot to my left, but for a few moments, it looked like it was coming right for me.
Immediately spotting a couple of Gray Catbirds in the brush and leaves, chipmunks are running around everywhere else, distracting me as they frolic about. I spotted a Bluejay, but the chickadees and nuthatches were not about that, quite amusing watching them team up to pick on the slightly larger bird. Then a flash of red caught my eye, a Northern Cardinal lands right on the trail – not the most photogenic spot, but happy to see and observe nonetheless.
Slowly meandering along South Esker Trail, the forest gets a little more dense. Aside from a bug on a bench, I didn’t spot anything else, though I was told an owl was in the area. Saw various woodland creatures including deer, garder snakes, and more chipmunks, while taking North Esker Trail to Hassocky Meadow Trail to White Pine Loop to Averills Island, but to my dismay, not many birds. Circling back to Waterfowl Pond and the Observation Deck, a yellow bird kept jumping from the cattails and shrub branches, would not stay still long enough to get a photograph or to properly identify it. There are a bunch of Red-Winged Blackbirds fluttering about, but sunslight is fading and there’s one more place I would like to check out, the Rockery.
An area popular for muskrats, otters, and waterfowl, the half-mile loop trail brings you over wetland via boardwalks and bridges around the popular man-made Rock Grotto structure built in the 1900s. Rhododendrons border a section of the Rockery Pond, it was here I spotted Bluejays and Orioles along with a muskrat who was too occupied chewing on sticks than to be bothered by me taking it’s portrait. Making my way to my car as the sun sets, I was one of the last people to leave with only three other vehicles in the lot.
Those visiting can expect to pay a small fee, if not a Mass Audubon member ($7/adult, $4/child at the time of this visit) via the visitor center, as a parking pass is required. Facilities include a gift shop, a nature center and museum, a barn, and restrooms. The parking lots can fit maybe sixty vehicles, and can be busy at times with events and programs. Along the 12 miles of interconnecting trails, there are several benches, a two-ish story observation tower, and a canoe launch to paddle the Ipswich River. MassAudubon.org.
Birds: 13
Baltimore Oriole (#25)
Black-Capped Chickadee
Bluejay (#26)
Canada Goose
Gray Catbird (#23)
Great Blue Heron
Great Crested Flycatcher (#21)
Mallad
Northern Cardinal
Orchard Oriole (#22)
Song Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
White-Breasted Nuthatch (#24)
