Description - Plum Island National Wildlife Refuge is a US Top 100 birding site. Its coastal marshes with vegetated dunes provide diverse habitats that support a rich diversity of birds year-round. Ocean viewing allows near-shore and occassionally off-shore pelagics to be seen. Sandy beaches support migrant and overwintering shorebirds, including breeding Piping Plovers. Leeside of the dunes support some mature stands of woody vegetation that serve as migrant traps and an extensive estuarine spartina marsh system. In Winter, Snowy Owls and offshore wintering waterbirds, including loons, grebes, gulls, and seaducks are regular.

Meet Up - Unless otherwise determined, this tour begins at the Parker River NWR Visitor's Center            Address: 6 Plum Island TPK, Newburyport, MA.

Snowy Owl is a reliable Winter find on Plum Island

​​Plum Island Birding Tour

Focus: New England Coastal Birds, Spring and Fall Migrants, Winter Birds

Season: Available Year-round

Hike: None; some walking to beach, on short trails and boardwalks

Time: 2 hrs

Size: up to 8 persons

Fees: $89 per person; $45 Youth 10-15 yo. (plus tax)

​Binoculars and spotting scopes available for use at no extra charge.