North Shore Wildlife Sanctuaries IPSWICH RIVER & JOPPA FLATS Programs & Events JANUARY—APRIL 2020 North Shore Wildlife Sanctuaries Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield 978-887-9264 Office Joppa Flats Education Center 978-887-0875 Fax One Plum Island Tpke, Newburyport [email protected] 978-462-9998 Office p p p 978-462-4143 Fax p p p p 1 p [email protected] 2 pp p p p p p 3p 1 Joppa Flats, Newburyport pp p p 2 Rough Meadows, Rowley p p p 4p 3 Ipswich River, Topsfield 4 Endicott, Wenham 5 5 Eastern Point, Gloucester 6 Marblehead Neck, Marblehead 7 Nahant Thicket, Nahant Endicott Wildlife Sanctuary 6 346 Grapevine Road, Wenham 978-927-1122 Office These sites have accessible features. 978-922-8487 Fax p p p [email protected] p p p p These sites produce and purchase green electricity. p 7 Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary Joppa Flats Education Center Amy Weidensaul, Sanctuary Director, ext. 7701 David Moon, Sanctuary Director, ext. 6801 Sue Baeslack, Education & Volunteer Coordinator, ext. 7707 Jude Griffin, Administrative Assistant, ext. 6806 Julie Bouchard, Accounting/Payroll Assistant, ext. 7713 Lisa Hutchings, School & Youth Education Coordinator, ext. 6804 Cori Brauer, Education Coordinator, ext. 7704 David Larson, Science & Education Coordinator, ext. 6802 Jean Bruns, Development Assistant, ext. 7710 Melissa Vokey, Administrative Coordinator & Development Laura Coulbourn, Administrative Assistant, ext. 7702 Director, ext. 6803 Adrienne Doucette, Administrative Assistant, ext. 7703 Mike Geisler & Anna Breeden, Weekend Staff Kim LoGrasso, Youth Education Manager, ext. 7706 Stina MacDougall, Office Manager/School Programs Endicott Wildlife Sanctuary Administrator, ext. 7705 Amy Weidensaul, Sanctuary Director, 978-887-9264 Stephanie Majeau, Education Coordinator, ext. 7712 Robert Buchsbaum, Conservation Scientist Scott Santino, Teacher Naturalist/Camp Director, ext. 7709 Bob Demeule, Property Manager Sara Semenza, Property Worker Diane Dixon, Administrative Assistant, 987-237-0108 Rebecca Spencer, Administrative Assistant, ext. 7711 Liz Duff, Education Coordinator, ext. 2701 Bill Whiting, Property Worker Karen First, Preschool Director, 978-237-0108 Richard Wolniewicz, Property Manager, ext. 7708 Chris Leahy, Bertrand Chair Emeritus Ipswich River Nature Day Camps Have Fun in Nature this Summer! Inside Online registration opens in January Children ages 4–14 IPSWICH RIVER...........................2 Three convenient locations: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield The Church of St. Andrew, Marblehead Essex County Greenbelt’s Cox Reservation, Essex JOPPA FLATS...............................18 For more information and to register, visit massaudubon.org/ipswichrivercamp or call 978-887-9264. TRIPS & TOURS..........................31 LOCATIONS & DESCRIPTIONS ......36 REGISTRATION INFORMATION...... 37 SPEND YOUR SCHOOL VACATION WITH JOPPA FLATS! April 21–24, 9:00 am–4:00 pm Nature photography of wildlife and wild places for teens ages 13–16 See page 29. Red-tailed Hawk ©Christopher Ciccone Joppa Flats Education Center massaudubon.org/joppaflats One Plum Island Turnpike Newburyport, MA 01950 978-462-9998 Director’s Letter [email protected] Joppa Flats Education Center owns two parcels of Term Ecological Research Station (PIE LTER) to take salt marsh in Newburyport along Water Street and a deep dive into the details of the health of our the Plum Island Turnpike. With sea levels rising, marsh. We’re calling this effort the Joppa Flats Salt they are an important barrier to storm surge and Marsh Resiliency Project. wave energy in our neighborhood at the mouth of the Merrimack River. And, since salt marshes are Once we have a conclusive understanding of the the nursery of the estuary, they are also a crucial situation, we will look to solutions that strengthen part in our local ecosystem. Unfortunately, in the our marsh in a way that it can help to protect 17 years since they were originally restored just our local habitat from climate change and sea before Joppa Flats Education Center first opened, level rise. Our goal is to use nature to avoid the the marsh in both parcels appears to have become need for concrete sea walls. We are determined fragmented and fragile. to do everything we can to protect nature, and, if necessary, design ways to enhance natural This fall, in collaboration with the Merrimack Valley systems to ensure a healthy future. Stay tuned for Planning Commission, we brought together a team progress on this exciting project! of scientists from the Jackson Estuarine Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire (JEL), Boston David Moon, Joppa Flats Sanctuary Director University, and the Plum Island Ecosystems Long ©Diane Bulger 18 PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL PROGRAMS Notes & AnnouncementsNotesCentral & Massachusetts Announcements / Broad Meadow Brook SUPERBOWL AROUND THE WORLD MEET BACKYARD BIRDS OF BIRDING XVII WITH NATURE & BIRDING: AT JOPPA FLATS! Saturday, January 25 Presentations for Groups Weekend dates in January and February. 5:00 am–7:00 pm Enhance your group meeting Save the date and organize your or special event with a topical Watch demonstrations for all ages on team for the 17th annual Superbowl presentation about the natural bird banding and data collection! of Birding! This exciting competition world. Joppa Flats speakers help you Visit massaudubon.org/joppaflats takes place each winter in Essex stay informed about intriguing new or call 978-462-9998 for more County, Massachusetts, and insights on how nature works at information. Rockingham County, New Hampshire. home and abroad. We’ll show you the Whether you and your birding friends intricacies in nature, and together are beginners or experts, you’ll we’ll interpret what is happening, compete for chances to win prizes in from you backyard to faraway places. nine categories and have a great time! For more information about how our one-hour presentations could fit your See page 21. agenda, call 978-462-9998. For more information, call 978-462-9998 or go to massaudubon.org/superbowl. FACILITY RENTALS Overlooking the magnificent Merrimack River and the Plum Island estuary, Joppa Flats’ building and grounds could be the ideal spot for your next business meeting or private special event (wedding, family reunion, memorial service, and more). Additionally, our seasoned naturalist staff and volunteers can lead informative natural history programs or field trips for your guests. For more information, call 978-462-9998. Snowy Egret ©Davey Walters ©Diane Bulger MERRIMACK RIVER EAGLE NEED-TO-KNOW VISIT US ONLINE FESTIVAL BIRDING UPDATES Visit massaudubon.org/joppaflats to Saturday, February 15 Our weekly Wednesday Morning Birding search upcoming programs, get the 9:00 am–4:00 pm newsletter contains the latest latest nature news, and find out about information about the birds we’re Each February, we celebrate the beauty special events. seeing, with special announcements of winter and the presence of Bald Check us out on Facebook: about our upcoming programs Eagles along the lower Merrimack facebook.com/ and trips. River. See a live raptor demonstration MassAudubonJoppaFlats in downtown Newburyport; have some To subscribe, email fun while learning with your family at [email protected] or Joppa Flats and Parker River National call us at 978-462-9998. Wildlife Refuge headquarters; and find Bald Eagles in the wild with the help of our naturalist guides. For more information, see page 23, call 978-462-9998 or go to This sanctuary has massaudubon.org/eaglefestival. accessible features. Learn more and register: massaudubon.org/joppaflats • 978-462-9998 19 Programs for Adults Joppa Flats Throughout the catalog, "IBA" indicates a program that takes place within a Massachusetts Important IBA Bird Area, and "BCP" signifies a graduate of the Joppa Flats Birder’s Certificate Program. New Year’s Madness IBA Wednesday Evening Lecture Series Newburyport/Plum Island Area & Cape Ann Joppa Flats Education Center, Newburyport Date: Wednesday, January 1 / 8:30 am–4:30 pm Dates: Select Wednesdays / 7:30–8:30 pm Leader: Bill Gette, Joppa Flats Founding Director Cost: Free for members, $4 nonmembers, per lecture Cost: $60 members, $70 nonmembers Delve deeper into your natural history interests at our Spend New Year’s Day celebrating the beauty of winter and monthly lectures. its birds! We’ll hit the birding hot spots around the greater Preregistration not required. Meet at Joppa Flats Education Newburyport area and on Cape Ann for a full day of exciting Center. birds, targeting Snowy Owl, Northern Shrike, Lapland January 15: Birding the Southern Ocean Longspur, Snow Bunting, Harlequin Duck, and other sea Speaker: Dave Larson, Joppa Flats Science & Education ducks, loons, and grebes. Coordinator Meet at Joppa Flats Education Center. Please wear warm February 12: The Arts & the Experience of Nature clothing and waterproof footwear, and bring binoculars, snacks, Speakers: Lainie Senechal, Joppa Flats Poet-in-Residence; and lunch. Invited Poets & Artists March 11: Flight Calls: Exploring Massachusetts through Birds (reading and book-signing) Gulls, Gulls, Gulls: A Workshop Speaker: John R. Nelson, Author April 15: Autumn in Yosemite & the Grand Tetons Joppa Flats Education Center, Newburyport IBA & the Newburyport/Plum Island Area Speaker: Dave Larson, Joppa Flats Science & Education Coordinator Dates: Friday, January 3 / 7:00–9:00 pm (lecture) Saturday, January 4 / 7:30 am–5:30 pm (field trip) Leaders: Dave Larson,