NH-Great+Bay

=Great Bay=
 * =Birding in New Hampshire=

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Tips for birding Great Bay
From Birding the New Hampshire Seacoast and Great Bay

Great Bay
Coordinates: 43.0729006, -70.8789825 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay Shoreline South, Bayridge Rd, Greenland
Coordinates: 43.0588813, -70.8757156 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay Discovery Center, Greenland
Coordinates: 43.055353, -70.8981861 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Great Bay Discovery Center (formerly Sandy Point Discovery Center)
Official Website Location: Sandy Point is the geographic location of an educational facility (the Great Bay Discovery Center, headquarters of Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve), and has a boat launch that serves as a good location for scanning the bay. It is accessed by taking Depot Road north from NH-33 a few hundred yards East of the intersection with Squamscott Road. Follow Depot Road to the end and take a left at the "T" intersection. Cross the railroad tracks and you will see the discovery center on your left and a track down to the boat launch forking off to the right. Waterfowl, Bald Eagle, shorebirds, and a few gulls are among the species you might see scanning the bay. While the duck concentrations tend to remain further out or to the east in the bay, hunting pressure or ice conditions may drive them close to the boat launch (a scope is very helpful!). Rarer species are always worth looking for. The trails around the visitor's center sometimes have southern species like Eastern Screech-Owl, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Carolina Wren.

Great Bay Farm, Greenland
Coordinates: 43.0582275, -70.8278275 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay--Weeks Point, Greenland
Coordinates: 43.0585567, -70.8616756 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Chapmans Landing, Stratham
Coordinates: 43.0401216, -70.9267452 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Chapman's Landing
Location: Chapmans Landing is the boat launch located next to the NH-108 bridge over the Squamscott River (on the Stratham/Newfields town line), 1.3 miles north of Stratham Circle and 3.4 miles north of NH-101 exit 11 in Exeter. Topozone map This is probably the southernmost regular nesting location for Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow anywhere, and they occur in sympatry with the similar Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (the Nelson's seem to prefer areas close to the river and tidal creeks). Virginia Rails also nest in the marsh, and Osprey nest on a distant platform visible from the parking lot. Migrant waterfowl, waders, and shorebirds often stop in at the marsh.

Newmarket Town Landing
Coordinates: 43.0783551, -70.9349012 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Newmarket town landing
Location: The town landing is located off NH-108 in downtown Newmarket at the end of Water Street, 1 block north of the junction of NH-108 and NH-152, and a few hundred yards south of the bridge over the Lamprey River. This spot tends to be especially productive in winter, when ice conditions on the bay may force waterfowl and gulls to the open water on the Lamprey River here. A Lesser Black-backed Gull has been a regular visitor here in recent winters, and lingering ducks may join the local Mallard flock hoping for handouts.

Pease International Tradeport
Coordinates: 43.0762736, -70.8156824 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Pease International Tradeport--McIntyre Rd.
Coordinates: 43.0834941, -70.8340126 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Pease International Tradeport--Short Street, Newington
Coordinates: 43.0933796, -70.8314967 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Pease International Tradeport--southeast end, Portsmouth
Coordinates: 43.0659836, -70.8110261 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Pease Tradeport
The Pease Tradeport comprises one of the best open habitats remaining in the state. While largely off-limits to birders, there are three locations from which you can scan the fields from outside the perimeter fence. Remember to stay at least 10 feet from the fence at all time, and don't be surprised if someone stops by to investigate the suspicious activity (birding). The best viewing points are the parking lot of the driving range (a left off Grafton Road coming from NH-33), an access road (Short Street) heading south from Arboretum Drive toward the north end of the runways, and the portion of Newington Road bordering the fence. This is one of the last remaining nesting areas in the state for Upland Sandpiper, and persistent scanning (a scope is helpful) will often produce a few individuals tucked away in the grass around the runways. American Kestrel, Cliff Swallow, Vesper and Savannah Sparrows, and Eastern Meadowlark also nest here, and Grasshopper Sparrow may nest on occasion. Check the fields and runways for migrant American Golden-Plover and (rarely) Buff-breasted Sandpiper in late August and September.

Great Bay NWR
Coordinates: 43.089388, -70.8436954 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay NWR--Former Weapons Storage Area
Coordinates: 43.0883537, -70.8474183 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay NWR--Furber Strait Platform
Coordinates: 43.0906102, -70.8600247 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay NWR--Herods Cove
Coordinates: 43.073653, -70.8473969 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay NWR--McIntyre Rd.
Coordinates: 43.085909, -70.8358097 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay NWR--Stubbs Pond (restricted access)
Coordinates: 43.0784178, -70.8456802 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay NWR--Woodman Pt. Cove
Coordinates: 43.0769131, -70.8621597 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Great Bay NWR--Woodman Pt. Marsh
Coordinates: 43.0774147, -70.8568382 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Official Website Location: From NH-16 exit 1 in Newington, take Pease Boulevard for 0.5 mile. Turn right on Arboreteum Drive and drive about 3.3 miles past the end of the Pease runway to the parking lot for the refuge. Google Map

On one side of the parking lot is a small woodland trail loop called the Peverly Pond Trail, .5 mile long. In late March and April, this is a good place for Ring-necked Ducks, and other waterfowl are possible.

On the other side, the Ferry Way Trail (2.0 miles round trip) runs for a mile before it reaches the Bay at an overlook across from Adams Point. The far portion of this trail is perhaps a little under birded, but the immediate parking area has excellent habitat for Field Sparrows, Thrashers, and Towhees. Perhaps the most productive part of this trail is the section from the end of the fence to just past the small pond and marshy area where the trail branches off to the right: this section can be full of passerines. Osprey nest on poles within the fenced portion. Kestrel, Turkeys, and Pileated Woodpeckers are also resident. And during migration, almost any species of warbler is possible.

Strafford County
Coordinates: 43.0928326, -70.8683711 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Adam's Point Wildlife Management Area
Location: Adam's Point is located at the end of Adam's Point Road in Durham, 1.0 miles from Bay Road. From the junction of NH-108 and NH-152 in downtown Newmarket, go north 0.3 miles just past the bridge over the Lamprey River, and turn right on Bay Road. Follow for 4.0 miles to Adams Point Road, which is unmarked, but there is a sign for the Jackson Estuarine Lab.

From the junction of US-4 and NH-108 north of Durham, follow NH-108 south for 1.1 miles to Durham Point Road, and turn left. Follow that road, which changes its name to Bay Road somewhere along the route for 3.8 miles to Adams Point Road.

The University of New Hampshire's Jackson Estuarine Lab is located at the end of the road, along with a small dirt parking area and a series of trails for exploring the bay and nearby habitats. A trail map is available from the Town of Durham.

This is another location from which to scan the bay for waterfowl (Canada Goose by the hundreds in fall and winter and Mute Swans, in particular), Bald Eagles, and other species. Watch for Eastern Bluebirds and other land birds along the trails. Pileated Woodpecker and Red-breasted Nuthatch may be found along the road to the point.

The boat launch on Adams Point Road, .8 mile from Bay Road, is also worth a stop to scan Little Bay to the north and the small pans and marsh to the south.

Jackson Landing, Durham
Coordinates: 43.1352088, -70.9105938 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Durham Town Landing/Jackson Landing
Location: The main Durham town landing is at the end of Old Landing Road, off NH-108, about .5 mile south of US-4. Jackson Landing is at the end of Old Piscataway Road, just .1 mile south of US-4. Both places are good for gulls, occasional shorebirds, and raptors. Google map

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