DATE – Saturday, July 12, 2025
TIME – 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
WHERE – Monson Road, Concord, MA
QUESTIONS? hello@bostonbirdingfestival.org
This event is free, but Great Meadows does charge $2 for entry (honor system). If you have a Duck Stamp or permit, you do not need to pay this fee. You can get a Duck Stamp for $25, most of which goes to preserve wetlands. Your purchase includes free entry for a year to all NWS properties, including Parker River, at this link.
Please register in advance. Spaces are limited. You’ll receive an email with additional info, including the meeting location, the day before this event
We also request a signed release, which you can complete online, print, sign, and bring, or complete onsite. Thanks!
GPS ADDRESS
Great Meadows NWR
Meet in the parking lot near the entrance.
BIKE
A bike trail goes right to this parking lot. If possible, consider biking.
DIRECTIONS AND PARKING
Look for a Refuge sign on Monson Road and drive in. The parking lot is not large. If the lot is full, please turn around and park on the street, but please fill the lot first in consideration of neighbors. We recommend carpooling.
LINKS
Great Meadows is a favorite of Massachusetts birders who usually go early to catch the migrating songbirds. But a walk just before sunset offers a very different sense of this refuge than an early morning adventure.
An eBird hotspot, Great Meadows has a list of 220+ species, and many of these are wetland birds and waterfowl. But birds are not the only attraction. Turtles (including the endangered Blanding’s Turtle), salamanders, frogs, and snakes also call the Refuge home, as do a variety of mammals such as muskrats, otters, and minks. Expect a swallow show as young swallows are starting to fledge.
To be honest, this beautiful habitat is always worth a visit, no matter what we see (bring your camera because this is one of those Instagram-worthy locations). We’ll explore edges around the impoundments and a bit of woodland, covering about 2.5 miles, while keeping an eye on the sky for what we hope will be some special visitors.
New birders and the merely bird curious are welcome on this walk. It’s a good walk, and we’ll be taking it at a leisurely pace. We will have binoculars to lend—email your request in advance.
PHOTOS: Red-eyed Vireo, Osprey, Tree Swallow. Belted Kingfisher, Getty Images, MFBadger
TRAILS
This trip focuses on the wetlands and woodlands. Flat and well-packed, but the ground can be uneven and muddy in some places. We will be covering about 2.5 miles.
FACILITIES
There are restrooms on site near the parking lot. We recommend bringing a water bottle.
CHALLENGES
Great Meadow is a popular place to walk and run. Dogs are not allowed. Mosquitoes can be aggressive—spray is encouraged.