Parker River National Wildlife Refuge’s Visitor Center
6 Plum Island Turnpike in Newburyport, MA
April is the time you can see a variety of spectacular hawks unusually well on the refuge as they migrate through our area. Join Paul Roberts, Founder of the Eastern Massachusetts Hawk Watch (EMHW), for a narrated slide presentation about the amazing birds of prey you can see in spring. This hour-long, encore presentation will be held in the refuge visitor center auditorium. Venue capacity is limited to 75 attendees (first-come, first-served). Admission to this program is free and preregistration is NOT required.
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| Female American Kestrel |
Spring hawk watching on Plum Island provides opportunities to see a number of hawk species unusually well, and occasionally in highly unusual numbers. Have you ever seen 28 adult male Northern Harriers -- one of our most spectacular hawks — at eye level or below in one day? We have at Plum Island, where we have had 56 harriers in one day. How about American Kestrels, perhaps our most beautiful hawk? A number of times we have seen more than 100 of our most colorful falcons in one day, and on two occasions we have had more more than 300, and once more than 500! Or seeing several dozen Merlins, including adult males, exploding north? Those are days you never forget, and they are possible on Plum Island. Of course, there are also those days when there may be more fingers on your binoculars than there are hawks on your tally sheet. This program will show you what you have an opportunity to see on Plum Island and the best times and conditions to look for them.