Local Birding Spots

Also see our list of Accessible Birding Locations

Boxborough

Hager Land / Sargent Memorial Library / Blanchard Memorial Elementary School / Inches Woods

Hager Land, Blanchard School, and Sargent Memorial Library are owned by the town of Boxborough. Inches Woods is a Boxborough Conservation Trust property.

Habitats: Red maple swamp, hemlock and pine groves, brook and wetland, glacial features like Hager Hill.

Bird highlights: Pied-Billed Grebe, Brown Creeper, Pileated Woodpecker, Wood Duck, spring warblers, Common Raven.

Terrain difficulty: Easy to moderate. Mostly flat woodland and wetland trails, but some uneven footing and slight elevation changes on Hager Hill. Trails can be muddy in spring.

Other considerations: Avoid parking and access through Blanchard School during school hours

Parking: Sargent Memorial Library

Rolling Meadows Conservation Area

Rolling Meadows is Boxborough conservation land.

Habitats: Open meadows, transitional woodland, and edge habitat.

Bird highlights: Eastern Towhee, Wood Duck, American Woodcock, Owls, and spring warblers.

Terrain difficulty: Easy. Gentle, grassy or mown trails through meadowland, with a few woodland sections. Excellent for leisurely walking and birding.

Parking: Google Maps

Steele Farm / Beaver Brook Meadow

Steele Farm and Beaver Brook Meadow are Boxborough conservation lands.

Habitats: Hayfields, pine and spruce stands, apple orchard remnants, small ponds, stream (Beaver Brook), wetlands.

Bird highlights: Bobolinks (in summer), Indigo Buntings, waterthrush, swallows, flycatchers, waterfowl.

Terrain difficulty: Easy to moderate. Open fields are easy to traverse; wooded trails can be slightly uneven. Boardwalk at Beaver Brook Meadow is narrow and can be slippery when wet or icy.

Parking: Google Maps

Boxborough Station Wildlife Management Area

Boxborough Station WMA is a Massachusetts Wildlife Management Area located in Boxborough and Littleton.

Habitats: Mixed hardwood upland forest, wetland with beaver flowages, heron rookery.

Bird highlights: Great Blue Heron rookery, Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Wood Ducks, warblers, vireos, and nesting cavity birds.

Terrain difficulty: Moderate. Trails are more rugged and less maintained. Some wet, uneven areas, especially near the beaver flowages.

Other considerations: Waterproof boots recommended in wet seasons. Scope helpful.

Parking: Parking for one vehicle. See Google Maps

Acton

Acton Conservation Lands website

NARA Park / Wills Hole / Town Forest

NARA Park, Wills Hole, and the Town Forest are all Acton town properties.

Habitats: This area encompasses a diverse mix of habitats, including open parklands, wooded areas, a bog, ponds, a brook, and glacial features like eskers.

Bird highlights: In spring, the area is notable for migrant warblers, thrushes, and vireos.

Terrain difficulty: Easy to moderate. Trails are mostly flat with some gentle hills. Paths can be uneven and may be muddy during wet seasons.

Other considerations: Waterproof footwear is recommended during wet conditions. A scope can be helpful for birdwatching near ponds.

Parking: NARA Park Parking Lot

Great Hill Recreation Area

Great Hill is Acton conservation land.

Habitats: Features large open fields, meadows, wooded hillside trails, a brook, and a pond.

Bird highlights: Spring and summer bring warblers and vireos to the area.

Terrain difficulty: Moderate. Trails include some elevation changes and can be rocky or muddy in places.

Other considerations: Sturdy footwear is recommended due to uneven terrain. Be prepared for ticks and insects during warmer months.

Parking: Great Hill Recreation Area Parking

Heath Hen Meadow / Mount Hope Cemetery

Heath Hen Meadow is Acton conservation land, and Mount Hope Cemetery is owned by the town and open to the public.

Habitats: Comprises wetlands, meadows, upland woods, marshes, streams, and vernal pools.

Bird highlights: Notable species include owls, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, and Eastern Bluebirds.

Terrain difficulty: Easy to moderate. Trails are generally flat with slight grades. Some areas can be seasonally wet or muddy.

Other considerations: Waterproof boots are advisable during wet seasons. Be mindful of private property boundaries near Mount Hope Cemetery.

Parking: Heath Hen Meadow Parking

Acton Arboretum

The Acton Arboretum is owned by the town of Acton.

Habitats: Features lawns, gardens, ornamental trees, pine woods, a glacial esker, two ponds, and a bog.

Bird highlights: Spring warblers and owls.

Terrain difficulty: Easy to moderate. Most trails are flat and accessible, with some narrow, rocky, or rooted paths in wooded areas.

Other considerations: Some trails are wheelchair accessible. Benches and picnic areas are available. Insect repellent is recommended during warmer months.

Parking: Acton Arboretum Parking

Harvard

Harvard Conservation Trust Trails

Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

Oxbow NWR is a National Wildlife Refuge.

Habitats: Wetlands, woods, fields, river.

Bird highlights: Warblers (American Redstarts, Ovenbirds, Blue-Winged Warblers, Chestnut-Sided, among others), flycatchers, vireos (including yellow-throated), thrushes (including Veery, Wood Thrush).

Terrain difficulty: Main trails: flat, but can be flooded or muddy, with a few boardwalks and bridges in varying condition (moderate-plus). Along fields: paved road, but a hill (moderate).

Other considerations: At times, knee boots are helpful or necessary. Protection against biting insects and ticks recommended. Devens (military: Army Reserve training location) is just across the river—access via the bridge (gated at the end) or river is prohibited. At times, you may hear gunfire or explosives; you can check the noise report info.

Parking: 42.4969526, -71.6254768 (Access is from Still River Depot Road, Harvard. Searching Google Maps for Oxbow takes you to the wrong spot.)

Fruitlands Museum

Fruitland Museum is a property of The Trustees of Reservation.

Habitats: Variety of habitats, hardwood species, white pine, and hemlock, meadows.

Bird highlights: Spring/summer warblers, Scarlet Tanagers, vireos, Indigo Buntings, Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, Eastern Bluebirds.

Terrain difficulty: Easy to moderate, some uneven footing. Muddy, wet trails, sometimes overgrown. Ticks, mosquitoes.

Other considerations: Private, membership or entrance fee required (unless on a Boxborough Birders/Brookline Bird Club-led walk). Check hours on the Fruitlands website.

Parking: 102 Prospect Hill Rd, Harvard, MA

Horse Meadows Knoll

Harvard Conservation Trust (HCT) owns the land of Horse Meadows Knoll, and Sudbury Valley Trustees holds a conservation restriction.

Habitats: Glacial knoll, reservoir, variety of ecosystems, forested with a mixture of hardwood species, white pine, and hemlock.

Bird highlights: Herons, spring warblers, Scarlet Tanagers, Eastern Wood Pewees, other birds of the deep forest.

Terrain difficulty: Moderate; the knoll rise is steep; uneven footing.

Other considerations: Loop trail. 140-foot elevation gain.

Parking: Small parking lot. 45 Sherry Rd., Harvard.

Williams Land

Habitats: Rolling fields, a drumlin known as Round Hill, 30 acres of forest.

Bird highlights: Spring warblers, herons, Mallards, Wood Ducks, Belted Kingfishers.

Terrain difficulty: Moderate. Loop trail is of moderate length with the option to veer off to a secondary trail that passes through an old field leading to Murray Lane.

Parking: 61 Stow Rd., Harvard. Small parking area.

Littleton

Littleton Conservation Land Trail Guide

George and Lucy Yapp Conservation Land

The George and Lucy Yapp Conservation Land is owned by the town of Littleton. This property provides access to an extensive trail system leading to other Littleton Conservation Lands. These include Cobbs Pond and Cobb Memorial Forest, Nashoba Woodlands, Nagog Hill Orchard, and the Sarah Doublet Forest.

Habitats: Mature hardwoods, white pines, vernal pools, and an 8-acre field at the Newtown Road trailhead.

Bird highlights: Year-round birds include Brown Creepers, Pileated Woodpeckers, and Barred Owls. Ring-Necked Ducks and Hooded Mergansers in spring and fall at Cobbs Pond. During the spring and summer months Pine Warblers, Ovenbirds, and Wood Thrush can be found.

Terrain difficulty: Easy to moderate wooded trails. Short sections of the trails can be wet and muddy in the spring.

Parking: The Newtown Road parking area has space for 8-10 vehicles.

Newtown Hill Conservation Land and Williams Land

Newtown Hill is Littleton conservation land.

Habitats: Open fields, white pine forest, mixed hardwoods, peat bog, and a pond.

Bird highlights: Wood Ducks and Hooded Mergansers in spring and fall. Indigo Buntings, Baltimore Orioles, and Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks during the summer months. American Woodcocks in March.

Terrain difficulty: Mostly easy to moderate well-maintained trails. A short, steep trail leads to Doleful Pond.

Parking: Use 559 Newtown Road on GPS for access to a parking area on the road to the water tower.

Sarah Doublet Forest

Sarah Doublet Forest is a Littleton Conservation Trust property.

Cultural note: This land is the historic home of the Nashobah Praying Indians. Please treat it with the respect that our Indigenous friends and neighbors deserve.

Habitats: Mixed hardwoods and conifer forests. Vernal pools.

Bird highlights: Bald Eagles, Golden-Crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers, and Northern Flickers.

Terrain difficulty: Mostly moderate but some sections are steep and rocky. Sturdy footwear is recommended.

Parking: Available at the Charter Road trailhead. Parking can also be found on Nagog Hill Road providing access to the Ed Bell trailhead.

Long Lake Park

Long Lake Park is Littleton conservation land.

Habitats: Mixed hardwoods and a conifer forest. Open fields, vegetated wetlands, and a vernal pool.

Bird highlights: Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows nesting in the fields during the summer months. Year-round birds include Pileated Woodpeckers, Common Ravens, Great Horned Owls, and Barred Owls.

Terrain difficulty: Over 4 miles of trails varying in difficulty from easy to somewhat difficult. Some trails have roots and rocks and can be muddy requiring sturdy footwear. Surface roads around Long Lake are also good for birding and accessible to all abilities.

Parking: Available at 3 locations: Middlesex Drive (roadside parking), Colonial Drive, and Harwood Ave.

Bolton & Lancaster

Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area

Bolton Flats is a Massachusetts Wildlife Management Area located in Bolton, Lancaster, and Harvard.

Habitats: Agricultural fields, which seasonally flood, creating habitat for waterfowl and waders—and as water recedes, mudflats suitable for shorebirds. Marsh, scrubby fields, some woods.

Bird highlights:  Spring migration: shorebirds (Greater Yellowlegs, Least Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers), Glossy Ibis, warblers. Listen for American Bittern, Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren, Swamp Sparrow.  Late fall, early spring: waterfowl, including occasional Snow Geese, ducks like Green-Winged Teal, American Wigeon.

Terrain difficulty:  Flat, but can be moderate to difficult terrain due to seasonal flooding (high water, mud) and vegetation (grass can be high in summer, back fields brush-cut once a year).

Other considerations: Knee boots are often needed (after heavy rains, water can be too high for these). Be aware of hunting season, wear blaze orange vest, hat and/or jacket. Tick and insect protection recommended. A scope is helpful, especially if you want to look for unusual ducks, geese, or shorebirds. Private property to avoid: agricultural fields left of the hedgerow trail are private and off-limits.

Parking: 42.458112, -71.648965 (north of route 117, Seven Bridge Road, Lancaster). If flooding is significant (occasional but annual), use caution if driving in to the lot, or park off the pavement up by route 117. (Google Maps will take you to an entrance off of route 110, Still River Road, Bolton.)

Pine Hill Grasslands

Pine Hill Grasslands is a section of Bolton Flats WMA located in Lancaster.

Habitats: Grassland, pine forest.

Bird highlights: Grasshopper, Field, Vesper, and Savannah Sparrows; Whip-poor-wills; Prairie Warblers; Eastern Towhees; American Kestrels (nest box).

Terrain difficulty:  Easy. Flat, dirt road. Out-and-back walk.

Other considerations: Tick and insect protection recommended. With reasonably close proximity to Devens, there can be noise of gunfire or explosives. Be aware of hunting season—bring blaze orange.

Parking: 42.469839, -71.654832

Access: After the railroad tracks and after the pond on the right, turn left to the short dirt road that leads to an orange gate. If you were to stay straight, you’d hit a different gate that is private property. Beyond the orange gate, a main access road is evident; however, some of this is a right of way, and some of the fields (including the short grass ones) are private property—stick to trails and follow signs.

Dexter Drumlin

Dexter Drumlin is a Trustees of the Reservations property located in Lancaster.

Habitats: Grassland hill (drumlin), agricultural fields (in private adjacent land), brook.

Bird highlights: May through July are best for grassland birds including Bobolinks, Savannah Sparrows, American Kestrels (nest box). In early spring and late fall, this can be a good place to look for unusual geese (scope needed).

Terrain difficulty:  Easy to moderate. Mowed, grassy path, with some elevation gain. Occasionally wet ground (grass, puddles).

Other considerations:  The trails cross up and over, as well as circle around the drumlin. Note that the adjacent grassy and agricultural fields are private and there is no entry allowed. Scope helpful if you want to scan geese during migration, or gulls on a wet day when adjacent fields are flooded, or for an occasional rarity like Upland Sandpiper. However, for grassland birds, binoculars are sufficient. Trails can be muddy or wet, and tick protection is recommended.

Parking: Park roadside on George Hill Road, Lancaster. 198 George Hill Rd, Lancaster, MA 01523