An Important Rest Stop For Birds

By Scott Fitzpatrick on Friday, May 25, 2007.

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Next time you head to the beach, keep an eye out for an estuary that's one of the most important bird "rest stops" in the region.

Hi, this is Scott Fitzpatrick from New Hampshire Audubon, bringing you Something Wild.

At the far southeastern corner of the Granite State lies a hugely productive and critical ecosystem. You might have driven right by it on your way to the beach and not even noticed it! But if you were a bird, it would be an important rest stop and refueling area.

Hampton Estuary in Hampton and Seabrook is part of a larger system known as the Great Marsh, which extends south to Plum Island in Massachusetts. It is, in turn, part of a larger coastal landscape that includes the beaches, salt marshes and estuaries of southern Maine.

The five thousand acre system of mud flats, open water and salt marsh around Hampton Harbor is a critical stopover for thousands of sandpipers and other shorebirds that forage and rest here. These birds pass through twice each year on their migrations between South American wintering areas and Arctic breeding grounds. They rest and fill up on abundant food before moving on.

And many other species breed here. The extensive marshes of this estuary support the majority of New Hampshire's willets, saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrows and seaside sparrows, all species of conservation concern in the state.

Biologists and volunteers are studying this habitat to learn more about how shorebirds use this estuary, because they serve as indicators of the health of the entire ecosystem. Some sections have already been protected by New Hampshire Audubon, the Forest Society and other groups. But this project will identify additional locations important to the foraging and roosting shorebirds and how best to maintain and restore the function of these areas.

The Hampton estuary study depends on the participation of many volunteer observers. So get involved - we hope to see you out there!

For Something Wild, Iâ€™m Scott Fitzpatrick.

Something Wild is a joint production of New Hampshire Audubon, New Hampshire Public Radio, and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.