Boston Flora

Tag: Barrier Beach

  • Saturday, October 3, 10 – 2 – Ecology of a Barrier Beach

    Explore one of the Cape’s largest and most spectacular barrier beach ecosystems, Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, with an emphasis on identifying common plants and many species of wildlife that live here. The hike, led by C. Diane Boretos, will take you through heather-covered secondary dunes, along the 4,000 year-old Great Barnstable Marsh, and into a mature maritime forest. As you investigate the fall flora, you’ll look for track and sign of fox, osprey, deer, coyote, and northern diamondback terrapin. This program is sponsored by the New England Wild Flower Society, and is limited to 15 participants.  Cost is $32 for members of NEWFS, $36 for nonmembers.  To register, log on to www.newfs.org, or call 508-877-7639.

    Barrier Beach HDR-Pano by elventear.

  • Thursday, September 17, 1:00 – 2:00 pm – Butterflies Abound

    Butterflies abound in Felix Neck’s garden and fields.  Join the staff of the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown, Massachusetts on Thursday, September 17, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm for a guided walk to discover the butterflies of Martha’s Vineyard and the habitats that they need to survive.  Admission is free with Sanctuary admission. Felix Neck’s four miles of trails provide spectacular views of the surrounding woodlands, meadows, ponds, salt marsh, and barrier beach. In the summer and fall, enjoy watching a nesting pair of ospreys and a tree swallow colony. From the observation building, look for waterfowl in the pond during the fall and winter. Year-round, visit the Nature Center and Discovery Room to see barn owls nesting in the barn dormer through their owl cam.  For more information, email felixneck@massaudubon.org.

  • Through October 11, 2009, 9 – 2 – Chappaquiddick Natural History Tour

    Enjoy a 2 ½ hour oversand vehicle exploration across Chappaquiddick’s barrier beach, sponsored by the Trustees of Reservations. Your guided tour includes an exploration of the rare maritime forests that inhabit the farthest reaches of the island. You’ll also stop at the Cape Poge Lighthouse to learn its history, climb the spiral staircase, and witness breathtaking views of Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod and Nantucket.  Relax and enjoy the birding, beachcombing, and photographic moments this journey has to offer, as you discover the fascinating natural history of Cape Cod.  For more information, log on to www.thetrustees.org.

    Program duration: 2.5 hours
    Frequency: Daily
    Times: 9AM and 2PM
    Members: Adult $30; Child (15 and under) $15.
    Nonmembers: Adult $40; Child (15 and under) $18.
    Please call 508.627.3599

  • Thursday, July 17, 5 pm – Flight Path Exhibit, 7 pm – Living on the Wind: The World of Migratory Birds

    Plymouth Beach is part of the breathtaking panorama seen from Plimoth Plantation. Few visitors know that this beautiful shoreline plays a crucial role in a complex and ancient system of shorebird migration routes running from the tip of South America to the Arctic tundra. In addition to the threatened and endangered species that breed and nest on this local barrier beach, more than 20,000 migratory birds use the bay as a fuel stop.

    Eighty-five striking images by nature photographer Jim Fenton provide a close-up of coastal water bird life to reveal their beauty and behavior. The exhibit was developed in partnership with the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Goldenrod Foundation and Massachusetts Audubon Society, and produced with generous financial support from the Bobolink Foundation, Goldenrod Foundation, Sheehan Family Foundation and others.

    At any moment of every day, migratory birds fill the skies of the western hemisphere, journeying from the High Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, across the Atlantic and Pacific, moving by day and night.  Join naturalist and author Scott Weidensaul on an exploration of how and why birds migrate, and the conservation challenges that face them, based on his book, Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds.  The program ranges from the doorstep of the Aleutians in Alaska and the frozen edge of Hudson Bay in Canada to landscapes as exotic as the grassy pampas of Argentina, and as familiar as the barrier islands of the Massachusetts coast.  A presentation filled with the drama of this remarkable phenomenon awaits.  No reservation needed.  Members of Plimoth Plantation $6.50, non-members $8.50.  Flight Path: Plymouth Beach will be open free of charge from 5 pm to 7 pm to all current members of Mass Audubon, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, and Goldenrod Foundation members.

    For directions to Plimoth Plantation and more information, log on to www.plimoth.org.