The weather today was perfect and Jeanine and I were desperate to get out of the house and enjoy it. We decided to visit the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island which was open to pedestrians and cyclists only. We parked near Newbury Beach and biked the length of the island to Sandy Point State Reservation, stopping frequently to see what there was to see. The 15-mile round trip and intermittent stops yielded surprisingly few good wildlife photography opportunities. I did manage nice shots of a medium-size snapping turtle and turkey both which can be found within a stone’s throw of our front door.

The beach, which runs the length of the island, was desolate but not for the reason that may jump to mind. The endangered Piping Plover makes its nests on the beach and dunes at this time of year and access is strictly restricted. The picture below was taken from within Sandy Point State Reservation where a small section of the beach is open.