Parker and Merrimack River Complex

Description: The ParkerRiver and Merrimack River complex is located on the north shore of Massachusetts and contains a labyrinth of salt marshes, mudflats and sand beaches on the ocean boundary. This site includes several protected areas: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, JoppaFlatsEducationCenter and Wildlife Sanctuary, Sandy Point State Reservation and CranesBeach.

The largest of the protected areas is the Parker River NWR, which contains about three quarters of PlumIsland itself. At the entrance to the Refuge is the JoppaFlatsEducationCenter and Wildlife Sanctuary, owned and managed by Massachusetts Audubon. Sandy Point State Reservation is at the very southern tip of PlumIsland and is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management. CranesBeach, a 4-½ mile long barrier beach on Castle Neck, is owned and managed by Trustees of Reservations. There are seven survey areas within this large complex. The survey areas within Parker River NWR are: PlumIslandBeach, the salt pannes, Bill Forward Pool and Stage Island Pool. The other survey areas include: Joppa Flats at the mouth of the Merrimack River, Sandy Point State Reservation and CranesBeach on Castle Neck in Ipswich.

Access: There is public access to all of these areas. Parker River NWR is located approximately 35 miles north of Boston near the city of Newburyport. From Route 95, take exit 57 and travel east on Route 113. Continue straight onto Route 1A south to the intersection with Rolfe’s Lane. Turn left onto Rolfe’s Lane and travel 0.5 miles to its end. Turn right onto Plum Island Turnpike, crossing the bridge over to PlumIsland. Take your first right onto Sunset Drive, which leads to the refuge entrance.

JoppaFlatsEducationCenter is located on the Plum Island Turnpike leading to the Refuge entrance itself.
Sandy Point State Reservation is reached by taking the Refuge Road, which travels south through Plum Island to its end.

CranesBeach is located on Castle Neck to the south of PlumIsland in Ipswich. From Route 128 north (towards Gloucester), take exit 20A (Route 1A north) and follow for 8 miles to Ipswich. Turn right onto Route 133 east and follow for 1.5 miles. Turn left on Northgate Road and follow for .5 mi. Turn right onto Argilla Road and follow for 2.3 miles to entrance of the Castle Hill Estate on the left. Bear right past the entrance and follow signs to the beach and parking lot. Parking is free for Ipswich residents.

The International Shorebird Survey (ISS) records provided the maximum counts for species at the following survey sites:

Parker NWR: BBPL (600-1,668), DUNL (1,000-2710), GRYE ( 50-400), LEYE (100-414), LESA (325-1,300), REKN (44-100), SAND (20-700), SBDO (640-2,200), SEPL (500-1,616), and SESA (950-1,615).

PlumIsland: BBPL (100-200), GRYE (100), LEYE (300), LESA (10-75), SAND (10-350), SBDO (250), SEPL (100-250) and SESA (100-1,500).

CranesBeach: BBPL (110-258), DUNL (77), REKN (115), SAND (145-1,052), SBDO (52), SEPL (707-1,100) and SESA (583-1,804).

Survey Method: Ground surveys at all sites: Joppa Flats, salt pannes, Bill Forward Pool, Stage Island Pool, PlumIsland beach, SandyPointState Park and CranesBeach. Joppa Flats should be surveyed on the falling to low tide, preferably two hours before low tide. The rest of the sites should be surveyed at mid to high tide.

Selection Bias: Not applicable because all areas are accessible.

Measurement error: Negligible.

Measurement bias: Not applicable.

Pilot Studies: None needed.

Local Contacts:Richard Heil

Franz Inglefinger, The Trustees of Reservations

ParkerRiver NWR Staff