Piping Plover Page
updated 8/28/2006

two trees on plum island

Plum Island

Plum Island is a barrier island off the northern coast of Massachusetts where the Parker River and the Merrimack River flow into the Gulf of Maine. It contains a mix of summer and year-round residences, the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, and Sandy Point State Park.

Plum Island is split between Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley, and Ipswich. Newburyport is best known as a seaport, and as shipbuilding center in days gone by. It's a pretty cool place to visit in its own right.

The island is best known as an outstanding birding spot. It's a stop off on many many migration paths. Birders come from all over the world to add to their life lists on Plum Island.

This just in:

8/24/06: John from Joh'ns Birding Page visited the refuge and blogged about it.

8/21/06: The folks at Birding in Maine visied Plum Island and blogged about it. They've got some nice pictures.

5/20/06: Channel 4 covered the post flood cleanup on PI. The National Guard helped.

4/13/06: The Undertoad blog on Plum Island Coffee Roasters, which is not on Plum Island but since they (mother/daughter entrepreneurs) are flexible enough to sell me coffee before they're open when I'm on my way to my plover warden shift I want to plug them.

9/8/04 Chronicle did a wonderful show on Plum Island last night., complete with visits to the airport, Plum Island Soap, and artist Chris Enos.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hay stacks


Plum Island Links

Airport

Airnav Info for Plum Island Airport

Plum Island Community Airfield, Inc.

Bay Circuit Trail

Birds - See Also Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Birding America's Plum Island Page

Fat Birder's Massachusetts Page

A UK site with a wealth of info for birders planning a trip to Plum Island and other Massachusetts sites from abroad.

Massbird.org

Links to current reports on what birds are being seen on PI and elsewhere. Most comprehensive Massachusetts birding site.

Nature and Attractions of the Merrimack Valley

Newburyport Birders Home Page

Newburyport Birders Plum Island Bird Sightings

New England Seabirds

Plum Island Hawk Watch

Stokes Birds at Home TV Series visits PI in Episode 112

Coast Guide Beaches: Plum Island

From Masschusetts Coastal Zone Management.

Ecology /Geology/Oceanography - Scientific Stuff

Bibliography about the Plum Island Ecosystem

Plum Island Sound Long Term Ecological Research Site

Essex National Heritage Area

ENHA's Parker River NWR Visitor Info

The Great Marsh

Trails and Sails Weekend

Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm

Fishing

Caotau's Fishing Parties

Plum Island Surfcasters

Refuge Surf Fishing Information

Rivers Edge Trading Company: Fishing Opportunities

Ken Schultz: The Angling Authority

Striper Mania: Merrimack River

Striper Mike

Joppa Flats

Joppa Flats Mass. Audubon Sanctuary

Kayaks

Plum Island Kayaks
They did the kayaks for my brother's wedding. Everybody has kayaks at their wedding, right?

 

Lodging

Beach Cottage Rentals

Luxury Rentals on PI

Walton's Ocean Front Hotel

The only hotel on PI. Now called blue.

Merrimack River Life Boat Station

From Coast Guard Stories - the story of a guy assigned to the Life Boat Station on Plum Island in 1949.

The Parker River

Parker River Clean Water Association

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Friends of the Parker River NWR

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

United States Fish & Wildlife Service

North Pool

MCZM onTidal Restoration of Diked, Drained and Impounded Floodplains
North Pool Restoration Study

Plum Island

The official Plum Island page with links to PITA and civic and business sites. This just in: 5/20/06: they've got lots of pictures of the aftermath of last week's storm.

They've got a blog now too.

Plum Island Grille

I've never eaten here because I'm a vegetarian, but my cousin Kathy from York, ME knows the owners and she vouches for it.

Plum Island Lighthouse

Plum Island Light (Friends of Plum Island Light)
Includes a great bibliography.

Poetry, Literary Stuff, Art, Photos

Essays
Winter's Embrace by Joe Noonan

The Great New England Sea Serpent by J.P. O'Neill

A Day at the Beach by Janet Egan

I had to put my own literary effort here. Besides, I quote Thoreau.

Poetry

Plumb Lines

Poetry Migrations

Photos

Plum Island Photos by Kieran Chapman

Pictures of Plum Island

Gernot Wagner's Photos

Sandy Point State Reservation

Coastal Trails of Massachusetts

Sandy Point State Reservation

Soap

Plum Island Soap Company

Souvenirs

JCA designs - Plum Island JCA designs - Plum Island sells clothing and unique gift items. They offer graphic designs and photos on shirts, mugs, postcards, bumper stickers and more. Note: they do have at least one tasteless piping plover joke, but since I still have some of my sense of humor I'm keeping the link here.

Squid, Giant

The Famous Giant Squid

Revelation13

I'm telling you this squid is really really famous. So was Timothy Dexter.

More on the Famous Squid

Invertebrate Art by 5th Graders

Scroll down to the giant Plum Island squid painted by Daniel.

Squid Facts for Kids

Squidly's Story

Scroll down to Squidly's story and read about how the famous giant squid of Plum Island and crazy people in scuba suits.

Winter 2003 Issue of Coastlines

This squid washed up on PI in 1980 and is still news in 2003. Told you it's a really famous squid. It's in the Smithsonian. But you knew that because you've read all these other links.

New England Anomaly

This squid is one wicked famous sea monster.

Tide and Current Predictor for the Merrimack River

Travel/Tourist Info

Boston Insider: Plum Island

Newburyport Chamber of Commerce on the natural wonders of Plum Island

Water and Sewer

In case you were wondering what all those pipes and all that digging are about.

Weather Forecast for Plum Island

Wine

Plum Island Winery

www.whitepineprograms.org

White Pine Programs runs a monthly program on Plum Island called the Plum Island Watch. PIW is a seaside tracking club where they learn from the tracks and trails and sign of the island's many residents.


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