Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.
Located just 20 miles west of Boston, this refuge was established to provide nesting, resting, and feeding habitats for migratory birds. Roughly 85 percent of the refuge's 3,600 acres is comprised of valuable freshwater wetlands stretching along 12 miles of the Concord and Sudbury Rivers. Black ducks, wood ducks, and blue-winged teal nest here, and by managing the water levels in the two pools there, waders are attracted in good numbers during migration. Take the trail at Weir Hill, which begins at the visitors center. This ¾ mile walk takes you through marshes, uplands, woodlands and fields, offering a wide diversity of birdlife. To reach the office and visitor center at Weir Hill, follow Route 27 (1.7 miles) from Wayland and turn right onto Water Row Road. Follow Water Row Road (1.2 miles) until it ends and turn right onto Lincoln Road. Travel one half mile, turn left onto Weir Hill Road and follow to the end.
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge.
Located on the "elbow" of Cape Cod, the refuge stretches approximately ten miles southward into the waters of Nantucket Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Over 285 species have been recorded here. The refuge provides nesting habitat for migratory waterfowl and colonial seabirds. Two important nesting species are the endangered piping plover and roseate tern. The refuge is famous for shorebird migrations. During the fall and winter, thousands of eiders, scoter, red-breasted mergansers, and brant congregate in offshore areas. Massachusetts Audubon offer trips regularly June through September. Call the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary at 508-349-2615 for details. To reach the headquarters on Morris Island, take U.S. Route 6 east to State Route 137 south to State Route 28 east through Chatham to Chatham Lighthouse and Coast Guard Station. Take the first left after lighthouse, then the first right. Follow Morris Island Road to signs for the refuge on the left.
Mount Auburn Cemetery.
This site, located on Mount Auburn Street just west of US 3 in Cambridge, about 4 miles west of the city center of Boston, is one of the Northeast's birding hotspots during spring migration. A green sanctuary in the midst of urban development, Mount Auburn can be one of the state’s most exciting bird spots on a good morning in May. With 10 miles (16.1 kilometers) of roads and paths this is a migrant trap, with up to 30 species of warblers recorded here . In spring, local birders maintain a board at the entrance listing recent sightings, and there are guided bird walks led by local birding clubs most mornings. A bird list is available, as is a map of the expansive grounds.
Mystic Lakes
Mystic Lakes, are located near Medford, a suburb 8 miles from downtown Boston. These two lakes (Upper and Lower Mystic Lake) are good for waterfowl, and the best place to view these is from the eastern shore of the Upper Lake. The wooded areas surrounding the lakes are good for passerines. Look for Magnolia, Palm and Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush in passage and Swainson’s and Wood Thrush. At the southwest corner of Lower Mystic Lake is Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Check here for migrant passerines, particularly the marshy woodland at the northwest corner of the cemetery which is probably the best area.
Newburyport Area
Newburyport Area Newburyport itself and the adjacent Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (Plum Island) are among the best birding locations in the country. They are famous for shorebirds in migration, waterfowl and raptors during the winter, and perhaps especially for vagrants.
Newburyport made national news some decades ago when a Ross’s Gull showed up in the harbor. There is (limited) space to park your vehicle beside the harbor while you check out the gulls, terns, and waterfowl.
Parker River NWR consists of 4,662 acres (1,883 hectares) of diverse upland and wetland habitats including sandy beach and dune, shrub/thicket, bog, swamp, freshwater marsh, salt marsh and associated creek, river, mud flat, and salt pans. These and other refuge habitats support varied and abundant populations of resident and migratory wildlife. The bird list runs to more than 300 species. Birding is good year round. In mid-summer, get there early in the morning. The area can become very crowded, particularly at the beach. Check out the nature trail at Hellcat Swamp. In migration, the thickets which you pass through can be very good for passerines.
For shorebirds and waterfowl, Plum Island and Newburyport are definitely places where you will need a scope for best results.
Rockport and Cape Ann.
An hours drive northeast from Boston, Rockport, a quaint village on Cape Ann, is an excellent seawatching site. Cathedral Ledge is a prime spot to look for small rafts of Harlequin Ducks from November to May. Red-throated and Common Loons, Horned and Red-necked Grebes, Northern Gannet, Great and Double-crested Cormorants, Common Eider, Surf, White-winged, and Black Scoters, Oldsquaw, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and Black Guillemot can all be seen here in fall and winter. Down on the rocks, look for small flocks of Purple Sandpipers. Be on the alert for King Eider and Barrow’s Goldeneye. When northeast winds blow, uncommon species such as Northern Fulmar, Black-legged Kittiwake, Thick-billed Murre, Razorbill, or Atlantic Puffin may appear. During spring migration, following southwest winds, the brushy areas on Cape Ann, like those on nearby Plum Island, can be full of resting passerines.