NEWBURY — Lugging around massive cameras and lenses, birders come from around the region and beyond to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge to get a close look at the many species of birds that populate the federal reservation.
But for the next few weeks, their access will be limited as the refuge’s lower gravel road will closed through July 17 to complete essential road rehabilitation work.
During this 12-day period, there will be no public access to any facilities south of the Hellcat Observation Area, including Sandy Point State Reservation. This includes vehicles, bikes and pedestrians.
“It’s incredibly disruptive,” local birder Bob Goetz said Monday.
Goetz was among local bird enthusiasts who shared how they believe the closure of the lower gravel road at Parker River Wildlife Refuge, the only land-based path to Sandy Point State Reservation Beach, will affect early summer birding.
Another birder had a slightly different take, sharing that he felt the timing could not have been better.
“I curtail a lot of my birding on the island in July, especially towards the end of July, just because of the greenheads,” Bird Watcher’s Supply & Gift owner Steve Grinley said. “So it’s not the best thing in the world, but it’s something that has to be done.”
Bob Groskin said he learned about this months ago, noting that the road had become significantly degraded over the years.
“The road gets a lot of traffic and the new gravel should make for a safer road for both drivers and the environment,” Groskin said. “Hopefully, it will not cause drivers to go faster, too many cars use it as a speedway to Sandy Point. This is a slow season for birding but any downtime for devoted birds would always create bad press for the refuge. Unfortunately, some people are quick to link any activity like this to the long term projects the refuge is conducting.”
Grinley mentioned that this can be a busy time of year for birders looking to access Sandy Point State Reservation Beach, which can only be accessed either by the gravel path or by boat.
“There’s a lot of nesting birds down there,” Grinley said. “The terns and the plovers. And it’s almost the beginning of the shore bird migration. It usually begins kind of mid-July into August and September. So it’s kind of the start of that, and we’ve had a few birds already kind of trickling in, and sometimes a rare bird will show up down there that might not make it anywhere else, so access is kind of an issue from that standpoint.”
The project represents the first major rehabilitation of the gravel road in more than 15 years. The surface has deteriorated significantly, and new gravel is needed to ensure the road can continue to safely support the heavy use it receives.
Closure of the lower gravel road is required during the 12-day construction window to ensure public safety and allow heavy equipment full use of the roadway.
In addition to the gravel road rehabilitation, refuge staff will rebuild and stabilize roadway shoulders along the paved sections of Refuge Road. This work is necessary to improve drainage, reduce edge deterioration, and maintain long-term road safety. The shoulder rehabilitation project will not require any road closures, as vehicles will be able to safely pass around equipment operators.
Refuge staff recognize that closing the road in July is inconvenient, particularly for beach visitors. However, July is the only feasible window for the following reasons:
The project must occur during the dry season to ensure the roadbed can be properly rebuilt.
The work is being completed in-house by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service maintenance professionals who are traveling from around the country, and July is the only window these crews are available. Using internal staff significantly reduces project costs.
Once finished, visitors will experience a safer, more resilient gravel road, better able to withstand heavy seasonal use. Improvements to the paved shoulder areas will further enhance safety and help protect the integrity of Refuge Road.
While visiting the refuge Monday, The Daily News saw signs noting that the gravel road was closed, with multiple work trucks arriving and kicking up dust as they made their way down the path. At the entrance monitoring work was acting refuge manager Sharon Ware.
Ware said she was unable to comment on the project. Later in the day, a spokesperson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expanded on what the first day of work looked like in an email to The Daily News.
“Gravel deliveries began early this morning and have been going smoothly,” the spokesperson said. “Today’s focus is on gravel deliveries, some initial spreading of material, and staging and preparation of heavy equipment. Up to 7,000 tons of gravel will be delivered over the course of the project, with as many as 40 dump truck loads per day, creating continuous large vehicle and heavy equipment traffic on the closed portion of refuge road and dump truck trips between Ipswich and the refuge.”
The spokesperson said the 12-day construction window allows heavy equipment to operate without interruption, ensuring the project can be completed “safely and efficiently and within contract timelines and budget.”
“The rebuilt gravel road will be safer and better able to withstand heavy seasonal use, especially during peak visitation,” the spokesperson said. “Improved drainage and stabilized shoulders on paved road sections will protect Refuge Road from further deterioration. Completing this work now prevents more extensive closures or emergency repairs later.”
For updates, visit www.fws.gov/refuge/parker-river or follow Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on social media. For questions or concerns, contact Ware at parkerriver@fws.gov or call 978-465-5753.
Matt Petry covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: mpetry@northofboston.com.