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Cliff Calderwood
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New England is famous for its historic inns, luxurious resorts, and intimate bed and breakfasts. But during the winter it’s also popular for its downhill and cross country skiing, luxurious spa and fitness resorts, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and skating on the local ponds.
Currier and Ives ingrained the scenes on our brains with their prints but isn’t it time to see it for real? Take a winter getaway in New England and explore the region when the slopes and tree tops are glistening white and you can experience dog sledding, trek along trails in snow shoes, and settle down next to a roasting fire after your gourmet dinner.
Here are four destinations for winter getaways in New England that always bring a smile to my face.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/new-england-winter-getaways/
A New England Christmas is full of flakes on your nose, hot chocolate cupped in your hands, and a warm glow in your heart. Homes are brightly decorated with lights and poinsettias, and of course the tree
In New England we don’t let the cold chill our spirits.
Instead we celebrate the season with many events that celebrate the outdoors, and catch the festivities in true New England fashion.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/six-ways-to-enjoy-a-new-england-christmas/
Fall foliage in New England provides a showcase for Mother Nature. Perhaps nowhere else in America, and maybe even the world are the fall colors as stunning and spectacular as October in New England.Fall foliage in New England really begins in August. The shortening daylight hours trigger the deciduous trees to begin the process of shedding their leaves. It happens all around North America, and all around the world.
But in New England it results in a display of special landscapes painted with fiery autumn colors. Why is fall foliage in New England so different and special? It’s a factor of many things but mostly an abundance of different types of deciduous trees, warm autumn days, and cool – but not freezing – nights. When these and a few other conditions are all mixed in the right proportions, then you get the world famous stunning shades of reds, yellows, oranges, and browns on the hills and mountain sides of New England.
Mohawk Trail
View from the Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts
Between mid-September to late-October, visitors flock to New England to see the fall foliage. Many take special bus tours or even train rides. But most take to the road and these six scenic drives offer some of the best autumn views available from anywhere on the planet.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/new-england-fall-foliage-six-best-drives-for-leaf-peeping/
The fall season in New England not only provides colorful foliage to leaf-peepers but it’s also a great time for birders as the migratory species use the Atlantic Flyway stops throughout the region on their journey south.
These six destinations – one for each state – provides the best of both worlds for bird spotters, the opportunity to observe their favorite bird species amongst some of the most spectacular fall scenery anywhere in the world.
I apologize now for leaving out so many great spots. Also remember there is no set date for peak foliage viewing with any of these locations as there are many factors that dictate when its peak. I’ve tried to indicate average dates for great foliage but please don’t send me threatening letters if nature decides on other dates this year. Please share your own fall locations that I left out in the comments section at the end of the article.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/6-best-leaf-peeping-bird-watching-destinations-in-new-england/
Bird-watching is one of the fastest growing activities in America and Vermont. Vermont offers varied habitats and a conversationalist mindset to protect locations for bird spotting for future generations to enjoy. Here are just a few to whet your appetite.
Nulhegan Basin – Brunswick:
Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom is huge by any description. Covering an area of 2,000 square miles – it’s larger than the state of Rhode Island – and it happens to be a haven for wildlife and birding in particular.
Within the Kingdom and bordering the Connecticut River is the Nulhegan Basin. This area is considered a pristine environment to observe wildlife and in particular an array of bird species that includes: warblers, migratory songbirds, black-backed woodpecker, ruffed grouse, and American woodcock.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/5-remarkable-bird-watching-destinations-in-vermont/
Bird-watching in Maine is popular and big business. The state is second only to Montana in terms of birding participation so you can be sure it has many superb locations for bird-watching and here are just a few.
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve:
The first of the coastal bird-watching locations to explore sits in southern Maine east of Wells off busy Route 1, and is the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. Here you’ll discover salt marshes, a boardwalk through a red maple swamp, the Little River, and beaches with dunes.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/5-outstanding-bird-watching-locations-in-maine/
From remote and rugged northern forests and notches to sparkling lakes and rocky shorelines this sample of bird-watching locations in New Hampshire offers destinations to satisfy all manner of bird spotting habitats. Connecticut Lakes State Forest – Pittsburg: Deep in …
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/garden/5-bird-watching-locations-in-new-hampshire/
Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II ship are illuminating exhibits on a major event in early American history. Both are places to stir the imagination and entertain your knowledge cells. At the Mayflower II you’ll discover first-hand all about the voyage the pilgrims endured, and then barely a few miles away you’ll experience the early and struggling years of settlement.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/pilgrim-life-at-plymouth-plantation-and-mayflower/
The state’s coastal shoreline, forests, and privately-owned conservation areas have long been a magnet for bird-watching in Connecticut.
Whether you’re looking to spot a year-round raptor resident or a migratory bird you’ll find something for everybody in this collection of bird-watching destinations in the Nutmeg State.
White Memorial Foundation and Conservation Center – Litchfield:
In 1913 Alain White and his sister, May, created the White Memorial Foundation in the hills of northwestern Connecticut, and with Bantam Lake as its centerpiece. Today you’ll discover 35 miles of trails winding through open water and wetlands. Popular walks for bird-watchers are Lake Trail, the Little Pond Boardwalk Trail and the Butternut Trail.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/5-bird-watching-locations-in-connecticut/
In an earlier article I shared my favorite locations for bird-watching on Cape Cod in Massachusetts and today I’ll cover additional destinations for bird spotting in the rest of the state.
Quabbin Reservoir:
Perhaps one of the least known places to watch wildlife in Massachusetts is Quabbin Reservoir. Constructed in 1930’s to quench the expanding thirst of Boston, the reservoir and surrounding watershed area covers 121,000 acres.
Located in central Massachusetts 12-miles east of Amherst it’s a mecca for bird-watchers. Quabbin Park is home to loons, great blue herons, and an abundant array of songbirds. A trip to the park should start out at the visitor’s center and administration building where you can pick up maps and guides. The 3-mile round trip walk from Goodnough Dike to Pepper’s Mill Road is a recommended trip for bird-watching.
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Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/5-bird-watching-destinations-in-massachusetts/
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