Wild about New England
A whale leaping clear out of the water; a golden eagle soaring overhead; a moose, standing like a statue in a marsh: New England is a nature lover’s dream.
Despite its 400-year-old towns and villages, the north-east corner of the USA still offers huge tracts of unspoiled nature: dense forest, craggy mountains, fast-flowing rivers and that restless Atlantic Ocean. With national forests and seashore, let alone hundreds of state parks, New England is home to some spectacular wildlife.
Start with whales. Whales are plentiful off the New England coast because of Stellwagen Bank, just off the tip of Cape Cod. This marine sanctuary is like a supermarket for whales, where they can feed from spring to autumn. Most ports along the coast from Rhode Island to Maine offer whale-watching day trips from May to October. As well as fin, pilot, and minke whales, porpoises and Atlantic white-sided dolphins, there are the spectacular humpback whales that ‘breach’, leaping clear out of the water – just for the fun of it! On board ship, whale experts (often marine biologists) provide the information; all you need is sunblock, sunglasses, a (waterproof) camera and warm clothing. Even on the hottest day it can be chilly out on the sea.
On land, no other wild creature fascinates more inNew Englandthan moose. Awesomely big, the largest member of the deer family roams across northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont). Although they can be hard to spot in the thick trees, in summer they often stand in ponds close to the road. Go out with an expert on a Moose Watch; follow footprints as big as your hand; spy on gentle giants that are 7 feet/2m tall at the shoulder. You may also see raccoons, deer and other creatures.
Then, there is the feathered wildlife. New England is a breeding ground for 50 species of land bird. The most impressive is the bald eagle, a species unique to North America and the American national emblem since 1782. They like to winter in southern New England, where you can spot them on an Eagle Cruise on the Connecticut River, or see them soaring overhead in Maine’s Baxter State Park with the dramatic Mt.Katahdinin the background. In the Green Mountain state of Vermont, see rescued eagles and hawks at the VINS Nature Center, New England’s premier avian wildlife rehabilitation clinic.
Never heard a loon? The eerie, haunting cry echoes over still ponds, particularly at dawn, sunset and at night. If you are near a lake and hear a raucous laugh, the chances are it’s one of these dramatic black and white loons! The best places to listen for loons are around lakes in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. But, there are more birds to add to your life list. Wild turkeys, ruby-throated hummingbirds, blue jays and scarlet cardinals are taken for granted by New Englanders but are exotic to us. Even the robin is different: the size of our black bird, with a bright red breast!
New England’s coast is studded with islands that are home to seals that snooze in the sun, and, off the coast of Maine, colonies of clown-like puffins. In Chatham, Massachusetts, a town with a picturesque harbour and beaches, take a boat ride out to the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge to see the seals frolic with bird life all around.
Whether you prefer visiting the mountains, lakes, or the ocean, New England offers an astounding array of wildlife from turtles to great-horned owls, and from beavers to bats. So, instead of taking a trip to the zoo, visit New England for your next “wild” holiday.
For more information on what to see and do in New England and how to get there, please visitK discovernewengland.co.uk
