October 1, 2015 at 4:16 pm
By Wildlife Biologist Cory Stearns
[caption id="attachment_977" align="alignright" width="420"]
The view from the observation tower at Scarborough Marsh.[/caption]
The Scarborough Marsh Wildlife Management Area is one of the department’s most visited wildlife management areas. Located in the southern Maine coastal towns of Scarborough and Old Orchard Beach, this 3,000 acre property is comprised of tidal creeks, saltmarsh, freshwater wetlands and uplands.
Scarborough Marsh receives 1,000’s of visitors each year, for a variety of reasons including such popular activities as hunting, birding, boating and fishing.
Hunters visit primarily for waterfowl and upland game birds. Several hunting blinds occur in the marsh, and can be used on a first come, first serve basis. The property along Mason Libby Road is the best bet for upland game, and is stocked each fall with ring-necked pheasants. Pheasant season starts October 1, with pheasants being stocked once before the season and twice in October.
The Marsh is a destination for bird watchers, which are drawn to the area for the plethora of species that can be found there at different times of year, including saltmarsh sparrows, egrets, sandpipers, glossy ibis, and many others.
Summertime visitors often visit Maine Audubon’s Marsh Center which has informational displays, guided tours, and rentable canoes and kayaks. Parking lots on Route 9 (Pine Point Rd) and Route 207 (Black Point Rd) provide great access via the Eastern Trail, an old railroad right of way that runs through the marsh that is now used as a recreational trail for pedestrians and bicyclists.
There’s an observation tower accessible to the public off from Manson Libby Road, which provides a great view of the marsh and the adjacent upland. The tower is accessible on foot via a gravel road off from Manson Libby Road, or a mowed path from the parking lot next to our storage building.
There’s a public boat launch on Clay Pits Rd, and a couple of carry in sites with small parking areas on Route 9, and other carry in boat access elsewhere on the marsh.
Since the Department acquired property in 1959, several habitat improvement projects have been undertaken, including restoring natural saltmarsh. In recent years, we’ve undertaken efforts to reduce invasive Phragmites in the marsh, performed prescribed fires to maintain fields, and conducted a timber harvest to promote young forest habitat to benefit species such as New England cottontail (a state endangered species), American woodcock, brown thrasher, and many others.
For more information or questions about Scarborough Marsh Wildlife Management Area, please contact the regional wildlife biologists in the Gray regional office at 207-657-2345.
The view from the observation tower at Scarborough Marsh.[/caption]
The Scarborough Marsh Wildlife Management Area is one of the department’s most visited wildlife management areas. Located in the southern Maine coastal towns of Scarborough and Old Orchard Beach, this 3,000 acre property is comprised of tidal creeks, saltmarsh, freshwater wetlands and uplands.
Scarborough Marsh receives 1,000’s of visitors each year, for a variety of reasons including such popular activities as hunting, birding, boating and fishing.
Hunters visit primarily for waterfowl and upland game birds. Several hunting blinds occur in the marsh, and can be used on a first come, first serve basis. The property along Mason Libby Road is the best bet for upland game, and is stocked each fall with ring-necked pheasants. Pheasant season starts October 1, with pheasants being stocked once before the season and twice in October.
The Marsh is a destination for bird watchers, which are drawn to the area for the plethora of species that can be found there at different times of year, including saltmarsh sparrows, egrets, sandpipers, glossy ibis, and many others.
Summertime visitors often visit Maine Audubon’s Marsh Center which has informational displays, guided tours, and rentable canoes and kayaks. Parking lots on Route 9 (Pine Point Rd) and Route 207 (Black Point Rd) provide great access via the Eastern Trail, an old railroad right of way that runs through the marsh that is now used as a recreational trail for pedestrians and bicyclists.
There’s an observation tower accessible to the public off from Manson Libby Road, which provides a great view of the marsh and the adjacent upland. The tower is accessible on foot via a gravel road off from Manson Libby Road, or a mowed path from the parking lot next to our storage building.
There’s a public boat launch on Clay Pits Rd, and a couple of carry in sites with small parking areas on Route 9, and other carry in boat access elsewhere on the marsh.
Since the Department acquired property in 1959, several habitat improvement projects have been undertaken, including restoring natural saltmarsh. In recent years, we’ve undertaken efforts to reduce invasive Phragmites in the marsh, performed prescribed fires to maintain fields, and conducted a timber harvest to promote young forest habitat to benefit species such as New England cottontail (a state endangered species), American woodcock, brown thrasher, and many others.
For more information or questions about Scarborough Marsh Wildlife Management Area, please contact the regional wildlife biologists in the Gray regional office at 207-657-2345.
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