The Binocular Site
Odiorne Point State Park, New Hampshire
Odiorne Point State Park is located on the coast of New Hampshire, near the small city of Rye, and covers 331.5 acres. The park gets its name from the Odiorne family, the first member of which settled in the area in 1660. Throughout the 1700s, and into the 1800s, the area that became Odiorne Point State Park was farmland. After the Civil War, the area was transformed into a summer home location, with hotels and seaside resorts. In 1942, the federal government purchased the land, and the residents left soon after. After nearly 20 years as a military outpost, the land was sold to the state of New Hampshire, and later became a state park.
The park boasts an extensive network of hiking trails that offer treks through dense vegetation, and spectacular ocean vistas. Located in the park, the Seacoast Science Center maintains exhibits about the history—both natural and human—of Odiorne and the coastal area. Visitors can also enjoy biking, nature walks, boating, fishing, and even cross country skiing. There's a large playground, with nearby picnic tables, and a paved bicycle path.
Several species of birds migrate through Odiorne, while many others can be seen year round, such as the New Hampshire state bird, the purple finch, the Baltimore oriole, the eastern meadowlark, and the song sparrow. Migrating birds that stop in the park include Canada geese, green-winged teals, ring-necked ducks, and red-breasted mergansers.
The state bird of New Hampshire is the Purple Finch and you can find a checklist for birding activities in New Hampshire here.
Photo credit to blackdenimgumby, used with permission under the creative commons license. You can learn more about this state park by visting the official website here.
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