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Whether you’re a professional taking photos with a long lens or an enthusiast snapping pictures with your smart phone, the area around Buzzards Bay provides ample opportunities to get that perfect shot out in nature. Train your eye on varied habitats, fascinating wildlife, and colorful changing seasons at any of these great locations in the watershed — and be sure to tag us in any of those beautiful pictures that you share online!

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A man paddling a kayak away from the Agawam Mill Pond Boat Launch in Wareham
2844 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham, MA 02571
|Directions

Glide down the tranquil Agawam River for a long paddle or a freshwater fishing trip from Agawam Mill Pond Boat Launch in Wareham.

Parking: Large paved parking area
Facilities: Boat Ramp, Canoe/Kayak Launch
Beach roses growing in the dunes along the rocky piece of the Barges Beach shoreline
Gosnold County Rd., Gosnold, MA 02713
|Directions

Barges Beach is part of Buzzards Bay Coalition's Cuttyhunk Reserves and located just off the ferry dock on Cuttyhunk Island. Local history and natural beauty come together on Barges Beach, a one-of-a-kind barrier beach on the east end of Cuttyhunk Island.

Size: 24 acres
Parking: None
Facilities: None
White sandy shores on Bassetts Island in Bourne, with views of sailboats in the distance
Bassetts Island, Bourne, MA 02559
|Directions

Have an island adventure on the pristine beaches and shallow waters of Bourne's Bassetts Island.

Parking: None
Facilities: Canoe/Kayak Launch (shoreline), Picnic Tables
Patches of Black sand swirled into the shore of Black Beach
104 Chapoquoit Rd., Falmouth, MA 02540
|Directions

Escape the summer crowds at Falmouth's Black Beach or with a paddle through Great Sippewissett Marsh.

Size: 190 acres
Parking: Medium-sized paved parking area at Chapoquoit Beach; resident beach sticker required to park in summer
Facilities: None; Restrooms, Trash, Shower at Chapoquoit Beach (seasonal)
103 Lambert's Cove Road, West Tisbury, MA 02575
|Directions

Savor the serenity to be found in the woods and along the shore of this strand of ponds that empty into Blackwater Brook.

Size: 106 acres
Parking: Small, unpaved parking area, plus several turn-out parking spots along the access road
Facilities: No
A peninsula with several pine trees extending into a shallow freshwater pond
588 Blacksmith Shop Rd., Falmouth, MA 02536
|Directions

Hike, picnic, or bird watch among some of the Cape’s most unusual habitats at this Falmouth preserve.

Size: 68 acres
Parking: Medium-sized unpaved parking area on Blacksmith Shop Road
Facilities: None
A red kayak traveling up the marsh channels of Broad Marsh Conservation Area
Great Neck Rd., Wareham, MA 02751
|Directions

Surround yourself with bird-filled salt marshes on a paddle through this water access-only preserve in Wareham.

Parking: None
Facilities: None
a woman standing on a rock looking at a stream on the Westport River at Brookside Conservation Area
1013 American Legion Hwy., Westport, MA 02790
|Directions

Enjoy the peaceful beauty of Bread and Cheese Brook along Brookside Conservation Area's streamside trail in Westport.

Size: 9 acres
Parking: Small unpaved parking area (space for 3-4 cars) off Route 177
Facilities: None
Cattails in marsh seen through the trees next to the Bryant Farm trail
Minot Ave., Wareham, MA 02571
|Directions

Escape from busy Wareham center and stop at Bryant Farm for a peaceful walk.

Size: 102 acres
Parking: Large paved parking lot behind Minot Elementary; small dirt lot next to Golf Shots Driving Range
Facilities: None
Path through the field at Cardoza Farm in Falmouth
862 West Falmouth Hwy., Falmouth, MA 02540
|Directions

Follow a trail through a bird-filled meadow and into quiet woodlands at this former farm in West Falmouth.

Size: 45 acres
Parking: Small unpaved parking area on dirt road next to Forman Lane
Facilities: None
201 Shaw Rd., Fairhaven, MA 02719
|Directions

An array of stunning habitats fit into a small package at this Fairhaven preserve, featuring fields, forests, and wetlands.

Size: 61 acres
Parking: Street parking on the south side of Shaw Rd. next to the Carvalho Farm field
Facilities: None
209-208 Obed Daggett Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
|Directions

Sample the diversity of Martha’s Vineyard habitats with a visit to Cedar Tree Neck Sanctuary.

Size: 400 acres
Parking: Medium-sized unpaved parking area
Facilities: Portable toilet
A group of turkeys in the trail at Collins Woodlot at Falmouth
141 Blacksmith Shop Rd., Falmouth, MA 02536
|Directions

Collins Woodlot in Falmouth offers great hiking along two miles of trail through wild-feeling forest.

Size: 130 acres
Parking: Small unpaved pull-off on Service Road; small unpaved pull-off on south side of Brick Kiln Road
Facilities: None
Large tree in the broad fields of Davis-Douglas Conservation Area in Plymouth
675 Long Pond Rd. , Plymouth, MA 02360
|Directions

Make community connections and explore a unique wilderness at Davis-Douglas Conservation Area, the headquarters of the Wildlands Trust.

Size: 232 acres
Parking: Large paved parking lot at visitor center on Long Pond Road; unpaved parking areas at Emery Preserve East and West trailheads on Ship Pond Road
Facilities: Learning Center, Bicycle Rack, Water Fountain, Restrooms (in Davis-Douglas Farm), Trash, Picnic Tables
Bakerville Road, Dartmouth, MA 02748
|Directions

Dike Creek Reserve stands out for its graceful mix of well-tended fields, woodlands, forested swamp, and expansive views of Dike Creek Marsh.

Size: 77 acres
Parking: Small gravel parking area
The rock and sand kayak launch at Edgewater Street
Edgewater St., Fairhaven, MA 02719
|Directions

Explore picturesque marshes by kayak or spend the afternoon digging for clams on the edge of Little Bay in Fairhaven.

Parking: Space at the end of Edgewater Street
Facilities: None
Three egrets in the salt marsh at Egypt Lane in Fairhaven
Egypt Ln. & Hyland St., Fairhaven, MA 02719
|Directions

This popular birdwatching hotspot in Fairhaven offers sweeping salt marsh views from atop the stone dike.

Size: 3 acres
Parking: Street parking available on side roads along the Phoenix Bike Trail
Facilities: None
Fall salt marshes along a sandy boat ramp in Westport
129 East Beach Rd., Westport, MA 02790
|Directions

This small Westport landing is a great place launch a kayak or go quahogging, surrounded by the unique habitat of the lower Westport River.

Size: 0.18 acres
Parking: Small unpaved parking area bordered with stones (space for 2-3 cars); resident beach sticker required year-round
Facilities: Kayak Launch (shoreline)
Marshes along the edge of Flume Pond in Falmouth
317 Sippewissett Rd., Falmouth, MA 02540
|Directions

Walk through birdsong-filled woods to the edge of rich salt pond habitat at Flume Pond in Falmouth.

Size: 28.6 acres
Parking: Small parking area across Sippewissett Rd. at Kelly Woodland
Facilities: None
Trees reflected on the surface of Forge Pond in Westport
235 Forge Rd., Westport, MA 02790
|Directions

From fishing to hiking to paddling, discover a variety of activities on this eight-acre Westport property.

Size: 7.8 acres
Parking: Small pull-off area along Forge Road, on north side of Forge Pond
Facilities: None

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Behind the photos: our World Wildlife Day photography contest finalists

These five photographers from all around the watershed shared how they captured these stunning images, and how their photography helps them explore their Buzzards Bay.

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An expert’s guide to nature photography around Buzzards Bay

Greg Stone's images from his home town of Westport show time and time again that the best nature photos are those that “see the extraordinary in the ordinary,” as he puts it.

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Fall and winter fishing around the Bay is “cooler” than you think

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Upcoming Events

Sow & Pigs Release Party
Sat, May 25
4:00PM - 7:00PM
Buzzards Bay Brewing ,
Westport
Buzzards Bay Swim – Registration Now Open!
Sat, June 22
6:30AM - 10:30AM
Fort Phoenix State Reservation,
Fairhaven
Falmouth Road Race
Sun, August 18
Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights,
Falmouth

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