Birdcraft Sanctuary features 5 acres of mixed hardwood forest with thickets and a shallow pond with generally level terrain. While this trail can be used with strollers, there is a small incline at the beginning of the trail with some rocky areas.
In Connecticut, Birdcraft is virtually unmatched in the number and diversity of songbirds that can be seen and heard in a small area during migration. The sanctuary has been hemmed in by development. That isolation has made it an oasis for migrating birds searching for a green patch to rest and feed.
Birdcraft Sanctuary is a National Historic Landmark (the only National Historic Landmark in Connecticut that earned its designation because of its connection to conservation and the environment) and is a stop on the Heritage Trail of the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame. It was created in 1914 by Mabel Osgood Wright who founded the Connecticut Audubon Society in 1898 after seeing an inspiring play about the creation of a bird sanctuary in New Hampshire in 1911.
The Sasqua Garden Club maintains the gardens near the sanctuary’s buildings. A recirculating waterfall provides a source of fresh water in all but the coldest months.
Take Exit 21 and head north on Mill Plain Road. Take the third right onto Unquowa Road. After 0.6 miles, the Sanctuary is on the left. The parking lot address is 314 Unquowa Road and leads to a gated entrance. Push the gate open to access the trails.
Take Exit 44 and turn left onto Congress Street then head south on Blackrock Turnpike. After crossing the Samp Mortar Reservoir, take the third left onto Samp Mortar Drive and continue straight onto Brookside Drive. After 1.1 miles, turn left onto Mill Plain Road. Follow Mill Plain Road for 1.7 miles then turn left onto Unquowa Road. After 0.6 miles, the Sanctuary is on the left.
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