THE REFUGE

Located on the saltwater shores of the Sakonnet River in Tiverton, the Emile Ruecker Wildlife Refuge is a hidden jewel offering shallow marshes and upland woodlands for a wide variety of bird life. Once a 30 acre farm belonging to its namesake, the property was donated to the Audubon Society in 1965. About one and a half miles of easy-walking trails should take approximately one and a half hours to complete.

HABITAT

The Emile Ruecker Wildlife Refuge contains habitats including shallow freshwater ponds, saltwater marshland, dense thicket, overgrown farm fields, and woodlands with dense undergrowth. Fiddler crabs can be found off parts of the trail in the Sakonnet River. Over 150 bird species frequent the refuge, with herons, egrets, and ducks visible from an observation blind overlooking one of the ponds. It takes some patience to get some good pictures from the blind, or so I'm told. I usually hear a great commotion of the aforementioned birds taking flight as I arrive. So much for my stalking techniques.

ACCESS

From Route 138, take Route 77 South about 4.2 miles to Seapowet Avenue. About 0.5 miles on the right is the refuge parking lot. The sign and small parking lot are easy to miss, so keep a sharp eye out.

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