A red-winged blackbird marks its territory in a grassland at the Conte refuge, sharing habitat with bobolinks, meadowlarks and grasshopper sparrows. PHOTOS BY JOSHUA ROSE
Once upon a time, it was called Bri-Mar Stables, and described as “a quaint equestrian facility nestled in the heart of Hadley… providing a welcoming environment for those passionate about all things equine.” The property had a barn at the top of a hill on Moody Bridge Road, and a track for riding out back near the Fort River. The farm eventually closed, and was sold to a developer. The developer was allegedly caught illegally filling wetlands, and offered a choice: pay fines that would erode their profit margins, or sell the land to the government. They chose the latter.
The area was known to local birders even back when it could only be viewed from the road. It has long been one of the best places in Hampshire County to find hayfield species like Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks. The Bird Finding Guide to Western Massachusetts, published in 2003, says of the stables’ vicinity: “Moody Bridge Road is often productive, especially the portion west of South Maple Street”. It goes on to mention Northern Shrike and Vesper Sparrow among the species that might be found there.
The USFWS purchased the land to add to the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge. This Refuge protects the Connecticut River watershed. Segments of the Refuge are scattered from the Nulhegan Division in Vermont near the Canadian border, to the Peterson Unit in Connecticut near Long Island Sound. Bri-Mar Stables became the Fort River Division.
In 2013, the Refuge started replacing the old horse paths with an ADA-accessible trail. It included benches, roofed shelters, observation decks, and boardwalks above the Fort River floodplain. The Hampshire Bird Club visited much more often once the new trail opened to the public, and many visitors started referring to the location as the “Fort River Trail”.
Controversy arose at Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge for a few years in the 2010s. A colony of Barn Swallows inhabited the original Bri-Mar Stables building. It was among the largest in the state, with up to 40 nests; after the young fledged, birders would often count over 100 swallows in the area. Barn Swallow population declines nationwide magnified concern for this colony. Refuge volunteers contributed hundreds of hours of labor supporting it. Unfortunately, the building had deteriorated over time. A fierce debate ensued over whether the stables could be repaired or only demolished. The federal staff decided on demolition. Many of the volunteers protested and felt betrayed. Fortunately, many of the swallows stuck around; researchers facilitated the colony’s transition into another building, and after a brief dip, the number of nests and birds rebounded until they were almost as numerous as before.
In 2019, a collapsing culvert forced Moody Bridge Road to close east of the Refuge. The gravel road had previously been used as a shortcut by drivers speeding between South Maple Street and Bay Road. Roadkilled wildlife was all too common, and visitors walking the road–- the best way to see grassland birds like Bobolinks– had to dodge vehicles while dealing with noise, dust clouds, and scattering gravel. Closing the road has made the local wildlife safer, and easier to hear and see.
Oil beetles are members of the blister beetle family that often appear in the refuge in the fall.
The Refuge has continued to develop and attract more wildlife. A pollinator garden grew near the trailhead, planted and tended by some of the same volunteers who cared for the swallows. At least 26 species of butterflies, a dozen species of bees, and a wide variety of other pollinators have been documented in the refuge. A set of Purple Martin “gourds” hung near the Refuge HQ lured in their target species, and with some intervention to protect the martins from House Sparrows and European Starlings, multiple martin pairs nested there and fledged perhaps as many as 9 chicks this past summer. This might be the only active Purple Martin nesting colony in the state west of I-495. Similar intervention has helped American Kestrels fledge young from boxes placed nearby for them.
Similar intervention has helped American Kestrels fledge young from boxes placed nearby for them. Refuge staff have created 3 new wetlands to improve the water quality of the Fort River, and indirectly the Connecticut River as well. This benefits a creature that was one of the biggest justifications for the refuge’s creation, but which most visitors will never see: the Dwarf Wedgemussel, a species included on the federal Endangered Species List. These wetlands have also helped attract at least 14 dragonfly and damselfly species and a number of locally uncommon birds like American and Least Bitterns, Sora, and Glossy Ibis. The total list of birds for the location has grown from less than 50 when birders first gained access to the land, to 94 a year later, 128 the year after that, to its current tally of 205 species following its latest addition, a pair of Ruddy Ducks in late October 2024
The biggest threat to the Fort River Division is probably also its biggest asset: popularity. Before the trail was built, I could spend hours there without seeing another soul. Now I can’t always find an unoccupied parking space. eBird shows it as the fifth-most popular birding spot in the state this year, and by far the most popular one west of I-495. And birders, once the overwhelming majority of the Refuge’s customers, are now a minority among dog-walkers, exercisers, families, and other visitors. This popularity will inevitably require repairs to the boardwalks, platforms, and other structures, and the noise and activity has negative impacts on wildlife; dogs in particular cause certain birds and mammals to abandon otherwise suitable habitat. That popularity also translates into support for protection of wildlife habitat, and for the addition of more tracts to the Conte NWR and the National Wildlife Refuge System in general. Support like that is likely to be increasingly important in the years to come.
Joshua Rose (he/him) is a naturalist who lives in Amherst. He is vice president of the Hampshire Bird Club, Northeast Chapter head of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas and a contributing editor of the website bugguide.net; he regularly leads programs for local nature-oriented groups.
Earth Matters has been a project of the Hitchcock Center for the Environment for 15 years. HCE’s mission is to educate and to inspire action for a healthy planet. Our Living Building and trails are open to all at 845 West St. in Amherst. To learn more, visit hitchcockcenter.org.
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