Pardon Gray and Weetamoo Woods Preserves
Location
Tiverton, RI
Owner/manager
Weetamoo Woods- Tiverton Open Space Commission
Pardon Gray Preserve- Tiverton Land Trust
Directions
There are five parking areas:
- along Lafayette Road, (off Route 77, opposite Seapowet Ave)
- along Route 77, Main Road, at the Pardon Gray Kiosk
- along Route 77, at the Town Farm Recreation Area
- along Route 179, (south entrance) East Road, Weetamoo Kiosk
- along Lake Road
Habitat
Varied forest habitat, coastal oak-holly, a reestablishing white cedar swamp, vernal pools, open land, managed hayfields.
Description
Weetamoo Woods is nearly 500 acres of varied forest habitat, traversed by over 4 miles of well marked trails. Many birds nest here including: Barred and Great Horned Owl, Acadian Flycatcher, Worm-eating Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, and Wood Thrush.
Pardon Gray Preserve contains 230 acres that abut Weetamoo Woods, 75 of which are open land. Pardon Gray farmed the land here in the late 18th century, and he is buried on the family cemetery located on the Preserve. Tiverton Land Trust acquired the land in 2000. At the parking lot for this section along Route 77, there is a kiosk, with a mail box that holds maps of the site. Just behind the old well house is a small herb garden. The large managed fields here attract nesting grassland birds. There are paired nesting boxes that are used by Eastern Bluebirds, House Wrens and Tree Swallows. A Kestrel box was recently added. These fields also host many migrant land birds in the fall. There is a mowed trail around the fields, with several entrances to the paths leading to the adjacent Weetamoo Woods.
Best Seasons to Visit
Spring and fall.
Birds Most Likely to Be Seen
Breeding birds include: American Kestrel, Eastern Bluebird, Worm-eating Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Ovenbird, Yellow-throated Vireo, Wood Thrush, Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole.
Fall migrants in the fields at Pardon Gray include: Dickcissel, Clay-colored Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson’s warbler.
Potential obstacles
- ATV’s.
- Dog walking is common, and dogs must be kept on a leash, OR UNDER POSITIVE CONTROL.
- Horseback riding and bike riding are allowed at Weetamoo only.