Walk past the outhouses and up onto the dike that separates the North Pool to the north and Bill Forward Pool to the south. Carefully scan the two pools. Forward Pool can be especially good for waterfowl, shorebirds, and herons. The common puddle ducks show up regularly on this pool, and many diving ducks (e.g., scaup, ring-necked duck, hooded merganser, ruddy duck) put in appearances. This pool is one of the better spots for finding tricolored herons. The refuge lowers the water level of Forward Pool in late summer to provide foraging and roosting areas for migrating shorebirds. During high tides, many hundreds of shorebirds can be found roosting at the pool as they await the low tides that expose the mudflats where they like to feed. The regular shorebird species include black-bellied and semipalmated plover, spotted sandpiper, yellowlegs, willet, the commoner peeps (least, white-rumped and semipalmated), dunlin, red knot, ruddy turnstone, both dowitchers, stilt sandpiper, and the occasional American golden-plover, Baird’s sandpiper and Hudsonian godwit.
From A Birders Guide to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Bill Forward Pool is a freshwater impoundment located within the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. It was created in 1962 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide habitat for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. The pool covers an area of about 110 acres and is surrounded by marshes, shrublands, and forests. The pool is managed by manipulating water levels throughout the year to mimic natural fluctuations and to enhance vegetation growth and diversity. Bill Forward Pool attracts a variety of bird species, including ducks, geese, herons, egrets, shorebirds, and raptors. It is a popular destination for birdwatchers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts.

Located along the northeast coast of Massachusetts, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 to provide a feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for migratory birds. Most commonly associated with Plum Island, a barrier beach island, the refuge is comprised of more than 4700 acres of diverse habitats including sandy beach and dune, cranberry bog, maritime forest and shrubland, and freshwater marsh. The most abundant habitat on the refuge is its 3,000+ acres of salt marsh, one of the most productive ecosystems in nature. Parker River provides a pristine coastal habitat for over 300 species of resident and migratory birds, as well as a large variety of mammals, insects, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. The refuge also provides critical habitat for the federally threatened piping plover.

In addition to its mission of wildlife conservation, the refuge provides a variety of excellent wildlife-dependent recreational activities, including surf fishing, wildlife observation and photography, a variety of interpretive programs, and seasonal waterfowl and deer hunting opportunities. A large visitor center, complete with a classroom and auditorium, msupports many of these public uses.

Parker River has achieved the following special designations: Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), Important Bird Area (IBA), and Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).