The best time of year to visit Duxbury Beach for birding is September through May. During the breeding season for Piping Plovers and Least Terns, much of the beach can have restricted access to protect the breeding shorebirds. Large groups of shorebirds can be witnessed migrating through during autumn.

Winter: Snowy Owls, Lapland Longspurs

Migration: Red Knots, Whimbrels, and lots of other shorebirds. Also, warblers that are otherwise infrequent in Plymouth County can be observed in the forests near the High Pines station.

Summer: Piping Plovers (restricted access), Least Terns (restricted access), American Oystercatchers

Year-round: Lots of unusual vagrants can sporadically be found at this beach, examples of past unusual sightings include Caspian Terns in the summer, Lapland Longspur in July, and lots of others.

There are seasonal portable toilets along Gurnet Road south of Powder Point Bridge. Duxbury Beach is birdable by car on bayside (though some sections of the beach require a permit during part or all of the year), but not oceanside.

Depending on where you park, you can get to Duxbury Beach in two different ways. For those with parking stickers (resident and over sand), the beach is best accessed via the Powder Point Bridge in Duxbury. Day parking at the Duxbury Beach Park is best accessed by going through Marshfield and taking Canal Street to Gurnet Road in Duxbury.

The Duxbury Beach Reservation, Inc. was formed in 1975. It evolved from the Duxbury Beach Association, which was created in 1919 when a small group of summer residents led by Frederick S. Pratt bought the beach. The Reservation’s statement of purpose is the restoration and preservation of Duxbury Beach. Since its incorporation in 1975, the Reservation has taken its mission very seriously.

To maintain a barrier against the sea, the Reservation is continuously engaged in proactive projects to protect the beach including enhanced dune projects, designing cobble berms to prevent road erosion, and stabilizing sand with fencing and plantings. To preserve the natural heritage of the beach, it has developed comprehensive programs to protect the state of the beach as well as its vegetation and wildlife. To operate a public recreational beach within the confines of these ecological objectives, as well as state and federal regulations, the Reservation has always relied on the cooperation of beachgoers and the assistance of the Town of Duxbury.

There are no trails, but there are 3 crossovers from the road onto the beach. Access to drive on these crossovers can be obtained by purchasing a permit from the town of Duxbury.