Birdwatching in Vermont, pp. 52-53

Birding in Shelburne by Bruce MacPherson and Chip Wright, Green Mountain Audubon Society

Within walking distance of Shelburne Bay is tremendous bird diversity. More than 200 species have been encountered here in recent years. Waterfowl, waders, shorebirds, and swallows attend the bay itself. A nearby river march is heron heaven. And a bayside park can harbor songbirds from spring through the fall.

This 100-acre park is open for use year-round. Summer gate hours are 8:00 am-7:00 pm daily, starting the Tuesday after Memorial Day to Labor Day. This summer parking is allowed inside the park’s designated parking areas during operating hours, as well as outside the park. The gate locks at 7 pm daily, make sure your vehicle is parked in the lot outside the entrance so you don’t get locked in. The beach includes a designated swimming area and restrooms, the restrooms will be open June 18 – August 11 from 8:00 am-7:00 pm daily during the summer. Until June 18 and after August 11, please use the portable toilet located at the entrance of the park.
The beach is open to the general public. There are several miles of trails for hiking, jogging, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

People have been living on the shores of Shelburne Bay for centuries. The long arm of Shelburne Point provides shelter from strong winds blowing from the south and west. The bay’s calm surface was an important factor when the 120-mile Lake Champlain was used as a “water highway,” before the advent of the railroad, automobile, and airplane. Early European settlers found evidence of a Native settlement–a cleared field, flints, and arrowheads–at the mouth of the LaPlatte River, across from the boat launch area. Today you can discover how natural and human processes have made Shelburne Bay one of the most unique environments in the Champlain Basin.

The TrailFinder website has a description and map of a hike at Red Rocks Park.