Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center preserve
100 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371. (860) 598-4218
Our sanctuaries are open dawn to dusk, 365 days a year.
Directions via Google
Size
Features
Trails
Birds
Facilities
Features: Located on the banks of the Lieutenant River, a tidal tributary of the Connecticut River, with a sunken garden, pollinator plants, and beautiful trees. The Connecticut River estuary is one of the most important ecosystems in the world, and the Lieutenant River is a small but important part of that.
Connecticut Audubon acquired this property as the home for its Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center in 2020. The goal is to restore native nesting, foraging, and stopover habitat for birds.
Trails: None yet but visitors are welcome anyway. Planning is underway for an accessible “River Walk” along the perimeter of the preserve.
Birds: The property’s Lieutenant River frontage faces a tidal marsh and is less than three-quarters of a mile from the Connecticut River itself. Almost any bird found in that part of the Connecticut might also occur on or within sight of the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center property. These include long-legged waders such an Great and Snowy Egret; raptors such as Bald Eagle and Osprey; waterfowl of numerous species; and songbirds in migration.
Facilities: Parking is available. Restrooms can be found in the RTPEC building, generally during regular business hours.
