Sebasticook Lake

Sebasticook Lake in Newport is an unusual lake. It attracts an impressive number and variety of waterfowl, principally in late autumn. Many of the dabbling ducks show up along the margins. Diving ducks, including greater and lesser scaup visit the open waters in the middle of the lake. It can be impressive for ruddy ducks from mid-October to freeze-up. The lake is intentionally drawn down in the fall to prevent the buildup of phosphorous and algae-blooms. This exposes mudflats that attract shorebirds in autumn. Greater and lesser yellowlegs are seen regularly around this time. Pectoral sandpipers are noteworthy. Black-bellied plovers are occasionally numerous. Dunlin may persist late into the shorebird season. Snow buntings, horned larks, American pipits, and Lapland longspurs occur along these flats late in October and November. In downtown Newport, a boat launch ramp within a small park provides a good vantage point for seeing diving ducks in mid-lake. For dabblers, another good place to scan is from the Durham Bridge Road on the eastern side of the lake.

Directions: Newport is located at Exit 161 on Interstate 95. Exit toward Newport, proceed past the fast food restaurants, and bear right at the traffic lights. Turn left onto North Street and follow around to the park at the end. From downtown Newport, the park is at the end of Elm Street.

For Durham Bridge Road, continue through downtown Newport approximately 3 miles along Route 2. Turn north onto Stetson Road, follow for two miles, then turn left again onto Durham Bridge Road. It is 1.3 miles to the causeway bridge.