Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts facts for kids
Plymouth Beach is a small village in Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. People also call it Plymouth Long Beach or The Point. It's located just south of Plymouth Center and next to Plimoth Patuxet, a famous historical site. Plymouth Beach has a motel, a restaurant, and a small group of homes right by Warren Cove.
What is a Barrier Beach?
Plymouth Beach is famous for its special natural feature: a long, narrow strip of land called a barrier beach. This beach is about three miles (4.8 kilometers) long. It starts near the Eel River bridge on Route 3A. From there, it stretches north along the last part of the Eel River before the river flows into Plymouth Harbor. This barrier beach acts like a natural wall, protecting Plymouth Harbor from ocean waves and storms.
Home for Amazing Birds
Plymouth Beach is super important for many shorebirds. It's a key place where they come to nest and raise their young. Some of these birds, like the piping plover and different types of terns (such as the least, Arctic, common, and roseate tern), are considered threatened or endangered. This means their populations are very small and they need special protection.
The beach is also a vital stop for birds that fly very long distances. These "migratory" birds can fly non-stop for up to 3,000 miles (4,858 kilometers)! They stop at Plymouth Beach to rest and get their energy back before continuing their amazing journeys.
To keep these birds safe, the Town of Plymouth carefully manages the beach. They try to balance allowing people to visit with protecting the birds and the delicate beach environment. Town staff watch over the nesting areas for plovers and terns to make sure they are safe. In fact, Plymouth Beach has one of the largest groups of common terns nesting in all of Massachusetts! Most of the barrier beach (about 90%) is owned by the Town of Plymouth, which helps with its protection.
Images for kids
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Plymouth Beach from Plymouth Bay
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Houses on Plymouth Beach
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Tip of Plymouth Beach, with Duxbury in the distance
