An elegant egret, marsh views and towering trees: A visit to Coy’s Brook Woodlands
Coy’s Brook Woodlands offers a cornucopia of natural wonders, spread over 30 beautiful acres off Lothrop Avenue, one of the most scenic byways on Cape Cod. It is a true gem in the lineup of Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) properties and well worth a visit any time of year. Conditions were particularly resplendent on a recent September afternoon, with bright sun, cool temperatures and a hint of fall foliage festooning the trees.
A sweeping marsh view from Harwich Conservation Trust’s Coy’s Brook Woodlands.
The 30-acre property features about a mile of trails, and if you’re a salt marsh fan, you’re in for a treat. The views of the Herring River estuary along the edges of the trail are breathtaking and vast. A great green sea of marsh grass rippled in the breeze and several tree topped islands floated on the horizon. It’s easy to have a back-in-time moment, imagining the days of harvesting marsh hay for farm animals, with racks on the islands to keep the hay dry.
There are also joys to be found as you move through the interior of the Woodlands. Part of the trail leads along a dike near an old cranberry bog, where red maples now hold sway. A charming little bridge helps you along the way. As you get to higher ground, you’ll encounter beech trees, Atlantic white cedar and towering oaks and pines.
Preservation history
In 1997, more than 100 contributors raised $225,000 for HCT to purchase 16 acres of rolling woodland from the Stewart family to protect wildlife habitat, walking trails, salt marsh views, and the water quality of Coy’s Brook, the main tributary to the Herring River. Over the years, adjacent lands were purchased by and donated to HCT. Preserving the land helps to protect the groundwater that flows to Coy’s Brook and the Herring River on which so many creatures depend.
Along the trail at Harwich Conservation Trust’s Coy’s Brook Woodlands.
We were lucky enough to spy one of those creatures along the western side of the Woodlands, in a small saltwater pool. Lacking true birdwatching skills, we had to sort out our observations: large, white, graceful, impossibly long neck, lightly stepping through the shallow water like some sort of avian ballet star.
OK, it’s not a great blue heron, but the shape seems similar. What about a snowy egret? But wait, it almost seems too big. And the beak is yellow — don’t snowy egrets have black beaks? The rank amateur birding wheels were really spinning. No, it can’t be a swan — it somehow seems too polite.
We were living in the moment now, the great gift of a nature adventure. We needed a half-decent photo of this mystery bird, so we could take it back to the lab for analysis. Tiptoeing along the edge of the trail, avoiding noisy leaves and crackling sticks, we found an opening through the trees, extended the zoom lens on our old camera and snapped a pic — what a triumph!
Later, the skilled naturalist and birder Peter Trull, leader of so many wonderful HCT programs, viewed the somewhat murky photo and identified the bird as a great egret. It’s lovely to think that preserving habitat gives these magnificent birds a place to feed and fish.
A great egret, as seen from Harwich Conservation Trust’s Coy’s Brook Woodlands.
Mark Faherty, noted birder and Science Coordinator at Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary concurred with the bird ID, and cheekily opined on the quality of the image. “It’s a so-so photo, but it’s a great egret,” he wrote.
All that birding hubbub left us in need of a good stretch on a comfy HCT bench. We found a beauty, with a swell view of the marsh. This is another great feature of spending time in a wonderful natural space, preserved for all time. You can sit and reflect, let the cares of the busy world slip away and say fun things to the trees, like “Egad, I saw an egret!”
Trailhead Parking:
From Great Western Road, take Lothrop Avenue 0.25 mile south past a blue water tower on your right and then also past one house on your right to the parking area on your right.
From Rt. 28, take Lothrop Avenue approximately one mile north to the parking area on your left.
To see a map and trail description, click here.
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