Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge

Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, on the Charlestown shore of Washington County, is one of the finest coastal-wildlife refuges in Rhode Island — 400 acres of salt pond edge, coastal shrub, upland grassland and Atlantic barrier-beach habitat surrounding Ninigret Pond (the largest salt pond in Rhode Island), protecting a critical segment of the south-coast migratory-bird corridor and providing exceptional birding, wildlife watching and coastal recreation access.

The refuge occupies the former Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Air Station, whose concrete runways (now managed for grassland-nesting birds) provide the unusual mix of open upland grassland, coastal pond edge and barrier-beach habitat that supports an extraordinary diversity of migratory birds. The adjacent Ninigret Pond (managed by RI DEM) is one of the finest striped-bass and winter flounder fishing locations in Rhode Island. Ninigret NWR is a treasured natural icon of southern Rhode Island.

Ninigret NWR offers birding (the primary activity — the refuge is one of the finest birding sites on the Rhode Island south coast, with the upland grasslands supporting nesting bobolinks, meadowlarks and (historically) upland sandpipers; the salt-pond edge attracting migrant shorebirds and wading birds; the scrub-shrub habitat hosting migrant warblers and sparrows in fall; and the Ninigret Pond shore offering waterfowl and seabirds in fall and winter), hiking and walking the refuge trail network, fishing in Ninigret Pond (striped bass and winter flounder — one of the finest coastal fishing locations in RI), wildlife watching for osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier and other raptors, photography, and butterfly watching (the grasslands have an excellent butterfly community in summer). The birding and the salt-pond wildlife are the signature draws.

Fall (August through November) is the finest season for migrant shorebirds on the salt-pond shore (August and September) and migrant land birds, sparrows and waterfowl in the scrub-shrub and grassland habitats (September through November). Late spring (May and June) is excellent for the nesting grassland birds (bobolinks displaying and singing in the fields are a joyful spring highlight). Summer brings ospreys, herons and egrets to the pond edge. Fall for the shorebirds and migrant land birds, and spring for the bobolinks, are the highlights — the salt-pond shore is excellent year-round.

Ninigret NWR sits on the former Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Air Station, a WWII-era naval flight-training facility established in the early 1940s on the Charlestown shore, reusing the flat coastal-plain terrain adjacent to Ninigret Pond. The naval station was decommissioned after the war; the USFWS acquired the property in 1973 and established the refuge. The former concrete runways are managed as upland grassland habitat (mowed on a rotation to maintain the early-successional grassland that supports bobolinks, savannah sparrows and other grassland birds). The Ninigret name is from the Narragansett sachem Ninigret, a major 17th-century Native American leader in the Charlestown area.

Ninigret NWR is on the Washington County coastal plain of southern Rhode Island — a low-lying, flat landscape developed on glacial outwash deposited by meltwater streams south of the Laurentide Ice Sheet terminal moraine. The coastal plain grades gently south to the barrier-beach and salt-pond system of the Rhode Island coast — Ninigret Pond is a lagoon separated from the Atlantic by a narrow barrier beach (Charlestown Beach). The former airport runways were built on the flat outwash plain. The coastal-plain outwash, the barrier beach and the lagoonal salt pond created the refuge landscape.

Ninigret NWR supports a diverse coastal-wildlife community — nesting bobolinks, savannah sparrows, meadowlarks and (historically) upland sandpipers in the managed grasslands; nesting ospreys and great blue herons on the pond edge; migrant shorebirds (lesser and greater yellowlegs, pectoral sandpipers, dunlin, semipalmated and least sandpipers) on the salt-pond mudflats in August and September; migrant raptors (northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, merlin, peregrine falcon) in fall; wintering waterfowl (canvasbacks, scaup, common goldeneyes) on Ninigret Pond; and the occasional bald eagle. The refuge is one of the most important grassland-bird nesting sites in Rhode Island.

Ninigret NWR’s managed grasslands (the former airport runways mowed on rotation) are among the most important upland-grassland bird-nesting sites in Rhode Island — a habitat that is scarce and declining throughout New England. The bobolink, savannah sparrow and meadowlark breeding populations depend on the managed grassland. The salt-pond shore provides migrant-shorebird stopover habitat. The scrub-shrub uplands provide migrant land-bird and sparrow habitat in fall. Maintaining the mowed-grassland management rotation, protecting the nesting-grassland birds during the breeding season, and protecting the salt-pond shore access sustains this coastal refuge.

Ninigret NWR holds a valued place among the natural icons of Rhode Island — the finest coastal-grassland and salt-pond birding refuge on the south shore of Rhode Island, a critical nesting site for grassland birds in a region where that habitat is scarce, a historical WWII naval-aviation site repurposed for wildlife, and one of the finest fishing destinations on the Rhode Island coast. Its combination of grassland-nesting birds, migrant shorebirds, salt-pond fishing and coastal-plain scenery makes it a natural gem of southern Rhode Island.

Ninigret NWR is in Charlestown, Washington County, Rhode Island, accessible from U.S. Route 1 (the Post Road) via the Ninigret NWR entrance road to the refuge parking area. The refuge trailhead and visitor information are at the parking area. Charlestown is between Westerly and Narragansett on the south coast of Rhode Island. Westerly and Narragansett have services; the town of Charlestown has limited services. The refuge is free and open during daylight hours. Check the USFWS for current grassland-closure periods during nesting season and any other access restrictions before visiting.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service manages Ninigret NWR. The managed grasslands are the most critical conservation feature; during the nesting season (May through July), some grassland areas may be closed to protect the nesting bobolinks and savannah sparrows — respect all closures absolutely (nesting grassland birds are highly sensitive to disturbance; flushing a bobolink from its nest during the breeding season can cause nest failure). The salt-pond shore provides migrant shorebird habitat; avoid disturbing resting or feeding shorebirds. Support the RI chapter of the Nature Conservancy and the USFWS grassland-management program. Invasive plants (phragmites, multiflora rose) are managed at the refuge; volunteer invasive-removal programs are offered.

The refuge trails are generally flat, easy walking with no significant hazards. Tick density in the coastal shrub and grassland is high (Lyme disease is endemic on the Rhode Island south coast); check thoroughly after any outdoor time. Biting insects (mosquitoes and greenhead flies) are intense near the salt pond in summer; carry strong repellent. The salt-pond shore can be muddy; wear appropriate footwear for salt-marsh-edge walking. Respect the grassland nesting-bird closures, the ticks and the biting insects.

Free and open during daylight hours. Grassland nesting-bird areas may be closed May through July (check USFWS for current closures). Fishing in Ninigret Pond requires a Rhode Island license and follows RI DEM regulations (Ninigret Pond is managed by RI DEM). Pets on leash. No hunting in the core refuge area (check USFWS for any designated hunting zones). No fires. Pack out all trash. Check the USFWS Ninigret NWR page for current access, closure status and rules before visiting.

Charlestown Beach State Beach (on the barrier beach south of Ninigret Pond — one of the finest ocean beaches on the Rhode Island south coast), Burlingame State Park (just north on Route 1 — a large state forest and campground on Watchaug Pond), East Beach State Beach (the finest undeveloped barrier beach in Rhode Island — a remote, 4WD-accessible ocean beach at the south end of Ninigret Pond), Watch Hill in Westerly (a charming Victorian seaside village with a famous carousel and excellent beaches, about 15 miles west), and the town of Narragansett (about 10 miles east) with Roger Wheeler Beach and the Narragansett Tower define the region. Ninigret anchors the outdoor experience of the Charlestown area, the finest combination of salt-pond birding and ocean beach on the Rhode Island south shore.

Visit the refuge in late August for the peak shorebird migration — walk the salt-pond shore trail in the morning and count the yellowlegs, pectoral sandpipers and peeps on the exposed mudflats. Return in May to hear the bobolinks displaying over the managed grassfields — the bubbling, cascading song of a bobolink is one of the most joyful sounds in New England birding. Combine with a walk on Charlestown Beach (the barrier beach at the south end of Ninigret Pond) for a full coastal day. Bring binoculars and a spotting scope for the shorebirds and the waterfowl on the pond.