Renowned for its abundant water fowl and migrating birds, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge attracts visitors from far and wide who gaze at the sky. This excursion introduces you to the equally notable earthbound and waterborn floral and faunal inhabitants of this historic wetland landscape. The refuge includes some 250 acres of shallow emergent marshland and silver maple floodplain forest, oak-hickory woodlands, and successional pine forest. Meet local rarities including Britton's violet, river bulrush, tufted loosestrife, marsh horsetail, and with luck a basking Blanding's turtle. At this peak time of early summer bloom, we'll encounter a wide variety of wildflowers and flowering shrubs, while also keeping watch for butterfly eggs and spring caterpillars along some of the 2.7 miles of trails with robust edge habitats. Bring insect repellent, binoculars, and a camera if you like.