Six years ago I photographed a land conservation project for The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests in Canterbury, New Hampshire that successfully protected 290 acres of open space along an oxbow in the Merrimack River. Now managed by New Hampshire Fish and Game as the Muchyedo Wildlife Management Area, this small preserve protects unusual habitat for New Hampshire – sand plains, which include the Muchyedo Banks, 60 – 80 foot tall bluffs along the river which make for some beautiful scenic views. The bluffs, and nearby dunes and silver maple floodplain forest are all identified as high priority natural communities for conservation by the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau.
Six years ago, I was able to shoot in the fall from atop the banks as well as from on the river, and then I returned to shoot some winter landscapes. I’d love to return in the spring and early summer when bank swallows are nesting in the bluffs and swooping above the river feeding on New Hampshire’s bountiful insect life.
On Monday I was visiting friends in nearby Concord and decided to check out the sunset from the bluffs again. The view of the oxbow and nearby hills is still worth the trip and I had a good time filming the below short time-lapse clip of the sunset. Enjoy!
