Oct. 3: Five Places to See Fall Foliage

There are several sites in Southampton for a great view of fall foliage. Here are a few suggestions:

1. is located behind and offers a playground, basketball court, tennis court, hiking trail and benches. There are public restrooms which are open during village hall hours (Mon - Fri, 9am - 4pm). The tennis court may be reserved, but use of the park is limited to village residents and their guests. Children younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult, and there is a carry-in, carry-out policy.

2. Established in 1954 through a donation by the Morton family, the in Noyac is a 187-acre refuge with diverse habitats for a variety of species. The waters surrounding the refuge are considered a critical habitat for sea turtles and waterfowl use of the refuge peaks during the colder months. Much of the refuge is situated on a peninsula surrounded by Noyac and Little Peconic Bays. Its north/south orientation makes the refuge an important habitat for shorebirds, raptors and songbirds as they navigate the coastline during migration.

3. on Meadow Lane in Southampton Village is named for Orson D. Munn, a Southampton Village trustee from 1967 to 1985. It has a boardwalk with benches that reaches out to Shinnecock Bay and is a popular destination for birdwatchers.

4. in North Sea, on the shore of Big Fresh Pond, features a short hiking trail through native plants and trees and a foot bridge over a stream. The town board accepted the memorial park as a donation from the Elliston family in 1952. It was deeded to the residents of Southampton Town to be preserved in its native state and condition as a bird and wildlife sanctuary.

5. , next to the Conscience Point Marina in North Sea, is a property at the north end of North Sea Road. A marker at the end of the nature trail commemorates the early English settlers that came ashore near there in 1640. The trail leads through a native marine grassland composed of little bluestem grass, switchgrass, poverty grass, hairgrass and prickly pear cactus, all of which support the local bird population of native grasshopper sparrows, eastern meadowlarks, savannah sparrows and bobolinks. The refuge also supports endangered and threatened species.