Discover the Birds of Long Island and Mashomack Preserve

Are you into birds? Consider yourself an armature birdwatcher? Do your friends call you a “birder” or possibly a “twitcher”? Perhaps you are an official Ornithologist? Well, no matter what your title is, if you like birds, we suggest you need not travel far. A mere 90 miles from NYC,  you can view plenty of species right here on Shelter Island – even on the grounds at Shelter Island House, a birders paradise can be found! To give you an idea, a some of the birds you can expect to see poolside or out and about on our lush grounds include: Blue Jays, Red Winged Blackbirds, Northern Cardinals, Morning Doves, American Robins and so many more (full list here). Further excitement awaits just steps from the hotel – less than a 5 minute walk on Crescent Beach you will find one of the many Osprey nests on Shelter Island. Here you will have a birds-eye view (no pun intended) of the fish hawks of the sea, along with the Piping Plovers in action enjoying the fruits of the Islands Bay waters.

 

 

Should you desire further adventure and exploration we suggest Mashomack Nature Preserve. Mashomack is a stellar nature preserve on Shelter Island owned and cared for by the Nature Conservancy. The preserve has 12 miles of coastline and over 2000 acres of creeks, woodlands and fields. Considered one of the richest habitats in the Northeast, it is perfect whether you are an avid bird watcher, trail enthusiast or looking for a botanist’s paradise. The preserve is easily accessible on Route 114 and from either the North Ferry or South Ferry and just a 2.5 mile car or bicycle ride from the Shelter Island House. The Preserve is available for compatible scientific research, educational programs, and passive recreational use and open nearly year round. Mashomack is dedicated to protecting one of the largest populations of breeding Ospreys in the East Coast and has become a favorite nesting place for them.

 

Join us at our Shelter Island hotel and discover the charming array of wildlife we share this beautiful island with!