East Point Preserve
About
When on the water in Shinnecock Bay, check out the beautiful sandy beach, nestled between Tiana Bay and Smith Creek, that has been the home to nesting pairs of ospreys over the years.
Peconic Land Trust's East Point Preserve was donated to the Trust by Jacob and Gloria Fishbach in 1985 with the support of the neighboring East Point Home Owners Association. Protecting this fragile ecosystem by eliminating future development was important to support the diverse marine wildlife in the area, and we thank the Fishbachs and the Association for their conservation and ongoing stewardship efforts!
Through conservation, East Point Preserve has been able to maintain a rich, vegetative environment for a variety of animal species listed by New York State for consideration, including ospreys (NYS protected), monarch butterflies (NYS protected), Atlantic horseshoe crabs (NYS protected), great blue herons (NYS protected), snowy egrets (NYS protected), black terns (NYS endangered), piping plovers (NYS endangered), and sandpipers (NYS protected), along with many others.
Beautifully, seaside goldenrod grows among the beach grass, providing an important habitat for the monarch butterflies to lay their eggs during the summer months. Their offspring undergo metamorphosis in August and the new generation of adult butterflies relies on the nectar of the seaside goldenrod flowers to help fuel their journey to Mexico during the months ahead.
The preserve is also an important nesting area for Atlantic horseshoe crabs; and the waters off the preserve are populated by a variety of marine life, including striped bass, weakfish, fluke, flounder, mussels, long neck clams, and bay clams.
Interested in learning about horseshoe crabs and helping in their conservation? Check out Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Horseshoe Crab Monitoring program for more information and to volunteer!
Visitor Information
There is no parking at the preserve, but we encourage visitors on the water -- kayakers, canoers, sailors and boaters -- to take a rest at the preserve as you explore the local waters. Please be sensitive to the migrating and nesting habitats of the preserves' residents.
Enjoy this walk along the East Point Preserve.
East Point Preserve
Shinnecock Bay, Hampton Bays, NY 11946
Things To Do
Birdwatching
Nature Study
Paddling
