If you are looking for an interactive nature hike, take a drive into Noyak to visit the Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge. Situated along a three-mile peninsula known as Jessup’s Neck, the refuge is bordered by the Noyak and Peconic Bays. The area was once occupied by the Montauks and the Shinnecocks until 1679, when Massachusetts settler John Jessup took over the land after founding the colony of South Hampton in 1640. Nearly three centuries later, Mrs. Elizabeth Morton Tilton donated the 187-acre tract of land in 1954 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The park is now part of the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which is comprised of seven island refuges that include Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge in Lloyd Harbor and the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge in Shirley.
Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge offers a diverse range of habitats to accommodate an extensive roster of migratory birds. Home to forest land of oak and cedar, salt and freshwater marshlands, bay beaches, ponds, shrubs and grassland, the refuge is a bustling center for sea turtles, shorebirds, songbirds, ospreys and such mammals as white-tailed deer and eastern chipmunks. From April through August each year, sections of the park are closed to the public so that endangered species can nest and reproduce in a natural and undisturbed habitat.
What is it that makes this refuge so appealing to hikers, nature enthusiasts and animal lovers? Bring along a stash of sunflower seeds, unsalted, if you please, and you will soon find out. As you begin traversing the 1.5-mile nature trail loop, a hungry welcoming committee of black-capped chickadees will greet your ears with a series of chirps. The trusting birds are so accustomed to human encounters that they happily peck seeds from outstretched hands. Their chirpy conversation and gracious nibbling delight everyone who visits the trail. The mesmerizing pastime makes one quickly forget their initial hiking itinerary. However, once the seeds have all been consumed, it is time to move along in search of other wildlife sightings. Be sure to tote along your best camera and a pair of binoculars.
Along the nature trail, you might spot a flock of wild turkeys crossing your path or a chipmunk foraging for seeds that were inadvertently spilt. Ponds may offer you the serene scene of a snowy egret or blue heron taking a dip, or a few ducks paddling along the water’s edge. Turtles are likely hibernating for their long winter’s nap by now, so you will not spy any of them sunbathing on their usual fallen logs. Look overhead and you will probably view an osprey soaring across the skies.
After the nature trail loop, bundle up against shoreline winds and embark on the picturesque 1.75-mile trek along the beach. If the tide has not just rolled in, you can hike all the way to the tip of Jessup’s Neck. From this vantage point, you will have a sweeping view of the north fork and Shelter Island.
Some hike here for the views, but many come to interact with the chickadees. Formally clad in black and white feathery attire, they graciously accept your hand’s invitation to dinner. Their tireless antics of touching down on your hand to snatch a sunflower seed and flit away to a nearby tree to nibble on their prize are not only entertaining, they are a rewarding way to bond with the creatures in Mother Nature’s charge.
For more information about Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge, including directions and park hours, visit their website at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/elizabeth_a_morton/.
Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge offers a diverse range of habitats to accommodate an extensive roster of migratory birds. Home to forest land of oak and cedar, salt and freshwater marshlands, bay beaches, ponds, shrubs and grassland, the refuge is a bustling center for sea turtles, shorebirds, songbirds, ospreys and such mammals as white-tailed deer and eastern chipmunks. From April through August each year, sections of the park are closed to the public so that endangered species can nest and reproduce in a natural and undisturbed habitat.
What is it that makes this refuge so appealing to hikers, nature enthusiasts and animal lovers? Bring along a stash of sunflower seeds, unsalted, if you please, and you will soon find out. As you begin traversing the 1.5-mile nature trail loop, a hungry welcoming committee of black-capped chickadees will greet your ears with a series of chirps. The trusting birds are so accustomed to human encounters that they happily peck seeds from outstretched hands. Their chirpy conversation and gracious nibbling delight everyone who visits the trail. The mesmerizing pastime makes one quickly forget their initial hiking itinerary. However, once the seeds have all been consumed, it is time to move along in search of other wildlife sightings. Be sure to tote along your best camera and a pair of binoculars.
Along the nature trail, you might spot a flock of wild turkeys crossing your path or a chipmunk foraging for seeds that were inadvertently spilt. Ponds may offer you the serene scene of a snowy egret or blue heron taking a dip, or a few ducks paddling along the water’s edge. Turtles are likely hibernating for their long winter’s nap by now, so you will not spy any of them sunbathing on their usual fallen logs. Look overhead and you will probably view an osprey soaring across the skies.
After the nature trail loop, bundle up against shoreline winds and embark on the picturesque 1.75-mile trek along the beach. If the tide has not just rolled in, you can hike all the way to the tip of Jessup’s Neck. From this vantage point, you will have a sweeping view of the north fork and Shelter Island.
Some hike here for the views, but many come to interact with the chickadees. Formally clad in black and white feathery attire, they graciously accept your hand’s invitation to dinner. Their tireless antics of touching down on your hand to snatch a sunflower seed and flit away to a nearby tree to nibble on their prize are not only entertaining, they are a rewarding way to bond with the creatures in Mother Nature’s charge.
For more information about Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge, including directions and park hours, visit their website at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/elizabeth_a_morton/.