Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge

Description:

• The Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge consists of a one and a half mile long peninsula that separates Little Peconic Bay from Noyac Bay. The Morton NWR is perhaps the most picturesque of the Long Island refuges. The habitats of the refuge are diverse.

  Three miles of narrow undeveloped shoreline consists of sand and rocky strand habitats. The tip of the peninsula has steep and heavily eroded bluffs approaching fifty feet in height. Habitats at the refuge include bay, brackish pond, impoundment, kettle holes, tidal flats, salt marsh, freshwater marsh, upland shrub, grasslands, maritime oak forest, red cedar stands, and pioneer hardwoods.

  The wildlife community at the refuge is also diverse. The strand habitats attract many beach using species including nesting piping plovers, roseate terns, least terns, common terns, harbor seals, and numerous shorebird species. The waters surrounding the refuge are considered critical habitat for juvenile Kemp's Ridley sea turtles and are also used by loggerhead sea turtles.

  Waterfowl use of the refuge is most heavy during the colder months when over one thousand waterfowl have been documented with the most common being oldsquaw, white winged scoter, goldeneye and black ducks. The north/south axis of the peninsula also makes it serve as important habitat for migratory birds including shorebirds, raptors and songbirds.

  During November, up to 100 each of common loons and horned grebes can be viewed from the refuge's beach. Morton provides habitat to several State and Federal endangered and threatened species, including piping plover, roseate tern, common tern, least tern, osprey, peregrine falcon, northern harrier, Kemp's ridley sea turtle and loggerhead sea turtle.

  The Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge consists of a 1.5 mile peninsula that separates Little Peconic Bay from Noyac Bay. The NWR is characterized by a sand and stone shoreline with steep bluffs. A deciduous forest, small ponds, brackish marshes and open field offer protected living and nesting areas for numerous waterfowl including the piping plover, roseate tern, common tern, least tern, osprey and peregrine falcon. Management of migratory birds plays host to bird watchers and nature lovers.

  The Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge is located along the north fork of Long Island off SR 38.