Hosting one of the largest Great Blue Heron colonies in Western North America, this island of forest sits between Padilla and Fidalgo Bays. 483 heron nests were counted in 2010 in this relatively small area, which provides easy access to feeding grounds for the herons. Vera and Bed Kinney donated this property to Skagit Land Trust in 1994 to protect the nesting herons.
With the cooperation of neighboring landowners, each year, Skagit Land Trust conducts a nest count in the heronry. Unfortunately, Skagit Land Trust does not have access to all neighboring property, and therefore some heron nests are uncounted (the drop-off in 2004 is because of losing access to the neighboring property). The overall trend, however, shows increasing number of heron nests in the colony, with almost 500 counted this year on SLT property and the property to which we have access -- and there are likely to be hundreds more nests on the adjacent property to which we do not have access.
Note: drop-off in 2004 caused by losing access to count nests on a neighboring property.
Heron Camera
Working in cooperation with the Padilla Bay Interpretive Center, Skagit Land Trust has established a Heron Camera that transmits live images of nesting herons to the center. Still images are captured every 60 seconds and are available here (live images only available during the spring / summer nesting season).
Learn About Herons
For detailed information on the biology and natural history of this iconic species, click here to visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Public Access
Due to the sensitive nature of the heron nesting habitat, the March's Point Conservation Area is closed to public access.
Picture taken on 4/23/09 shows a nesting pair of herons guarding two recently laid eggs. To see updated pictures (only available during the spring / summer nesting season) click here.