Plan Your Visit to Reel Point Preserve, Shelter Island
September 26, 2025
By Kathleen Kennedy
The Trust’s Reel Point Preserve appears to be little more than a swath of sandy beach populated mostly by Eastern red cedar, bayberry, goldenrod, and beach grass. But don’t judge this narrow spit of land too soon - it serves as a critically important buffer providing protection to the mainland from storm surge. It also is the perfect nesting spot for the Federally protected Piping Plover, Least Terns, and other water birds.
We learned of the presence of a large colony of plovers after hearing from photographer and film producer K C Bailey who shared her beautiful photographs of these small birds, taken during regular visits to Reel Point using a long lens camera. Other birds seen and photographed include waterbirds like the Eastern Kingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Long-tailed Duck, Least Sandpiper and Hooded Merganser, along with Yellow Rump Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Snow Bunting and many more.
The 8-acre Reel Point Preserve was donated to the Trust in 1995 by Marsha and Herb Stern and is located at the tip of Ram Island. For more information and to plan your visit. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars.
Kathleen Kennedy
Gerente Senior de Relaciones Externas
kkennedy@peconiclandtrust.org