March Point Heronry Expands

Skagit Land Trust is delighted to be the stewards of this critical heron habitat. For the past three decades, the Trust has worked to knit together protected lands at this site. The March Point Heronry is small in acreage, but large in importance. At 500+ nests, this heronry is the biggest colony of Great Blue Herons on the entire west coast of the United States.

Historically Great Blue Herons have nested in smaller groups across the landscape. As mature coastal forests with tall trees and close proximity to foraging grounds have disappeared, many herons in Skagit County have gathered at March Point. The sheer number of herons breeding, nesting, and rearing their young at March Point provides the genetic diversity necessary to sustain a healthy population of Great Blue Herons in the Salish Sea.

The Trust has a camera monitoring system at the heronry. Community members interested in assisting with the Trust’s behavior monitoring efforts are invited to reach out to Stacy Dahl, stacyd@skagitlandtrust.org, who coordinates the Trust’s community science efforts.

In addition to the March Point Heronry, the Trust stewards multiple properties that support Great Blue Herons throughout their lifecycle, including the Samish Island and Barney Lake Conservation Areas. Conserving a variety of sites will continue to grow in importance as Great Blue Herons adapt to the effects of climate change on their coastal habitat. Skagit Land Trust is grateful for the community support that made this purchase and protection possible.