March Point Heronry - Skagit Land Trust

[48.4619,-122.533]

Property Type: Trust-Owned
Date Added: 1994

March Point
10.5 acres
Closed to the Public

Conservation Story

The March Point Conservation Area hosts one of the largest great blue heron colonies in Western North America and has been occupied by herons since the mid-1950s. This forest sits between Padilla and Fidalgo Bays.

The Conservation Area was the first land donation to Skagit Land Trust (SLT) in 1994, thanks to Vera and Bud Kinney who wanted to protect the nesting herons.

Site History and Ecology

The large trees in the forest within the March Point Heronry Conservation Area make it excellent heron nesting habitat. Great blue herons nest from March to September, raising two to three young. The proximity to Fidalgo and Padilla Bays provides forage habitat where adult herons can hunt for fish and other small marine creatures, such as crab.

*Great blue herons seen through the wildlife cameras at the March Point Conservation Area.*

Since 2002, SLT staff and dedicated volunteers have conducted nest count surveys to monitor the growth of the heronry every fall when the herons are no longer nesting. In this relatively small area, there are 450-600 nests counted every year. The overall trend shows an increasing number of heron nests in the colony on SLT conserved lands. However, nest count numbers do not account for nests on all neighboring properties.