One of East Hampton's most scenic and diverse tidal marsh systems, Accabonac Harbor is a bird-watcher's paradise.
Accabonac was donated to The Nature Conservancy in 1968 by one of the founders of the South Fork-Shelter Island Chapter, Frederic E. Lake, and his wife Muriel. The 29-acre Merrill Lake Sanctuary at Accabonac Harbor is one of the chapter's first preserves.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Parts of the preserve are closed during osprey nesting season (May through July).
200 acres
The 200-acre preserve is located in East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York.
Waterproof shoes are recommended when visiting Accabonac. Parts of the preserve are closed during osprey nesting season (May through July); please contact the Center for Conservation ahead of time to find out if the preserve is open.
Mammals include white-tailed deer, raccoon and red fox. Birds include federally threatened piping plovers, state threatened least terns, nesting osprey and abundant wading birds and waterfowl.
The preserve is dominated by salt marsh cord grass and salt marsh hay, but other wetland plants here include saltwort, sea lavender, black grass and marsh elder. In the driest area of the marsh, Canadian burnet, shadbush and the beginnings of an upland forest can be found.
