Anacortes may have largest herony
in North America
posted 01/10/04
Skagit Land Trust, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the land of Skagit County, has documented the presence of 575 Great Blue Heron nests on March's Point near Anacortes. "We think this is now the largest heronry in North America," said Brenda Cunningham, stewardship director at Skagit Land Trust. "The number of nests has increased every year, making this a very significant nesting site for herons in Puget Sound."
In 1994 Bud and Vera Kinney donated 3.5 acres of their land on March's Point to Skagit Land Trust. Great Blue Herons have been nesting on the forested property since the 1950s and the Kinneys wanted to see the area protected. At the time of the donation there were over 100 heron nests in the area. In December 2003, 575 active nests were counted at the site.
On December 13, 2003 Skagit Land Trust members and staff were joined by community members, employees of T Bailey and their families, Friends of Skagit County, People for Puget Sound, a Port of Anacortes employee, and Beach Watchers from Camano Island to count heron nests. Volunteers systematically canvassed the heronry, counting nests and looking for signs of heron use, such as eggshells and carcasses from young birds that fell out of the nests.
Although the Trust strives to protect the heronry, it does not own the entire nesting area and new threats from changes in land use continue to arise. Last year Skagit Land Trust negotiated an agreement with T Bailey, a metal fabricator leasing adjacent land to the north. The Trust is satisfied that this agreement will protect the herons from the increased noise and light planned for the area. However, the adjacent forest to the south and east remain unprotected.
"This heronry is a national treasure. These herons have been remarkably adaptive yet there is one thing they will not be able to adapt to - loss of this small parcel of forest they nest in each year. The forest they nest in has been cut by almost half in the last ten years. It is critical we protect the remaining nesting habitat," said Molly Doran, executive director of Skagit Land Trust. "Awareness about heron-nesting needs helps our community work out solutions that protect this heronry and we are pleased to have T Bailey and other groups helping us count heron nests."
To help Skagit Land Trust continue caring for this important nesting habitat, please contact Molly Doran, executive director at (360) 428-7878 or at trustmd@fidalgo.net.
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