Natural Areas of the South Shore of Long Island

Robert Moses State Park and Captree State Park
(Fire Island & Captree Island)

Like Jones Beach State Park, the 875-acre Robert Moses State Park is famous for its five miles of quality beaches and huge summer crowds and traffic. But also like Jones Beach, Robert Moses State Park offers quality bird and sea life observation. Its western end, called Democrat Point, is actually the western tip of the 32-mile long Fire Island. This undeveloped peninsula has extensive low sand dune habitat and beach, both along the bay and the ocean, as well as tidal pools and sandbars.

Birding is excellent throughout the summer. Brown pelicans have been sighted here. Terns, gulls, black skimmers and a dozen duck species can be seen. Three species of plover, including the endangered piping plover, live here. Other shorebirds are sanderling, oystercatcher, ruddy turnstone, and willet. Watch for northern harrier, a marsh hawk that soars low over the dunes and marshes, looking for rodents. In the salt marshes look for glossy ibis, great and snowy egrets, and great blue herons. From September to the second week in November, the annual hawk watch (which has been in existence since the 1970s) takes place at the east end of Robert Moses State Park. Annual counts are conducted and reported to the Northeast Hawk Association. Another treat in October is the gathering of the monarch butterflies.

This is a place to take binoculars! For park information, contact (631) 669-0449.

How to Get There: Take Southern State Parkway to exit 40 south and head south on Robert Moses Causeway. As you drive over the Causeway Bridge, take in the fine view of Great South Bay and its myriad of islands. During summer, notice all the watercraft dotting the bays surrounding you.

You are reminded of this again when the bridge descends to Captree Island and its state park, with its heavily used marina and fishing piers. You can stop here in April and May to see herring gulls nesting right next to the parking lot!

Once over the second bridge, pay the entrance fee (summer and fall) and get a map. Fees do not apply before 8:00 AM. From the traffic circle, head right (west) to Parking Field 2. Park your car on the far west side of the lot.

Walk on the paved walkway that starts at the ocean-side corner of the lot. Pass the put-put course. Just before the clubhouse, turn left on a sand path. It goes through dunes to the beach. Turn right (west) and walk ¾ mile to the jetty at Democrat Point. Watch for all the shorebirds and waterbirds on this stretch. Compare them to what you see on the bay side.

From the jetty, head north around the point to the bay side (0.8 mile) of the peninsula. Follow it along the bay side to observe the bird life. Please note that parts of this area are closed seasonally during piping plover nesting season! In another ¾ mile, cross the park drive and return to your car.

Access Guide Introduction :: Map and Guide :: More Estuary Site Information
	Robert Moses State Park and Captree State Park (Fire Island & Captree Island) Like Jones Beach State Park, the 875-acre Robert Moses State Park is famous for its five miles of quality beaches and huge summer crowds and traffic. But also like Jones Beach, Robert Moses State Park offers quality bird and sea life observation. Its western end, called Democrat Point, is actually the western tip of the 32-mile long Fire Island. This undeveloped peninsula has extensive low sand dune habitat and beach, both along the bay and the ocean, as well as tidal pools and sandbars. Birding is excellent throughout the summer. Brown pelicans have been sighted here. Terns, gulls, black skimmers and a dozen duck species can be seen. Three species of plover, including the endangered piping plover, live here. Other shorebirds are sanderling, oystercatcher, ruddy turnstone, and willet. Watch for northern harrier, a marsh hawk that soars low over the dunes and marshes, looking for rodents. In the salt marshes look for glossy ibis, great and snowy egrets, and great blue herons. From September to the second week in November, the annual hawk watch (which has been in existence since the 1970s) takes place at the east end of Robert Moses State Park. Annual counts are conducted and reported to the Northeast Hawk Association. Another treat in October is the gathering of the monarch butterflies. This is a place to take binoculars! For park information, contact (631) 669-0449. How to Get There: Take Southern State Parkway to exit 40 south and head south on Robert Moses Causeway. As you drive over the Causeway Bridge, take in the fine view of Great South Bay and its myriad of islands. During summer, notice all the watercraft dotting the bays surrounding you. You are reminded of this again when the bridge descends to Captree Island and its state park, with its heavily used marina and fishing piers. You can stop here in April and May to see herring gulls nesting right next to the parking lot! Once over the second bridge, pay the entrance fee (summer and fall) and get a map. Fees do not apply before 8:00 AM. From the traffic circle, head right (west) to Parking Field 2. Park your car on the far west side of the lot. Walk on the paved walkway that starts at the ocean-side corner of the lot. Pass the put-put course. Just before the clubhouse, turn left on a sand path. It goes through dunes to the beach. Turn right (west) and walk ¾ mile to the jetty at Democrat Point. Watch for all the shorebirds and waterbirds on this stretch. Compare them to what you see on the bay side. From the jetty, head north around the point to the bay side (0.8 mile) of the peninsula. Follow it along the bay side to observe the bird life. Please note that parts of this area are closed seasonally during piping plover nesting season! In another ¾ mile, cross the park drive and return to your car.