Beach · Orient
Orient Beach State Park
The North Fork's signature IBA. A protected sandspit hosts nesting oystercatchers and plovers; the adjacent maritime forest is a known songbird migrant trap.
Access & parking
State park at the tip of the North Fork. A 2-mile sandspit runs south to Long Beach Point, with a rare Pitch Pine / Red Cedar maritime forest inland.
Parking: Paved lot at the main pavilion; day-use fee in season.
Restrooms: Flush restrooms at the pavilion in season.
Difficulty: Stroller-friendly
When to go
Seasons: Spring Migration, Fall Migration, Winter
Time of day: morning
Target species
- Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
- American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
- Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
- Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
- Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
- Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Rarities reported here
- King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)
- Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)
Photography tips
The maritime forest edge is thick with migrant songbirds in May — mixed-light shooting at f4 through the cedars is the move. Bring a macro for the monarchs in September.
eBird hotspot
Open this hotspot on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird database →
Nearby birds
Other beach sites worth pairing on a day trip:
- Montauk Point State Park · Montauk
- Cupsogue Beach County Park · Westhampton
Looking for the broader fauna calendar (whales, seals, sea turtles)? /wildlife covers every species on the East End.