Photo Tour: John F. Kennedy Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary

The John F. Kennedy Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary was created in 1959. It is located on Jones Beach Island. Many people around the area are familiar with the beach, but very few have heard of the  John F. Kennedy Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary.  

It is a very unique place to visit and you must acquire a free permit from the Town of Oyster Bay. This keeps the crowds down to a minimum. For a photographer or a bird watcher, it's paradise. Less noise to scare the birds away and less people to get in the way of bird-watching or taking beautiful bird and landscape photos.  

 This 550-acre Sanctuary is very important to migratory birds in this area of the country. Many use it as a stopover during their migrations. It must be very well known in the bird community as it is used by numerous varieties of ducks, hawks and falcons. The centerpiece of the Sanctuary is the large pond known as Guggenheim Pond. This body of water draws herons, egrets, black ducks and even rare species such as the American bittern.

A visitor to JFK Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary will find multiple trails to discover.  Many are paved but a few are sand or dirt. Some lead to different views of Guggenheim Pond and others take you to Zach's Bay and even High Hill Beach.  If you make multiple trips to the Sanctuary there will be different paths to take or view. 

The Sanctuary is also well known for its insects. There is a pond and the area, in general, is marshy and swamp-like. So it's smart to wear a lightweight long sleeve t-shirt and pants in the spring or summer. A healthy dose of bug spray will enable you to explore without much worry or harassment from the critters. An added advantage is that this mode of attire will also help to keep the poison ivy away.

You can make a visit in any season. The free Sanctuary permit is good until the end of the year.

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