Quogue Wildlife Refuge

08/25/2026

To be more environmentally friendly, we always try to repair an item before purchasing something new. But when our laptop decided to call it quits, we knew we needed to phone a friend for some expert help!

We’re so grateful to our friends at GeekHampton in Hampton Bays for repairing our laptop and getting us back up and running! 🙌 While our bearded dragons may not be getting much work done at the computer, our staff will once again be able to provide programs, assist visitors, manage registrations, and keep the Refuge running smoothly!

Thank you, GeekHampton, for helping us repair rather than replace, and for supporting the Refuge! Our community is the best! 💚🌎

08/15/2026

☀️🖤 Summer days with a black vulture!
Did you know vultures are nature’s clean up crew?
They help keep ecosystems healthy by feeding on carrion and recycling nutrients back into the environment.

08/13/2026

Although our Wild Night for Wildlife Gala has come to a close, you still have many opportunities to support the Refuge while taking home something special. Shop our Post-Gala Sale featuring a wonderful selection of artwork, wellness experiences, fun excursions, and more HERE: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/qwrwildnight/items/ . We extend our sincere gratitude to the many generous businesses and individuals whose donations have made this fundraising sale possible.

Need Help Purchasing? To purchase an item from the Post-Gala Sale, you'll first need to either log in to your existing account (if you participated in our Gala auction) or create a new account. To register a new account, simply select the "Post Gala Sale Participant" ticket option. Once registered, you'll be able to enter your contact and payment information to complete your purchase and secure your item before it's gone. Browse the available items and click on any prize to view its description and details.

08/11/2026

Nature Writing Workshop - “Stories Rooted in Place”- Friday, August 14th 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM🌿What stories do the trees and trails of Quogue Wildlife Refuge have to tell us? As summer flourishes around us, bring your pad and pen outdoors to write the natural world into a poem, short story, or mini-essay. Maryann Calendrille is an educator, writer, and editor of over 35 years. Maryann will share elements of the writer’s craft and lead guided exercises. Join for one or two sessions as your time allows. Writers of all levels are welcome. $30 per person. Sign Up: https://quoguewildliferefuge.org/event/nature-writing-workshop-stories-rooted-in-place/

08/06/2026

A huge thank you to CCE Marine Program Back to the Bays for hosting our Summer Ecology Camp today! 🌊🦀🐟

What a perfect addition to a week of exploring our local ecosystems! After spending the week learning along the Refuge habitats in the Pine Barrens, our campers had the opportunity to connect those lessons to the nearby waters of Shinnecock Bay through hands-on exploration.

Campers enjoyed educational seine netting, discovered a variety of marine life, and gained a deeper understanding of how our forests, wetlands, and bays are all connected. It was an unforgettable experience that brought this week’s ecology lessons to life while fostering curiosity, teamwork, and a deeper appreciation for the incredible natural resources in our own backyard.

A special thank you to the amazing educators and staff at CCE Marine Program – Back to the Bays for sharing your knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion with our campers. We are so grateful for this wonderful partnership and for helping inspire the next generation of environmental stewards! 💙🌿

08/02/2026

I spy an answer! It's a Common Snapping Turtle! 🐢

If you spotted it yesterday you have great eyes!

Here are a few more fun facts:
Common snapping turtles are New York's largest freshwater turtle, with some adults weighing over 35 pounds.
Their powerful jaws do the "snapping", but they're much more likely to swim away than confront people when they're in the water.
They often sit nearly motionless with only their eyes and nostrils above the surface, waiting for prey or simply staying hidden.
They're important members of wetland ecosystems, helping clean up the environment by eating plants, fish, insects, and carrion.
In late spring and early summer, females travel onto land to lay their eggs, which is when people are most likely to see them crossing roads.

Thanks for playing! Keep an eye out for our next wildlife "I Spy!"

EDIT: Native snapping turtles belong in the wild. Keeping native wildlife as pets is harmful to the animals, can disrupt local ecosystems, and is illegal in NY. The best way to help is to admire them from a distance and let them stay wild. 🐢💚

08/01/2026

I Spy with My Little Eye...
Can you spot who's hiding in this photo?
Here are a few clues:
I'm a year round New Yorker and can even stay active under the ice during winter.
I may look slow on land, but I'm a surprisingly strong swimmer.
I spend much of my time in ponds, lakes, marshes, and slow moving streams.
My excellent camouflage helps me disappear into muddy water.

Think you know who it is? Drop your guess in the comments!
Answer will be posted on Sunday!

EDIT: Native snapping turtles belong in the wild. Keeping native wildlife as pets is harmful to the animals, can disrupt local ecosystems, and is illegal in NY. The best way to help is to admire them from a distance and let them stay wild. 🐢💚

07/31/2026

Come and visit! 🐢🦉🦆

Tucked away in the eastern end of the Pine Barrens is Quogue Wildlife Refuge. Hosting several miles of trails which wind their way through a variety of habitats, several ponds, and several non-releasable animals in enclosures, this preserve provides a range of experiences that’s sure to satisfy anyone.

When it comes to accessibility, Quogue Wildlife Refuge is at the upper end of the spectrum. There are ample parking spaces both adjacent to the preserve and across the road. In the closer lot, there are a handful of designated parking spaces for people with disability.

At the front of the refuge are the aforementioned animal enclosures, around which is a wide-open space covered in mulch, making it fairly easy to navigate. Here you can find many birds who, for one reason or another, are unable to be released back into the wild. Species here range from the ubiquitous Red-tailed Hawk to the elusive Barred Owl, and the majestic Peregrine Falcon. Even if you’re not interested in walking the trails, coming to Quogue is well worth it, as you can easily spend an hour admiring these birds, studying them up close, in a way that’s virtually impossible to do out in the wild. There is also a butterfly garden, a museum dedicated to the history of ice harvesting on the property, and a nature center with a wide window looking out over the largest of the ponds. Bathrooms are only a short distance from the enclosures, and coupled with the designated parking spaces and the open space around the front, Quogue is thus marked as a perfect place for people using wheelchairs to enjoy.

When it comes to the trails, Quogue’s stand tall for their clarity. They’re often wide enough so that two people can walk side by side, and they’re generally either dirt, sand, or gravel, meaning so long as you’re adequately dressed, ticks shouldn’t be an issue. From a habitat point of view, Quogue is delightfully diverse. Characteristic of the Pine Barrens, you can find many species of pine and oak trees. Large sections are dominated by Dwarf Pines, and there is also ample marsh land. You can plan your hike out in advance by consulting the map of the trails on quoguewildliferefuge.org. Fauna were abundant, with many woodpeckers, flycatchers, and martins flitting about, especially the closer you get to the creeks and ponds. If you’ve been following along with our “Life in the Pine Barrens” series, you’ll probably notice the various berry-bearing bushes lining the trails. Blueberries and inkberries were surprisingly abundant. It’s not often you get to see the berries before the birds get to them! Looking at the whole preserve, it’s hard to think of another location that gives you the full breadth and scope of the Pine Barrens in a reasonably condensed area.

Quogue Wildlife Refuge’s quality is made all the more impressive when one considers that it is not part of any of the public park systems. It is owned and operated entirely by a nonprofit, and the care they’ve put into making sure this is a quality preserve is truly astounding. Whether you’d just like to sit in the nature center and admire the view, study some rare animals up-close and personal, or spend an hour or two hiking through some proper Pine Barrens, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for at Quogue Wildlife Refuge.