These 18 Virginia barrier islands run 60 miles south from the Maryland border to the Chesapeake Bay. Physically, the islands serve as a buffer against storms. Biologically, they are enormously productive, because the intersection of different kinds of habitats stirs up a rich mix of life. Then in the early 1600s, English settlers established a fishing camp and brought in abundant catches. Today, the Eastern Shore's multi-million dollar seafood industry depends on the reserve's coastal wetlands, too.
Birds congregate here in endless varieties and numbers.
Starting in September, songbirds and raptors stop by on their way south. Winter brings thousands of black ducks, brant and snow geese. Come May, a thick crowd of sandpipers covers the beaches and tidal flats, fattening themselves before flying to arctic nesting grounds. One of the birds taking refuge at the reserve is the piping plover, a small, thick-necked bird whose nesting habitat has been overwhelmed by the effects of construction of houses and marinas on nearby coasts. Piping plovers must share the beach with other nesters such as terns and skimmers.