Ironsides Island: A Sanctuary in the St. Lawrence

Ironsides Island, a 30-acre island in the Saint Lawrence River near Alexandria Bay, New York, is a significant natural landmark. The island features 30-to-40-foot cliffs along its shore and is vegetated with white pine trees.Known for its large Great Blue Heron rookery, over a thousand herons return to the island to breed every April. To protect this rookery, former Reader's Digest executive William Browning donated the island to The Nature Conservancy in the late 1960s. The island was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1967.While landing on Ironsides Island requires prior permission from The Nature Conservancy, the island can be easily viewed from the water. Its impressive granite bluffs, stained with rust-colored lichen, create a striking visual. The island provides a unique opportunity to observe a thriving heron colony in its natural habitat.