Long Pond is a 50-acre privately owned wetland located on the southeast coast of the island and is an excellent location for viewing birds year-round. With two different access points, birders can see a wide variety of species.

The western end of the pond with its sand and mud flats is a great spot for shorebirds including plovers and sandpipers. They often congregate to feed along the water’s edge. There is relatively little traffic as the road is a bit rocky and only a small number of houses are located there.

Pelicans, egrets and waterfowl often frequent this area. Willets fly overhead making loud noises alerting other birds of intruders. The best time to visit this end of the wetland is late afternoon when the sun is setting behind the wildlife.

The eastern access point is located between the pond and the Long Pond Bay. This is a fairly wild bay with a small reef for protection. Fishermen often come here to collect bait fish while seabirds and herons do a bit of their own fishing. It is always exciting to see a Great Blue or a Yellow-crowned Night Heron finding a good meal on this little spit of sand and rocks.

This close proximity to the open sea is one of the reasons that seabirds including Royal, Sandwich and Least Terns frequent the pond. During the spring and summer months, seabirds come onshore to breed. Least Terns breed here in large numbers from April through August.

The site is an Important Bird Area for the vast array of shorebirds that rely upon the pond for food and rest during their long migration. Other birds, like the Least Tern and Snowy and Wilson’s Plovers, nest at the site each year. The restricted range Green-throated Carib and the Caribbean Elaenia can also be found here.

Access to the pond requires a very short walk although parts of the eastern end can be done via car/jeep. From The Valley follow the Long Path Road for approximately 1.8 miles. On the right side of the road you will see a sign that says Tequila Sunrise Villa. Take a right and follow the road. It will eventually turn into a dirt road. You will see Long Pond Bay on your left and the pond on your right. You can park there and walk into the pond area or continue on the dirt road that winds to your right.

Nature Explorers Anguilla offers tours to this site!