Birch

This small private island is one of the true jewels in the magnificent Muscle Ridge necklace. Birch is located in the outer archipelago and is surrounded by Dix, High, Pond, and Andrews Islands. It is marked by meadow, pink granite outcrops, and several sandy pocket beaches, all protected from ocean swells by neighboring islands. This setting makes it a popular place for local day visitors as well as anchoring yachts; this traditional use should be respected. When the owners are visiting Birch they may kindly request that others move on to a different destination. Please respect their privacy.

Birch Island was used as pasturage in the 1800s by families on nearby Dix Island. Though most of the small islands in the Muscle Ridge archipelago were inhabited only seasonally, a Canadian fisherman and his family lived year-round on the island around 1900. Today, the primary inhabitants are a pair of osprey that nest on the southwest corner of the island. Please give the osprey a wide berth while enjoying Birch Island.