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Birding in the Finger Lakes

Birding is one of the most popular year 'round outdoor activities in the region. This is due primarily to the region's diverse habitat, the hundreds of bird species that visit and breed in the region, the many opportunities to view birds, and the promotion of an interest in birds by such institutions as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Braddock Bay Raptor Research, and Braddock Bay Bird Observatory.

 

The Finger Lakes is on the Atlantic Flyway and benefits from the great migrations of birds from their wintering grounds in the southern U.S., Mexico, and Central and South America to their breeding grounds in New York State and Canada. Errant species are not uncommon and add interest, if not excitement, to the activity.

 

Below is some information to help you get started birding in the Finger Lakes.

STATE BIRD CLUB

New York State Ornithological Association

P.O. Box 95

Durhamville, NY 13054

REGIONAL BIRD CLUBS

Burroughs Audubon Nature Club

P.O. Box 26814

Rochester, NY 14626

 

Cayuga Bird Club

c/o Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology

159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.

Ithaca, NY 14850

 

Chemung Valley Audubon Society

P.O. Box 35

Elmira, NY 14902

 

Cortland Lime Hollow Bird Club

Lime Hollow Nature Center for Environment & Culture

Phoebe nestlings in the Finger Lakes, New York USA.3091 Gracie Rd.

Cortland, NY 13045

607-758-5462

 

Eaton Birding Society

P.O. Box 928

Geneva, NY 14456

 

Genesee Valley Audubon Society

P.O. Box 15512

Rochester, NY 14615-0512

 

Onondaga Audubon Society

P.O. Box 620

Syracuse, NY 13201

 

Rochester Birding Association

8 Chipmunk Trail

Pittsford, NY 14534

 

Tioga Bird Club

c/o Jeannette Baldwin

2027 Day Hollow Rd.

Owego, NY 13827

 

Watch a video of a pileated woodpecker working on a tree.

 

CHECKLIST

FIELD GUIDES

See the bottom of this page and the Bookstore.

ONLINE DATABASE

New York eBird

ONLINE IDENTIFICATION

All About Birds

BLOGS

Bob Marcotte's The Word on Birds is an informative blog about birding in the region where you can ask questions, post information and photos about birds you've seen, and find out about what you missed.

LOCATION GUIDE

The Wiki Guide to BirdsCanada Geese Crossing sign in the Finger Lakes, New York USA.

LISTSERVES

Frequenting these lists will give you access to daily postings of birds sighted in each region and rare bird alerts.

Cayugabirds-L

GeneseeBirds-L

Oneidabirds-L

NYSBirds-L

CVBIRDS

KHAMO

BIRDING TOURS

Lakeshore Nature Tours

HOUSES, FEEDERS, AND OTHER PARAPHERNALIA

Birdhavenonline.com

HELPFUL ARTICLES

"The Age of Binoculars" by Kenneth V. Rosenberg

BIRD WEB CAMS

BIRDING SITES

There are hundreds of great birding spots in the Finger Lakes. In general, you can be sure to find plenty of interesting birds (as well as other animals and plants) along the Finger Lakes Trail and other hiking trails, at any of the state forests, state parks, and wildlife management areas, at nature centers, and, during migration, on most of the lakes. The sites listed on the links below are spots birders in the region particularly enjoy and would like to share with you.  

Cayuga County

Cayuga Community College Nature Trails

Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary

Fort Hill Cemetery

The boardwalk at Owasco FlatsOwasco Flats Nature Reserve

Sterling Nature Center

Summer Hill State Forest

Chemung County

Center at Horseheads Marsh Grasslands

Chemung River

Eldridge Park

Horseheads Marsh

Lowe's Pond

Marsh Dam

Park Lake Recreation Center

Sullivanville Dam

Van Etten Wildlife Sanctuary

Cortland County

Hoxie Gorge

Labrador Hollow Unique Area

Livingston County

Caledonia Fish Hatchery

Conesus Lake

Letchworth State Park

Sonyea State Forest

Twin Cedars Environmental Area

Monroe County

Durand Eastman Park

Braddock Bay Complex

Hamlin Beach State Park

Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park

Island Cottage Woods Preserve

Mendon Ponds Park

Nations Road

Owl Woods

Perinton Ponds

Thousand Acre Swamp

Onondaga County

Baltimore Woods

Camillus Forest Unique Area

Oneida Lake

South Meadows Nature Area

Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area

Whisky Hollow

Ontario County

Canandaigua Lake

High Tor Fish and Wildlife Management Area

MaryFrances Bluebird Haven

Schuyler County

Catharine Marsh

Catharine Valley Trail

Finger Lakes National Forest

Mark Twain State Park

See also Kestral Haven for downloadable bird lists and information about what can be seen in the county.

Seneca County

Finger Lakes National Forest

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

Seneca Meadows Wetland Preserve

Steuben County

Chemung River

Gleason Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

State Route 21

Widger Hill Area

Tioga County

Canada geese t Lowe's Pond in Chemung County.Apalachin Marsh

Brick Pond

Tompkins County

Beebe Lake

Edwards Lake Cliff Preserve

Myers Point

Salmon Creek Bird Sanctuary

Dryden Lake

Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve

Park Nature Preserve--Baldwin Tract

Wayne County

Beechwood State Park

Montezuma Audubon Center

Olga Fleisher Ornithological Foundation

Yates County

High Tor Fish and Wildlife Management Area

West River 

 

Updated 8 November 2012

 

 

 

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