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Birding Sites in the Finger Lakes

CHEMUNG AND STEUBEN COUNTIES

Chemung River 

Habitat: The Chemung River is a linear acquatic highway. It runs west to east through Steuben, Chemung, and a small portion of Tioga counties, providing food and nest sites for many birds.

Seasons: Spring migration is the best time to bird here, but summer is also a good time to be taking a leisurely kayak or canoe trip down the river. You should be able to see horned grebes; double-crested cormorants; herons; great egrets (late summer); green-winged teal; gadwalls (winter); common mergansers; spotted sandpipers; Bonaparte's, ring-billed, herring, and greater black-backed gulls (many hang around by the dam in the City of Elmira); swallows, including cliff swallows under the bridges; various warblers, including the northern waterthrush; bush birds like catbirds, cardinals, song sparrows, and towhees; woodpeckers; vireos; and many other birds, especially osprey and bald eagles (breeders).

Access: For more information about the river and a description of all of its access points, click here.

Nearby Birding Sites:

Eldridge Park

Horseheads Marsh

Park Station Recreation Center

Updated 9 August 2011