Birding Sites in the Finger Lakes
STEUBEN COUNTY
Widger Hill Area
Caton, NY
Coordinates: 42.004090°N 76.575682°W
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Habitat: This is varied habitat that ranges from forest to field to wetland. Widger Hill itself is 1744 ft./531.5 m. high.
Seasons: Spring and early summer are the best, though the wetland can be good during fall migration as well. Nesting Henslow's, grasshopper, and savannah sparrows have been documented in the fields along with eastern meadowlarks and bobolinks. Look also for killdeer and, in late winter/early spring, displaying male woodcocks. At the wetland, look for wood ducks, mallards, and other puddle ducks. Solitary sandpipers, herons, and belted kingfishers may be feeding at the wetland as well. Although you can't go into the woods behind the wetland, from the road, you may be able to find a wide variety of woodland species. These high woodlands seem to attract a large number of species of warblers, thrushes, vireos, woodpeckers, owls, dark-eyed juncos, blue jays, American crows, and many others.
Access: The coordinates (above) indicate the intersection of Kinner Hill and Widger Hill roads in the Town of Caton in the southeast corner of Steuben County not far from the Pennsylvania state line. At that intersection, you will find a wetland with wood duck boxes. Widger Hill is the summit behind and to the east of the wetland. The fields on Widger Hill Road are listed by the National Audubon Society as being an Important Birding Area. All of this land is privately owned. You can pull over and bird from your vehicle or walk the roads.
Note: Mapquest or Google using Widger Hill Rd., Pine City, NY.
Nearby Birding Sites:
Gleason Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Created 8 October 2010
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