Clarence Turf Farms
For plovers in the fall. Sporadically, Buff-breasted Sandpipier has been found here. (As recently as Fall 2000).Directions:
Lakeview Turf Farms are located in Clarence, Erie County, along Countyline Road (eastward extension of N French Road). Most of the areas along Countyline Road (CR 282) west of Goodrich Road are cut short like a well-mowed lawn, and to the east of Goodrich Road on the south side of County Road there may be a large dirt area with a finely plowed surface. If any Lesser Golden-Plover or Buff-breasted Sandpipers visit, they should be fairly easy to see!
Nearby Birding:
Check Green Acres Road for grassland birds. NYS Route 78 to County Road 282, east to Green Acres.
Delaware Park / Forest Lawn Cemetery
These two locations are located in Buffalo adjacent to each other. The primary reason to visit is for spring migrants. Another site describing Forest Lawn Cemetery is here.
Directions:
From the I-190, take the Scajaquada Expressway (198) east. Look for signs.
Tillman Wildlife Management Area
Tillman WMA is 230 acres of upland and wetlands and has some trails. Upland Sandpipers and Grasshopper Sparrows have been regular at the landfill adjacent to Tillman (but viewed from Tillman trails) for many years. The NYS DEC has a link to this WMA. Rare in Erie County, Mute Swan has been recorded here.
Upland Sandpiper sometimes sit atop one of the white vents from the landfill adjacent to Tillman WMA. There is a new trail that can take you to an area viewing the landfill. From the parking lot on the south side of Tillman Road, walk back to the woods and follow a new trail that cuts nearly due south through the woods until you hit a fence bordering the Pine Hill Concrete land. From here, search the white vents for perched uplands. they have nested here in recent years.
Directions:
This area is located in the Town of Clarence and encompasses an area that borders Shisler Road and Tillman Road. From NYS Route 78, travel east on NYS Route 33 for 5.4 miles. Turn left onto Ransom Road. Cross over the Thruway (I-90). Tillman Road is on your left.
The Upland Sandpiper & sparrow spot is within view of the Clarence Rest Area along the Thruway (I-90). You can sometimes see the Upland Sandpipers up on the white vents from the Thruway.
Description and directions courtesy of Mike Morgante's and others' GeneseeBirds-L postings.
"I forgot how nice this park is (and good
for birding too). This park may best be known for its "unafraid"
wildlife. Chickadees, Titmice, WB Nuthatches, and Downy Woodpeckers all
follow you looking for handouts (and they will all come to your hand if you
have seed). You will also likely trip over squirrels and deer that are
looking for freebies too."
Directions:
From the NYS Thruway (I-90), take William Street exit, proceed east until "T" at Union Road.
Take right (south) on Union and then first left on to Losson Road (vehicle access from Losson Rd). The park entrance is about 1.2 miles down Losson on the north (left) side). If you are coming from the east -- take NYS Route 78 (Transit Road) south of US Route 20 (Broadway) to Losson Road (about 1.5 miles, there is a big Wegmans Supermarket at intersection of Transit and Losson). Turn right (west) onto Losson - travel about 1.7 miles to the park entrance on the north (right) side of the road.
Description and directions courtesy of Mike Morgante's GeneseeBirds-L posting
Buffalo Waterfront (for waterfowl, gulls, terns) can be viewed at many sites along Fuhrmann Blvd.
To reach Times Beach (for shorebirds), leave Tifft and drive north. Instead of entering NYS Route 5 North (Skyway), continue on the roads (Fuhrmann Blvd) paralleling NYS Route 5 towards the Coast Guard Station. To the west, a gate and the Lake Erie Ice Boom can be seen (if you have reached the Coast Guard Station gates, you have driven too far). Park at the gate to the ice booms (out of the way of road traffic and trucks) and walk along the fence to the water's edge. A break in the fence leads to the dikes and the edges and mudflats can be seen.
To observe the grain elevators area, do not turn off when Fuhrmann
turns under Route 5, follow straight into Ohio Street. Childs Street is on
the right before the Buffalo River. Also try Ganson Street to the left. Be
cautious on Childs, there are unmarked railroad crossing and it is a very
busy industrial area. Park out of the way and stay out of the way of truck
and train traffic.
Description and directions courtesy of GeneseeBirds-L posting
From Tifft, take NYS Route 5 south to Ridge Road. Take Ridge Road east 0.8 mile to the South Park Entrance. Turn north on Park Drive.
At the Sawmill and Sugar Shanty area is several parking areas and a heated restroom. Some sections of the woods are open to public hiking and horseback riding in the summer and XC skiing and snowmobiling in winter. The trails are well-maintained and well-marked. Warning: one should take care after a rain, or on mornings after a heavy fog and dew. Some of the trails are corduroy logs, yielding a very slippery surface.
The "Old Scarbuck Trail" is a few miles of trail on the south side of Genesee Road has two loops, one on either side of a gravel creekbed. A painted map of the hiking trail is displayed in a kiosk near the entrance. The terrain is generally easy-going, and is basically down hill to the far side and uphill on the way back.
The trail on the north side of Genesee Road (about 1 3/4 miles) goes through both a deciduous and conifer forest. A pond exists to the west and uphill of the Sawmill and Sugar Shanty area. Check that pond for geese, ducks and breeding Hooded Mergansers. Other trails exist, some of them publically accessible, some not. To the east of Warner Gulf Road (to the east of the sawmill area) has another small trail.
Many birds of higher altitude and conifer plantations are found here.
GC Kinglet and RB Nuthatch are present year-round. Summer breeders include many Blackburnian, some Hooded and a few Magnolia Warblers. Hermit and Wood Thrush occur, as does Blue-headed and Solitary Vireo. Barred Owl, Red-Shouldered and Broad-winged Hawk breed. Common Raven has been sighted here on several occasions and has been recorded as a breeder as well. Irruptive "winter finches" are possible in season. The fields nearby hold many grassland birds including Bobolinks, Savannah Sparrow and E. Meadowlark. The 2000 Breeding Bird Atlas resulted in over 80 species being recorded in this block, many with a northern affinity.
Directions from Route 219:
Take Route 219 south. Exit on Genesee Road. Travel east on Genesee Road about 7.25 miles. Just past Mehm Road (on the left/north), you enter onto Erie County property. At the bottom of the next valley, nestled among large tracts of conifers Sawmill and Sugar Shanty.
Directions from Route 16:
Take Route 16 south. After passing through Chaffee, look for the signs to the forestry area and the Sardinia Town park. Look for the next 45 mph speed zone as Genesee Road is here. Travel west (right) on Genesee Road about 4.5 miles. Just east of Warner Gulf Road (on the right/north) is a chunk of forestry woods. Trails exist in this lot, but head west of Warner Gulf Road, down the valley to the Sawmill and Sugar Shanty area.
A description can be found here, while some pictures can be found here.
Directions:
From Buffalo, take the 400 Expressway south, exit on NYS Route 20A. Drive west into East Aurora. Pine Street heads north where NYS Route 16 heads south from NYS Route 20A and 78 (the first traffic light). Take Pine Street to the very, very end (past the water treatment plant and ponds), and hook around to the right of the last building. Park by the trailhead and kiosk; a foot trail starts from here. One may wish to walk the woods or the marsh trail. One might consider retreating along Pine Street and explore around the edges of the ball fields.
From the south (Vermont Hill) entrance, take the main trail straight back and slightly downhill. You will pass a variety of habitats. BW Warblers will be by the road, but further in you may pass breeding Purple Finches, Magnolia Warblers, Hermit and Wood Thrush, GC Fly, Scarlet Tanager, Ovenbird, and BT Green warblers. After passing a small stream, follow it to the right (down hill) to the gorge of Hunter's Creek. Where the small streams enter Hunter's Creek is a good place to listen for Lousianna Waterthrush. If a waterthrush is not found on the first stream, follow the bike trails downstream to the next tributary and listen for waterthrush along the way. Acadian Fly might be near here, too. Following the creek, one might bump into nesting birds, perhaps a Blackburnian Warbler in the Hemlock groves.
Warnings: The park is quite hilly and trekking can be strenuous. It is a fair walk to all of the interesting habitats. On weekends, the park can be mobbed with picnic-goers and dog-walkers (often without a leash). In the afternoons and evenings, the park may be infested with mountain-bikers.
Directions:
From Buffalo, take the 400 Expressway south, exit on NYS Route 20A and 78. Drive east about 2.25 miles and take the fork to NYS Route 78. After NYS Route 20A splits from NYS Route 78, drive one mile and turn right onto Hunter's Creek Road. Two entrances and picnic areas are off this road, but both are unlabelled (excepting, perhaps, the yellow "Posted" Erie Co Parks department signs). The first (north) entrance is about 0.25 miles from NYS Route 78 on the right hand side of the road. Explore one of the many trails sidling the creeks.
To the south entrance (with lots of publicly accessible woods and trails), continue on Hunter's Creek Road 1.7 miles from NYS Route 78 to Centerline Road. Turn right and travel 1.2 miles. Park out of the way of traffic on the edge of the road opposite Vermont Hill Road.
Directions:
To Smithville, Ontario, Sewage Lagoons, at the western
boundry of the BOS territory. From the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, take 405 to
the QEW. Exit south to Beamsville. Hwy 18 south from Beamsville to end. Turn
left and follow road west to Hwy 20. Turn right on 20, northwest towards
Smithville. Watch for Hwy 14 on east edge of Smithville. Go 1/4 mile and park
on right. The sewage lagoons are on the left. Walk 1/4 mile beyond the gate
to reach the three ponds.
This page was last updated on 16 May 2003. Comments or questions regarding this page should be sent to Webmaster. Stiglmier Park / Losson Park
Located in Cheektowaga, this site is sometimes referred to as either name above. Barred Owls have been reported here on occasion, as have Saw-whet Owls. Pileated Woodpeckers and Cooper's Hawks have been recorded nesting here. Buffalo Waterfront and Times Beach
This site is primarily to view waterfowl, gulls, terns and shorebirds. Observe
the inner harbor and grain elevators along this stretch for several miles,
(a Gyrfalcon has been seen along here in winters past, as recent as 1995). South Park
South Park to the south has a pond that might hold a variety of ducks and waterbirds in season. The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens lies within South Park and offers a side interest (and may hold migrant warblers in season). Erie County Forestry
During the 1920s and 1930s, much of the farming land in the higher hills around Sardinia were put up for sale, or abandoned. Poor soil and short growing seasons made farmers poor. The county of Erie purchased much of the land and planted it for timber between 1928 and 1931. Much of the acreage is conifer plantations (mostly Red and White Pine) and birds attracted to that habitat are plentiful. The elevation is generally above 1700 feet with the apex on Allen Road (private land) over 1900 feet above sea level.
Sinking Ponds Nature Trail
Sinking Ponds is located within the village of East Aurora. One local birder has recorded over 220 species in recent years. Many passerines occur here (including regular Carolina Wrens), especially warblers during fall and spring migrations. Ducks and raptors can be found in migration. Virginia and Sora Rails have bred here. Hunter's Creek County Park
Hunter's Creek County Park is located east of East Aurora in the hamlet of Wales Center.
This park can hold interesting summering birds, such as Louisianna Waterthrush (annual), Acadian Flycatcher, or Orchard Oriole (June 2001), among plenty of other interesting birds in a beautiful park.Smithville Sewage Lagoons
Please be considerate when trying to view waterfowl.
Pertinent State Resources Online
Links from any one of the following sites may describe the public locations.
Best Birding
Each site described above has its own habitat and its best birding.
Please refer to the sites above for more information.
Copyright, © Kurt Fox, 1999-2003.
Return to main page