West Lakeshore

Rating

Fall	Winter
Spring	Summer

Site history/background

To be honest, I'm not sure where the "West Lakeshore" is. It is really hard to place a boundary on it, since it is all relative. It can be viewed as anywhere west of the Genesee River, or west of the city out to Hamlin, NYS Route 98 or all the way to the Niagara River. It can be the 100 yards within sight of Lake Ontario, or anything north of the parkway, NYS Route 104 or the thruway. In reality, the West Lakeshore is quite a vague concept.

Saying that, when most active birders typically refer to the West Lakeshore, they are speaking of the farm fields between Hilton and Hamlin, but south of the parkway (not really the shore at all).

The West Lakeshore is interesting in wintering landbirds, spring waterfowl, and sometimes fall shorebirds. A wet spring will create a muddy shore habitat for shorebirds in late spring.

Best Birding

Many active birders kick off their spring by watching the waterfowl arrive into the region. Bonus of raptors, small landbirds and perhaps shorebirds makes spring the time of year to visit.

Regular Specialties

Winter - Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Harriers, Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs, and Horned Larks.

Spring - Canada and Snow Geese, Tundra Swan and dabbling ducks with the hopes of a Greater-White Fronted Goose (regular but rare), Barnacle Goose, or Eurasian Wigeon. The winter birds mentioned above (plus American Pipits) can sometimes be seen or heard passing overhead. Late spring offers the possibility of shorebirds, especially at the wet field on ChurchRoad.

Fall - In that lucrative time when "fall" migration of shorebirds occur (called summer by most people), these farm fields should be checked. Wet fields and trenches might turn up a number of shorebirds.

Noteworthy Records

Greater-White Fronted Goose (1996), Barnacle Goose (1995), Ross's Goose (1999), Eurasian Wigeon, Whimbrel (1996), Wilson's Phalarope, Brewer's Blackbird (1999), Yellow-headed Blackbird (2000), Clay-Colored Sparrow (1996), Golden Eagle (annual), Gyrfalcon, King Rail, Western Kingbird (two Aug 2000).

Areas of Interest

Moul Road: The wet spot at the west intersection (Hamlin-Parma Townline Road) in the farm field often provides number of Canada Geese and ducks. Early shorebirds can be seen here too.

Hamlin-Parma Townline Road up near the Parkway has Brush Creek that passes underneath. King Rail has been reported here in the not-so-distant past, as well as Sora, Virginia Rail and Least Bittern.

Church Road: The wet spot in the farm field on the south side of the road is another "must" in lakeshore birding. Similar sorts of birds can be found as on Moul Road. This is also a choice spot to check for fall shorebirds as well.

Other Roads: Curtis, Chase, Ketchum, North Hamlin and any other road between Moul Road and Route 19 out of Hamlin are potentially interesting for all of the above species.

Directions

Located on the Delorme NYS Atlas and Gazetteer on page 71, block B5. A map that accompanies the following directions and aboved areas is located here (26KB).

The area can be easily reached from Rochester by taking Interstate 390 north to the end, then taking the Lake Ontario State Parkway west towards the Hamlin Beach State Park and heading south into the farm fields from any of the smaller north/south roads.

Nearby Birding

Hamlin Beach State Park is right on the lake edge. The Hamlin Beach web page describes or mentions other nearby sites such as: ShoreAcre Ponds, Troutburg, Lakeshore Road, Point Breeze, Norway Road and Lakeside Beach.

Facilities

There are no restrooms on the West Lakeshore. The closest public ones are about 5-10 minutes away at Hamlin Beach State Park (both Parking Lot #1 and #4). The restrooms at Parking Lot #1 are heated and open during the winter.

There is also restaurant near Parking Lot #4 that is open in the summer and on weekends in the late spring and early fall. It can be a good place to warm up with a cup of coffee on a cold morning.

There is a tent and trailer camping area at Hamlin Beach State Park with electrical hookups at the park. The phone number for information is (716) 964-2462

This page was last updated on 18 April 2001.