Birdwatching/Hawkwatching in WNY

Hawkwatching in Spring:Coopers Hawk

Hawk migration is in full swing! Watch overhead as the birds follow Routes 5, 20, or the
Thruway on their way North. Join the fun by helping at one of the hawkwatch sites in
WNY. ID knowledge of the birds is not needed - your eyes are! Learn how to know which
birds you're watching on any given day. Enjoy watching hawks, ospreys, harriers,
falcons, eagles, and vultures as they head North to their nesting grounds. One good site
is the Hamburg Hawkwatch on Camp Road at the cemetery just North of West Herr. The
Ripley Hawkwatch between Ripley and Westfield is another great site. Still another is at
Braddock Bay in Rochester. Stop by our store for more details!Bald Eagle by Richard Miller

Dunkirk Harbor:

Drive along Lakeshore Drive heading West as you enter Dunkirk from Silver
Creek. Look for gulls and ducks along the shore. Continue on to the Pier at the foot of
Central Avenue. Drive out on the pier and look along the harbor inside the breakwall on
both sides. It's a great place to bird from Fall until the water freezes over if it does or
the fishermen line the Pier in Spring. There are so many species of ducks and gulls
to look for that you'll be amazed at the variety. Bring a spotting scope to watch for
eagles that might be out on the wall.

Tifft Nature Preserve:

Always a great place to take a walk in the woods along the numerous trails. Look for
Spring birds in the bushes and on the water in open areas.

Niagara River and Robert Moses Dam:

A drive up the Canadian side of the River to the Falls is always worth your time. Watch
for ducks and gulls floating along in the currents. Look for Bald Eagles around Navy
Island. The RM Dam is the place to look for gulls and above the Falls in the rapids. Brown Thrasher

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge:

Drive out to the "Alabama Swamps" on Rt. 78 north of the Thruway (I-90). Many overlooks.
Swallow Hollow Trail is a nice walk. You never know what you might see strolling through
the woods or in the open fields around there.

Country Roads:

Take a drive in the country to any open areas and look for birds migrating through. Take
a ride today and enjoy the Nature around you!!!

Your Own Backyard:

Watch your lawn, bushes, trees, and the sky! Spring migration is underway and the next
two months will be so exciting! Listen as the birds start singing while choosing their
nesting sites. Put up a nesting box for those birds that use them. Keep your feeders
stocked with good seeds the birds love and you'll be rewarded as they stop by for
nourishment. Keep fresh water in your birdbaths. Make sure your yard looks as inviting
as you're able to make it. Ask us what more you can do to help enjoy Nature around your Yellow Warbler
yard! You never know when an unusual bird might show up! If it does, call us 823-7889.

Penn Dixie Spring Birdwalk