By Sarah Hatfield
“Look at the turtles! There must be over 80!” I spoke those words last week on a hike at Audubon. Jennifer, hiking with me, muttered “Such a herp nerd.” It is true, I confess to being a herp nerd – lover of all things slimy and scaly. I have another confession though. When push comes to shove, I’m still drawn to the feathered, first.
A bird nerd at heart, those magical creatures of both land and sky are still my first love. The sweet sound of a chickadee singing in the spring is an instant smile inducer. The song of the Tufted Titmouse coaxing the sap from the trees for its transformation into syrup almost sends me into delirium. Crows and goldfinches and woodpeckers and others round out the list of my daily dose of neighbors. I love it.
My trusty VW has never left the road, even as I screech “ducks!” and point to the sky. Binoculars are a resident of the backseat, along with my tattered and beloved bird guide. It takes a lot longer to get to work in the spring…there are so many birds to stop and see!
In case you’re looking for a great opportunity to go birding, I hear the Oak Orchard field trip is right up there at the top of the list. It is actually a trip that covers three separate areas – the 11,000 acre Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, and two DEC parcels at either end, Oak Orchard and Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area. Together, there are over 19,000 acres of prime bird habitat. It is all sometimes collectively referred to as “The Alabama Swamps,” named for the town close by.
Mostly wetland, this is a great stopover point for migrating waterfowl – ducks, pipers, plovers, and others – as well as home to eagles, ospreys and geese, waterfowl, and wetland songbirds. Grasslands comprise much of the habitat as well, providing important nesting grounds for the resident birds.
The two DEC parcels are managed for a certain variety of birds, including some listed as endangered, threatened, and of special concern. Some of these rare birds include: Black Tern, Short-eared Owl, Pied-billed Grebe, King Rail, Northern Harrier, Sedge Wren, American Bittern, Red-shouldered Hawk, Common Nighthawk, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Prothonotary Warbler. Other species of note include: Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Savannah Sparrow, Virginia Rail, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, American Black Duck, Common Snipe, Great Blue Heron, and Green Heron.
I’ve never been there, mostly because I have this thing called a job. But I know that the birders here start getting antsy when this time of year comes. Everyone that comes in the door gets asked “Are you going on the Oak Orchard trip?” It seems like a rite of spring.
This year it promises nesting Bald Eagles, and the Buffalo Audubon has scheduled an eagle watch the afternoon of the trip. The count is usually 40-50 species of birds, which is great for a day’s play. But come dressed for the weather. The proximity to the lake makes it cooler and windier than other locales.
If you’re interested in tagging along, the great day is April 4th this year. Meet at Audubon at 7am or at the Park-n-Ride on Route 60 at 7:30am if you’d like to ride in the van. Of course, you need to call us and let us know you need a seat in the van. There’s a fee for riding in the van, $15 for members and $20 for non-members. If you’re planning on caravanning, you can meet us at either location and follow, but please call and register so we know to wait for you! The van will plan to be back in Jamestown by 5pm.
In case you’d like more information about the area, the trails, the birds you can see, and more, you can visit http://www.classicbuffalo.com/WNYOutdoors/IroquoisNWR.htm and get that information. Of course, there are always birds at Audubon, and we’ve been greeting the early spring migrants already with a crowd of over 150 Tundra Swans, and other waterfowl, Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Canada Geese and more are arriving daily.






























