This is a great opportunity to explore an upland region of northeastern Wyoming County including New Compehner Farm (6340 LaGrange Road Wyoming, NY 14591). We will look for migrating and resident warblers, a variety of native sparrows, hopefully returning cliff swallows, both oriole species and open country birds, in a nice mixture of open fields and wooded habitats and bird friendly plantings.

This trip has generated large species lists due to the many habitat types we will travel through. We will start from the parking lot to the longhouse and walk wide mown or packed dirt trails through the meadowlark field and then head down through woods, shrub land, and wetland to an overlook in grassland.

This trip frequently boasts more birds than any other RBA field trip. Of course, it gets an early start! We’ll look for birds not frequently seen on other trips, such as Acadian Flycatcher

A trip to this unique place is by special permit from the Bergen Swamp Preservation Society and will feature nesting birds. The mix of vegetation zones provides secluded nesting habitat for the usual western N.Y. species as well as those more characteristic of the Canadian zone such as Blue-headed Vireo, Hermit Thrush, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Black-and-white, Canada and Nashville Warblers.

The 100 acre privately owned Odonata Sanctuary, 20 Parrish Road, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472, is the former home of Joseph W. Taylor, who was a founder of the American Birding Association and president of Hawk Mountain Association.  The sanctuary participates in the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) that provides nesting acreage for grassland nesting birds such as Eastern Meadowlarks, and Bobolinks.

We will be birding as we drive (and stop) throughout the diverse landscapes of Northern Allegany County, 20 minutes south of Letchworth State Park. Grassland, woodland, pond and swampland species such as Prairie and Mourning Warblers, Eastern Bluebirds, Pied-billed Grebes, and maybe a bittern or two should be seen.

Explore this expansive wetland for Virginia Rails and Wood Duck families. We’ve seen eagles on a reliable basis, Cliff Swallows and more.