This is it – the biggest bird race in upstate New York! Organized by the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, the Muckrace is a 24-hour birding competition in which teams try to see as many species of birds as possible on the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.
The newly constructed barrier beach off what is known as the East Spit has become a major attraction for migrating shore birds. In order to view them, however, we will need to get to the island by wading across a small channel that can be knee-deep water depending on the water level and wave action.
If you’ve been to the Lilac Festival, then you’ve been to Highland Park. Is it a little weird here to bird in September? Maybe – but someone has to do it, and this will be a nice relaxing trip after the craziness of the Muckrace the weekend before.
We’ll be looking for waterfowl and migrating shorebirds. Meet at the Montezuma Visitors Center at 11:00 a.m. Pack a lunch.
We’ll meet in the main parking lot off County Road 41/Boughton Hill Road at 9:00 a.m. The lot is situated below the new museum at 7000 County Road 41, Victor, NY 14564. (From Rt. 444 from Victor, turn right onto Boughton Hill Road and go down the hill. The main parking lot will be on your right.)
We’ll look for migrant ducks, owls, and various passerines in this “Get to Know Iroquois in Autumn” trip.
We’ll be looking for thrushes and other migrants. Durand can be surprising this time of year.
It has been 20 years since the last breeding bird atlas in New York State and a lot has changed! The third atlas will take place from 2020-2025 and involve thousands of volunteers from across the state.
We’ll start off walking wooded and brushy areas of the park, looking for thrushes, sparrows, and maybe a half-hardy warbler or two. After that, we’ll stop by the lake watch to view ducks on the water and in flight, learning about the Lake Watch process as we share scopes.
We’ll start by searching LaSalles Landing Park and the south end of Irondequoit Bay for waterfowl, gulls, and possible lingering shorebirds.
Why a wastewater treatment plant? Open water and a great location mean that this spot appears regularly on the fall birding mailing lists.
Waxwings, winter finches, and lingering migrants are possible as well as Snowy Owl. We may visit Irondequoit Bay to look for waterfowl.
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