Buffalo Ornithological Society
Birding Western New York and the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario

Singing Prothonotary Warbler at Iroquois NWR - © Patrick Sysiong

Knox Farm SP, 437 Buffalo Rd, East Aurora, NY 14052

Please note that the meeting time is 6:00pm on MONDAY, May 6. This trip has a weather date of MONDAY, May 13 at 6:00pm.

Leaders are:
Steve Giamberdino 716-983-6155
stephengiamberdino@gmail.com

Schuyler Lawson 205-901-5126
slawson1991@gmail.com

Please meet at the barn parking lot on Seneca Street where we will begin our hike through a variety of habitats. Expect to see at least 40 different species of birds by the end of this outing. Stephen and Schuyler will help you learn how to identify them when you’re out on your own!
Expect to see: Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Eastern Bluebird, Savannah and Field Sparrows, Killdeer, Tree and Barn Swallows, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker and Wood Thrush.
We also may possibly see: Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Baltimore Oriole, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird and Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
This is during peak spring migration so we hope to see a variety of migratory warblers, vireos and flycatchers! There will also be familiar favorites such as American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow, Blue Jay, Red-winged Blackbird and American Robin. Migrant raptors are a possibility as well!

>> Bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them. We will have a couple extra of each if you need one. We will probably hike over 2 miles, so be prepared for that. Dress mindful of ticks and exposure to the sun. Trails can be muddy so don’t wear your favorite sneakers or dress shoes (boots would be best)!

Photo of a Wood Thrush taken by Bill Massaro at Knox Farm SP on 5/04/2021.

Buffalo Museum of Science

Meet at 7 pm in the Cummings Room.

Dr. Gregory Cunningham of St. John Fisher University will present: Studying Leach’s storm-petrels in Nova Scotia: Research into their sense of smell and response to Hurricane Dorian.

6773 Trailside Road, Castile, NY 14427

Leader - Matt Nusstein (Matthew.Nusstein@parks.ny.gov; (716) 446-3376)

Location - Meet at 8am at the Humphrey Nature Center, 6773 Trailside Road, Castile, NY 14427 (see map link above).

Scenic Letchworth State Park, embracing the Genesee River, boasts incredible numbers of migratory birds in May and June. In addition, more than twenty species of warblers nest in the park annually making for an exciting birding destination. This list includes the local Louisiana Waterthrush as well as gems like Hooded, Blue-winged and Mourning Warblers. Acadian Flycatcher is another local species we hope to cross paths with during our outing. We will be birding along the gorge making various stops with short hikes as we go. The trip could last 5-6 hours and we will have lunch overlooking the river. Carpooling is suggested. Bring a lunch, snacks and beverages.

Photo of a male Common Yellowthroat taken by Sue Barth on June 26, 2019 at Letchworth SP.

Dunkirk City Pier, 8 Central Avenue, Dunkirk, NY 14048

NOTE: Rescheduled from May 18th

Meet at 8:00am on the Dunkirk Pier (parking available on the pier and by the shops right before the pier).

Leader: Devin Banning (716) 260-8889, Devin.Banning@Fredonia.edu

This trip will be targeting various habitats around the Dunkirk-Fredonia area. After looking over Dunkirk Harbor, we will continue to Point Gratiot where we will look and listen for newly arrived migrants as well as the local Red-headed Woodpeckers. Point Gratiot serves as a migrant trap in the city of Dunkirk and funnels northbound migrants into the DEC woodlot; the crown jewel of the park.
In years past, Gratiot has produced such coveted rarities such as Harris's Sparrow, Worm-eating and Kentucky Warblers, Summer Tanager and others.
Our next birding destination will be dependent upon the weather and migration patterns on the days leading up to our outing. We may travel to the Dunkirk Airport for grassland species including nesting Grasshopper Sparrow, Berry Road Marsh and/or Lake Erie State Park.
Last year's trip report can be viewed here
https://ebird.org/tripreport/171944

Photo of a Harris's Sparrow by Gale VerHague at Point Gratiot on May 19, 2021.

Throughout the BOS Study Area

Sunday, May 19, 2024

All BOS members will hopefully participate in the 86th annual May Bird Count.

BOS members are encouraged to participate. Please help us add to the decades of records that the BOS has collected reflecting population dynamics of the area birdlife. You can be part of a field team or simply count birds at your backyard feeder. All observations are important! If you don't know what section you live in, please contact Bob DeLeon who will put you into contact with the correct section compiler. Please visit the May Count information page on the website at the address below. Thank you so much!

More about the May Count: more info »

Photo of a male Blackburnian Warbler by Josh Ketry at Wilson-Tuscarora SP on May 22, 2019.

See the Google Map link

Please note:
Due to limited parking, we can carpool for those who are interested. For those looking to carpool, please meet at the Burger King at 5597 Camp Rd, Hamburg, NY 14075 at 8:00 a.m. For those who would like to meet us at Floating Fen, we will start the walk at 9:00 a.m.

Leaders: Andrew Gaerte (585) 610-6842, agaerte@wnylc.org
Marcus Rosten (716) 713-7651, mrosten@wnylc.org

In 2023, the Western New York Land Conservancy was able to permanently protect an amazing 225-acre forest and wetland property in northern Chautauqua County. The heart of the Floating Fen property is a beautiful fen, a peat-forming wetland, which provides a unique habitat for rare wildflowers and carnivorous plants. The Buffalo Ornithological Society, under guidance from the BOS Conservation Committee, provided a grant to assist the Land Conservancy in purchasing and protecting this unique property.

Please join Andrew Gaerte and Marcus Rosten, of the Western New York Land Conservancy, for a guided bird hike at the Floating Fen on Saturday, June 8 th . Last year’s outing to Floating Fen in May found 13 species of warblers including Mourning and Hooded, Veery and Wood Thrush, and many other species.
With this outing taking place in early June, we should have nesting birds like
Mourning and Chestnut-sided Warblers, and Least Flycatcher, all of which can be added to the final year of the NYS Breeding Bird Atlas!
Here is the link to last May’s walk: https://ebird.org/checklist/S137725918


Photo of a Barred Owl by Thomas Riley on May 15, 2021 at the nearby College Lodge property.

Tifft Nature Preserve - Visitor's Center

The annual BOS picnic meeting will be held at Tifft Nature Preserve on Wednesday, June 12, at 6 PM.

Weather permitting, bring your meal, a folding chair if you like, and meet at the picnic tables outside the Visitor Center.

The gates will be open to drive back to the staff parking area outside the building. Also, the restrooms will be open 6:00 to 6:30.

After our meals, we will hike the preserve until sunset.

Gravel lot off Alleghany Road (Route77) across from 10271 Alleghany Road.

Meeting time is 8:00am in the gravel lot off Alleghany Road (Route 77) across from 10271 Alleghany Road.

Leader is Matthew Nusstein - (716) 446 3376; matthew.nusstein@parks.ny.gov

Matt will be leading our group in search of grassland breeding birds at Darien Lake SP in Genesee County. In the fields at this location, we will be looking for Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark and Savannah Sparrow. This trip will last approximately 3 hours.

Photo of a Northern Bobwhite taken by Schuyler Lawson at Darien Lakes SP on July 4, 2023.

9998 Larkin Rd, Eden, NY 14057

Leader - Joe Petre
josephpetre@gmail.com
(716) 207-9555

Start time - 7:30am in the parking lot at 9998 Larkin Rd, Eden, NY

Franklin Gulf County park in North Collins, Erie County, formerly known as Larkin Woods, is a 600+ acre forest with numerous creeks, ravines, ledge outcrops, waterfalls, and extensive hemlock stands which should feature Acadian Flycatcher and Louisiana Waterthrush. Join Joe at one of his favorite locations to hike and bird. This will be a 1/2 day trip wrapping up before noon.

Photo of a male Black-throated Green Warbler by Mike Zebehazy on May 6, 2021 at Franklin Gulf.

Stay tuned for details!

Stay tuned for details!

Canalside, 44 Prime Street, Buffalo, NY 14202

Boarding begins at 6:45am with departure at 7:00am. The trip will run approximately 2 hours, until 9:00am. Cost per person for the boat trip is $50.
Saturday, June 29 with a weather date of Sunday, June 30 (so please keep both days open).

We have teamed up with Rich Hilliman of Buffalo River History Tours to plan a 2-hour excursion of the Buffalo Harbor and the upper Niagara River. We will board the Harbor Queen, a 73’ catamaran vessel featuring an upper deck, accessed by stairs, with plenty of elbow room. Catamaran boats are very stable and offer a smooth ride! The Harbor Queen has a capacity of 145 people but we are limiting the number of participants to 60. Our boat offers wheelchair access, to the lower level only. Coffee, tea and mini muffins will be offered gratis.
Our route will take us around Donnelly’s Pier and the Reef Lighthouse and then down the Niagara River to Strawberry and Motor Islands, returning to Canalside via the Black Rock Canal. Leaders will be strategically positioned around the boat to help spot birds and broadcast sightings via the PA system.

The Common Tern colonies will be very busy with adults feeding youngsters. We hope to see Osprey and Bald Eagle (Strawberry Island nest), and numerous Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets at the Motor Island rookery. The Caspian Tern nesting colony on Donnelly's Pier sandspit should also be in full swing.
Boarding begins at 6:45am and the trip will depart Canalside at 7:00am, returning around 9:00am. Paid parking is available at any of the nearby surface lots as well as at Harbor Center - parking fees are not included in the boat trip cost.
The trip is set to embark on Saturday, June 29 with a weather date of Sunday, June 30. Please make sure to leave your social calendar open both of these days in case Saturday gets weathered out! Boat reservations are on a first come, first served basis. Your payment will ensure your space! You may pay by check or money transfer via Venmo. If you plan to join us, please let me know via email (alechumann@msn.com) or text (7166042971) so that I can add your name to the participant list in anticipation of payment to hold your spot.

For Venmo users, use @alechumann and the last 4 digits of my phone number are 2971 if you need that information. Make sure to mark the payment as ‘friends and family’.

For those mailing a check…
Please make your check out to Alec Humann and mail to:
Alec Humann
20 Queens Drive
Grand Island, NY 14072-1424

Mike Morgante photographed a portion of the Great Egret rookery at Motor Island WMA on June 25, 2021.

Stay tuned for details!