DERBY HILL BIRD OBSERVATORY
Posted by: 
PTCrazy
N 43° 31.663 W 076° 14.363
18T E 399848 N 4820165
This is the Derby Hill bird observatory and Helen Jahn Memorial Sanctuary, located along Lake Ontario. It is about 5 miles North of the Village of Mexico, New York.
Waymark Code: WM204V
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 08/12/2007
Views: 36
Located in the Southeast corner of Lake Ontario, Derby Hill is ideally located for observing the spring migration of hawks. When northbound hawks reach the lakeshore they turn East and North to take advantage of the rising air masses called thermals along the shore. Derby Hill has a bluff overlook above the lake providing a panoramic view. The best hawk viewing is from an open field adjacent to the lake shore. Two other viewing areas, South Lookout and Sage Creek Marsh are located along the access road, Sage Creek Drive.
One of the premier birding sites in the Northeast, Derby Hill enables visitors to see the 15 species of migrating hawks and eagles that migrate through the state each year. Peak flights usually occur during the last 10 days of April. Flights can be spectacular as wave after wave of migrants pass over at tree top level dropping to skim the field's surface. More than 18,000 broad-winged hawks have been counted in a single day. Comparisons of number of birds counted each year provide an index of the health of hawk populations. A trail and boardwalk through field, wet meadow, and forest provide good songbird and other wildlife viewing. At the Sage Creek Marsh site, herons and ducks can be observed from a blind.
Open Year Round?: yes
Live Animal Displays: no
Hours: Not listed
Interpretive Programs?: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
Visitors should visit the Nature Center and post a photo of themselves (or GPS unit) either inside or outside of the nature center visited. Logs without photos WILL be allowed if a lenghty description of one's visit and a mention of what they learned is included.