Directions: Since it is off-limits, especially since the Sep 11, 2001 event, directions will not be mentioned.
A tour around the lake:
Soon after Standpipe is the Liberty Marine and the Silver Lake Roller Skate. Turn there and drive west down to the marina. The entire north end of the lake can be seen from the parking lot and docks. Much of the middle of the lake can be seen here as well. After viewing, continue south. At the first stop sign, drive towards the lake. A small park provides viewing access to much of the lake. Scan from here. The road bends around. Stay as close to the lake as possible. Soon, Chapman Road is reached. Turn right onto Chapman. About 50 yards, the road Tee's. Turn left. At 0.3 miles, a woodlot has a small sign and foot trail that leads to the lake. This is NYS DEC fishing access and offers some limited visibility of the lake (due to small shrubs on the water's edge). Return to Chapman Road and head east to the end. You will pass the Silver Lake drive-in. Turn right onto Route 39.
Turn right at the next road onto East lake Road. Drive about a mile. Looks for the Mack's Boat Livery sign. At the end is a boat launch and much of the south end of the lake can be seen from here. Return to East Lake Road and head south. The cottages end, and this denotes the start of NYS DEC land. Foot traffic is welcome, however the interwoven shrubbery make it quite inaccessible at most sites. About 0.5 miles past the cottages are two small ponds (one with a dry hydrant pipe). These ponds have held a variety of waterfowl, including Eurasian Wigeon, and some shorebirds. About 0.3 miles further is West Lake Road. Turn right onto West Lake Road. About one mile north is the NYS DEC Silver Lake boat launch. Park near the lake. Scan the inlet area and the rest of the lake. Black-crowned Night-heron has been seen from here. A port-a-john is available here. Return to East Lake Road. Turn right. The first road on the left (100 yards) is Weaver Road. Turn left. About 100 yards down is a cattail marsh. Rails and bitterns might be possible from here.
Nearby birding might be found at the Van Arsdale Pond about 1.5 miles down Weaver Road, or at Silver Springs about 2 miles west down East Lake Road.
Directions: From NYS Route 98 and Route 78 intersection (Java five corners), head east on Pee Dee Road. After several miles, turn left onto Poplar Tree Road. Continue up to Sodom/Devinney Road intersection. The area to the SW of this intersection is the county forest. The pond to the SE sometimes offers a clearing to view hawks or ducks.
The descriptions/maps to the boats launches and state parks (Silver Lake) are sponsored by NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation .
This page was last updated on 10 December 2001. Comments or questions regarding this page should be sent to Webmaster.
Akron Reservoir
Off-limits to trespassers, but one of the largest bodies of water in the county. The first DC Cormorant for Wyoming County was found there. Interesting waterfowl sometimes accumulate there. The pines around the reservoir offer interesting birding potential.
Directions: Since it is off-limits, especially since the Sep 11, 2001 event, directions will not be mentioned.
Attica Reservoir
The second largest body of water in the county. Large numbers of waterfowl, and sometimes shorebirds are possible here. Bald Eagles have been sighted in recent occasions, perhaps breeding in the area. The Red Pine plantation could prove interesting in breeding season. On Nesbitt Road south of the reservoir is habitat that may hold wintering raptors and perhaps Short-eared Owl. Common Raven has been sighted here on several occasions recently.
Directions: Since it is off-limits, especially since the Sep 11, 2001 event, directions will not be mentioned.
Cotton Hill
The hill to the west of Route 98 between Attica and Varysburg is called Cotton Hill. Interesting breeding birds are possible. The hill seems to funnel fall migrants.
Directions: From Attica, travel south on NYS Route 98. After about 3-4 miles, you pass over the Tonawanda Creek, and the road bends to the right at Lindsey Road. Travel another 1/2 mile south. Just after an old barn, Cotton Hill Road heads down to the base of the hill and Tonawanda Creek. Park along this road and bird the roadside, field edges and along the creek. Across the creek, the old Attica and Arcade railroad bed provides flat terrain to bird the hillside.
Eagle/Bliss/Pike
Telegraph Rd heading west from Pike to Route 39, then becoming Genesee Road west to Erie County may provide interesting spots for wintering raptors. The area around Lyonsburg Road and Centerville Roads is the most interesting. Rough-legged Hawks, N Harriers, N. Shrike have been found here. SE Owls are possible. N. Goshawks neast nearby. Prairie Warbler has been found in the jackpines near the Lyonsburg Road intersection, and along Lyonsburg ROad to the north. Upland Sandpipers have nested in the general vicinity of this locale.
Directions: From Arcade, travel NYS Route 39 east through the hamlet of Eagle. Shortly, the intersecting roads will be Genesee Road on the west and Telegraph Road on the east. Turn right onto Telegraph Road. Bird the road edges, especially near Centerville Road and the next few miles to the east.
Eagle Bog
This private property is on Sullivan Road in the township of Eagle. The unique bog and surrounding woods offers peaceful summertime birding. Red-shouldered Hawk has been found here. Some of the area can be birded from the roadside.
Directions: From Arcade, travel north on NYS Route 98. Turn at the second right onto East Arcade Road. Be sure to look in the fields for Wild Turkey in winter. Travel a few miles and turn right onto Allen Road. After about one mile, at the crest of the hill turn left onto Sullivan Road. Take Sullivan Road to the very end. At this intersection on the northwest side, is Eagle Bog.
Glor Road
At the intersection of Exchange and Glor Roads in the town of Attica is a large pond. Nesting and migrant waterfowl can be seen here. It can be viewed best from Glor Road.
Directions: From downtown Attica at the only real traffic light (not flashing light) on Main Street, turn south onto Exchange Street. After one mile, you will pass the infamous Attica Correctional Facility. Continue south up a very large hill. After 4-5 miles, Glor Road angles to the west. The pond will be evident.
Gouinlock's Pond
Gouinlock's Pond is a publically accessible Nature Conservancy site. Migrant waterfowl can be found here in small numbers. It is scheduled to be drained in 2000, which may provide shorebird habitat. Spotted Sandpiper, Common Snipe and Am Woodcock likely nest. Interesting "northerly" breeders are likely, such as Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, GC Kinglet, Pileated Woodpecker, Broad-winged Hawk.
Directions: From Attica, travel NYS Route 238 (Main Street) to the east end of town. As the road bends to the right and forks at the high school, turn off the main road (left fork) onto East Main Street and continue straight ahead. After driving up a large hill for several miles, turn on the first road (Warner) on the right. This is a seasonal road for first portion. Be watchfull of grassland birds and wintering raptors. Take Warner Road to the end, which intersects with Jillson Road. Straight ahead is another seasonal road - and probably unmanageable from December through mid- to late-April. After about a mile you will find the pond on the right.
Jenkins Pond
This small pond is on the ridge between Wyoming and Warsaw, just southeast of Carlton Hill. It is labeled on the Delorme atlas. Migrant waterfowl can be found here in small numbers. Wintering raptors are sometimes found in nearby fields.
Directions: Take Bank Road (see Carlton Hill) to the very end. Turn left (east). Take that to the very end. The pond is at that intersection, and is best viewed at 100 yards west of that intersection.
Lake LaGrange
Also called Lake Leroy (but not to be confused with the Leroy Reservoir in Genesee County). It is a reservoir for LaGrange. Waterfowl may find a safe haven here from hunters at Silver Lake. The shallow body of water freezes early, but often holds numbers of waterbirds. Up to 100 Ruddy Ducks have been found here. Bald Eagle was found on a recent CBC. Receding waters in hot summers may provide excellent shorebird habitat, like it did in 1999 and 2001. Am Bittern, Black-crowned Night-heron, and other birds have been seen here.
Minkel Road
Minkel Road runs east/west off Route 77 just north of Beaver Meadow. It has long been the home of Upland Sandpipers, perhaps the most dependable sites in the county. This statement may be in jeopardy since new landowners have removed the old fenceposts and changed teh land usage. Snowy and Short-eared Owls have been recorded here on a number of occasions. Grassland birds are likely breeders in summer.
Silver Springs
Morton Salt has a plant in Silver Springs, just west of Silver Lake. It has cooling ponds that provide open water year round. This can be a duck magnet during the winter. A portion can be seen from East Lake Road. The remainder of the cooling ponds can be seen from the Morton Salt Headquarters building. Follow the "Morton Salt Trucks" signs. Be careful not to block any drives or entrances. View only from the parking lot.
Shearing Road
Shearing Road is located in Gainesville, heading west off Route 19. Several miles west, just past an abandoned railroad bed is a wet spot that can attract shorebirds. In 1999, this site provided the first Willet for the county, and also an Olive-sided Flycatcher and Bonaparte's Gull.
Silver Lake
The largest body of water in the county is Silver Lake. The shores are packed with residences, mostly summer cottages. Waterfowl and gulls are attracted to this site in migration and during the winter months until the waters freeze. During the summer months, it is not recommended to visit any of the sites below, except perhaps the nearly impenetrable NYS DEC inlet area. View a map (46KB) of the lake and vicinity.
From NYS Route 39, travel south through Perry. In the town of Perry, Route 39 bends sharply to the left. Two roads intersect at this bend. Turn right onto Standpipe Road towards the water tower. A gas station is at the corner (food, gas, phone). Drive west to the stop sign. The lake is now visible. Turn right and travel about a half mile. An outlet stream is visible from the road. Sometimes ducks and marsh birds (including Great Egret) are visible from here. Turn around and head south.
Tinkham Road
Tinkham Road is a north/south road from NYS Route 354 (Clinton Street) in the township of Bennington. Several varieties of pines exist that may hold interesting wintering and breeding birds. Fall migrants sometimes collect here.
Van Arsdale Pond
Van Arsdale Pond is just south of Silver Lake. This privately owned beaver pond can be seen from the road. Many species of waterfowl have been recorded here. The private woods behind the pond has held interesting breeders. Pileated Woodpecker and Barred Owls are regulars in that woods. The Van Arsdale's feed regularly. They have had Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Common Redpoll and Pine Siskin visit their yard in recent years.
Directions:
From East Lake Road on Silver Lake, turn left onto Weaver Road. Take Weaver Road south to the end. The pond is at that intersection.
From Castile, turn right onto Park Road. Take that north to the end, where it bends sharply to the left. The pond is at that bend.
Wethersfield Springs
In the hamlet of Wethersfield is a spring that forms a pond. The pond holds waterfowl, and if low, shorebird habitat. It can be viewed on Wethersfield Road, just east of Hermitage Road. The fields nearby can hold plovers during migration. Wintering field birds, larks, bunting and longsours, have been recorded here.
Directions: From NYS Route 20A / NYS Route 238 intersection, take Hermitage Road south several miles to the hamlet of Wethersfield Springs. Turn left (east) onto Wethersfield Road. The pond is visible on the left about 100 yards from this intersection.
Wyoming County Forest
Relatively undisturbed, a large tract of forest provides habitat for unique breeders. It is near the highest elevation in Wyoming County. Red-shouldered, Broad-winged, Red-tailed, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks have been found here, as well as Common Raven and Pine Siskin.
State Resources Online
A description/map to the Carlton Hill Wildlife Management Area is currently annotated to describe the area. Those web pages are sponsored by the NYS DEC at the NYSDEC WMA's Region 9 (Buffalo) web page. If this web site is unreachable, try to tunnel in from the NYSDEC Wildlife Management Areas or NYSDEC Bureau of Wildlife. 
Copyright, © Kurt Fox, 1999-2001.
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