by Bob Ekblad

1. Hadley Valley
2. Eastside WMA
3. Silver Creek Reservoir
4. Viola Pond
5. Quincy Road

The area along the gravel portion of 48th Street (go straight were County 124 turns north) is good for hawks and an occasional Bald Eagle. It is also a good place to watch and listen for owls (Screech Owl in particular) before and at sunrise and at dusk.  The road enters more heavily wooded habitat after you go up the first rise where the species possibilities change to passerines, etc.

Sora and Virginia Rails as well as Sedge and Marsh Wrens can be found here, predominantly during spring migration.  This is one of the best locations in the county for finding Yellow-headed Blackbird; they can usually be located a distance to the south of the platform in the taller reeds.  Green Heron can often be found here as well, usually in the flooded tree area on the west (where you are sure to spot Wood Ducks in the spring and summer).  Rarities here include a pair of Great-tailed Grackles (May 7-8, 2001), Common Moorhen, Sandhill Crane, and Prothonotary Warblers.  A few years ago Least Bittern were found here later in the summer.

The pine plantation was recently "renovated" and now has a lot less trees.  There should still be enough habitat to draw in migrants so it is probably worth the time to wander through the area.  If you follow the trail through to the east end where the tract opens up into more open grassy and drier areas you may find both Black-billed Cuckoo and the less common Yellow-billed Cuckoos.  You can also walk the tracks (they are used by real trains, so take care) to get further to the south without having to break trail.

Spring warbler watching is good up along the highway, especially at the gap in the trees by the control structure (in spite of the sometimes heavy traffic) where the birds tend to funnel past.  You can also enter the west side of the waterway through the pines where there is often viewable shorebird habitat.

Further to the east there is viewing of the southeast arm of the lake where most shorebird species will be found (unless the water level is too high).  American Avocets as well as both Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits and both dowitchers are usually found here each spring. Tundra Swans and American White Pelicans are also frequent spring visitors   Rarities include a Piping Plover in 1997 and a couple of families of (unbanded) Trumpeter Swans in 1995.

Further east, just past the bridge, is a place on the south side of the road where Orchard Orioles have recently been found (this is a hard to find bird in the county and this is the best location).  Sedge Wren and Bobolinks can also be found a little further on where the trees give way to pasture.  If you proceed further east and up a rise, stop and look back on the south side of the road for the Great Blue Heron rookery.

There is also access to view the lake via a short stub road off of Cty 11 on the north side of the reservoir.  You can drive in up to the gate (don't drive through; it may get closed behind you) and view both waterfowl and shorebirds from this location as well.

If you head east on Silver Creek Road after leaving the reservoir, turn north and drive up to the antenna farm area, watching for Eastern Bluebird along the way.  Birding along the road at the stream crossing can be quite good. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers seem to like the area in addition to flycatchers and warblers.

You can also continue an additional mile east on Silver Creek Road up to 80th Ave and make a left turn onto 80th heading north.  This road has been a good spot to look for Gray Partridge, especially for the last mile before you get up to Cty 2.  Also in the same area in the winter you may find Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings.

Viola Pond is just a dinky little farm pond, usually complete with cattle that wade into the pond.  However, with a definite lack of shorebird habitat in the county (especially if the water levels in the reservoirs are high), this place seems to provide some of the best shorebird viewing.

On the way out to the pond from Rochester, be sure to bird 80th Ave. This road has been a good spot to look for Gray Partridge, especially for the last mile before you get up to Cty 2.  There is also a wet area about half way up that has been used as a stopping area for a few shorebirds.

If you are heading to Quincy Road from here, try going straight east from the pond, cross Hwy 42 and go straight on 41st St.  Take a right on 122nd Ave at the T.  This takes you through a nice patch of woods that can be productive for warblers, thrushes and possibly a towhee.  Take a left onto 23rd St. and proceed east, watching for sparrows, Loggerhead or Northern Shrike (depending on the season) and Horned Larks as well as possible migrating Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings.  At the next intersection turn south (right) to get down to 14th St.  Hang a left here to get to Quincy Road.