Wildlife Refuge welcomes public for eagle watch on Saturday

Press Release, Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

BASOM – To celebrate spring and the return of migratory birds, the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge kicks off the season this Saturday with its annual Eagle Watch.

Visitors are able to stop by the refuge’s Cayuga Overlook on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to see and learn about bald eagles from the volunteers of the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. The Cayuga Overlook is located on Lewiston Road in the Town of Alabama, and offers excellent viewing of resident bald eagles flying near their nest.

The spot is a haven for wildlife photographers. Herons, geese, swans, birds of prey, and many varieties of ducks can also be seen at this location, which offers parking. Cayuga Overlook is open from dawn to dusk daily.

A free program on bluebirds is also offered Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon at the refuge’s visitors’ center at 1101 Casey Rd., Basom. Carl Zenger, who maintains the bluebird, purple martin, and kestrel nesting colonies at the refuge, will share his knowledge from years of bluebird data collection.

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge includes 10,283 acres of federally protected lands at the intersection of Niagara, Genesee and Orleans counties. In 1973, the Oak Orchard Creek Marsh section was designated a National Natural Landmark.

The refuge is also a National Audubon Society Important Bird Area that supports approximately 266 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, plus reptiles, fish, amphibians, and insects. The refuge includes forests, grasslands, walking trails, a visitors’ center, exhibits, and a nature store, visited by 50,000 – 75,000 people each year.

For more information, go to finwr.org or call the refuge visitors’ center at 585-948-5445. The visitors’ center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.