Backyard Birding at Beechwood State Park in Sodus NY

Snowy Owl - Sodus Bay photo by Mark De Cracker

March is an anxious month for most as we await spring arrival. However, there's always something to do nearby.

For winter enthusiast that love the snow Beechwood State Park is an awesome place to do some snowshoeing, cross country skiing or winter birding. Several trails lead you to the shores of Lake Ontario, through groves of pines, beech woods, stately hardwood trees that offer forest birds a refuge. Other trails will take you through what use to be an active family fruit farm back in the early 1900's with old apple and cherry trees. And another along Maxwell Creek and Maxwell Bay.  Follow Maxwell Creek south across Lake Road and you'll find a waterfall.

Heron -Sodus Bay-photo by Cathy Contant

Beechwood State Park's shoreline is a vantage point to looking out over Lake Ontario and view a variety of wintering ducks. Along the way you may even spot an eagle, raptors, chickadees, warblers and bluebirds to name just a few.  Even the Snowy Owl has been sighted on Sodus Bay just two miles away. Maxwell Creek and Maxwell Bay border the park and bring a variety of fish eating and plant eating water fowl such the Green Heron, Blue Heron, Egrets, Caspian, Swans, Red Wing Black birds and Canadian Geese in the spring.  I'm told we have Catbirds, in our little orchard, but I have yet to identify one.

Red-bellied Woodpecker -Sodus Bay-photo by Cathy Contant

A variety of species of warblers, finches,
Northern Downy Woodpeckers,
Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Heron are right in our own backyard at Maxwell Creek Inn Bed & Breakfast. So if you enjoy the serenity of a winter hike, snowshoeing or cross country skiing through a wonderful wooded park offering a plethora of  birding opportunities Beechwood State Park will do just that.

The park borders our property at Maxwell Creek Inn Bed & Breakfast. So why not make it a weekend get-away.