Dateline: 18 June 2022
With the impending solstice, BirdingPI.com has switched to its ‘summer schedule’ for going further afield. Today, reporting on a recent fieldtrip to Bentley Nature Preserve outside Jamestown, New York, near Lake Chautauqua. https://chautauquawatershed.org/2019/02/28/bentley-preserve/
Directions: I86 to the Strunk Rd exit, then south towards the lake/Jamestown. Right onto Route 430, then a quick right onto Bentley Road. Look for the sign and parking area on the right just before the dead end.
From the parking area, follow the path past the metal bridge that crosses the creek, to the interpretive sign, then follow the Pamela A. Westrom Wildflower Trail, which makes a long, meandering loop that ends back at the metal bridge. Or go the other direction by crossing the bridge and following the loop trail to its end at the interpretive sign. Trail conditions: mostly flat, locally muddy; allocate an hour or so.
The preserve is a lovely spot, centered around the slow-moving, serpentine stream that passes through mature, mixed eastern woodland.
Difficult photography conditions (shady with dense forest), but a fair amount of bird activity: Downy Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, Starling, Eastern Wood-pewee, Robin, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, American Goldfinch, sparrows, Great-crested Flycatcher, Gray Catbird, etc., and plenty of interesting insects and flowers and other plants.
Highlights of the day: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly.
Landscape shots: iPhone. Nature shots: mostly Nikon D7500 with Nikon 200-500 f5.6 lens.