New York | Red Hunt Travel

Looking for wildlife in Western New York isn’t as challenging as it may seem. Between Buffalo, Rochester and Niagara there are a number of parks and natural attractions that bring birds and wildlife to the area.

I gained an appreciation for the wildlife of this area while doing some winter hiking around the Tifft Nature Preserve in Buffalo.

Wildlife at Tifft Nature Preserve, Buffalo

Within sight-line of Buffalo, in winter, the forest at Tifft Nature Preserve opens up, allowing you to easily spot birds and follow tracks of the local wildlife, including deer. I saw a number of deer here, although they were much more skittish than the birds! In winter, rent some snowshoes to get around – tons of fun!

Hello Deer! Spotted at Tifft Nature Preserve

Birding at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Amherst

The biggest protected area on this list. Iroquois is home to one of America’s greatest icons – the Bald Eagle! While spotting the eagles here isn’t easy, try looking for them from Cayuga overlook. Other wildlife including frogs, Canadian geese and muskrats are common. Depending on the time of year, everything from woodpeckers to egrets have been seen at Iroquois National Refuge.

Urban Wildlife at Delaware Park, Buffalo

Dubbed the “Central Park” of Buffalo, Delaware Park draws in outdoor lovers any time of year. While it is a fairly developed land area, with more than just hiking and biking trails, it still lures in some wildlife. Look for creatures like squirrels, rabbits and perhaps raccoons. You’ll also find geese, ducks and other birds around the waterfront and trails at Delaware Park.

Squirrel! — Squirrels are some of the more common creatures you’ll spot in parks in Western New York

Animal Spotting at Amherst State Park, Amherst

Beautiful gardens and plenty of trails make this state park a good spot for watching, or tracking wildlife. In winter, this is another great spot to go looking for tracks of some of the more elusive creatures of Western New York, such as bobcats, coyotes, minks and foxes. For bird lovers, great blue herons and cardinals are among the resident highlights, while many migratory birds also make their way to the Ellicott Creek area. Amherst State Park is also a great place to spot deer.

Birding around Buffalo and WNY is great any time of year

Exploring Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, North Java

With wetlands, woodlands and plenty of trails, Beaver Meadow is a year round destination for people looking to get outside in search of animals. Obviously dedicated to birders, the park also attracts its fair share of other wildlife thanks to a great diversity of habitats. From owls to warblers to muskrats, Beaver Meadow is well worth exploring.

Do you have any other favourite spots to look for wildlife around Western New York?

Bat Shelters! — Bat Shelters – a great way to help our wild friends

Dressed in cozy warm, modern gore-tex, fleece and synthetic clothing, it seemed a little funny venturing into Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, New York.

A place that epitomizes history and originally used by Native American for hunting and fishing, the site has had it’s fair share of violence over the past few hundred years! The French and British both occupied this area at times and today is nicely restored, helping to showcase what life was like during the War of 1812, the American Revolution and before.

Old Fort Niagara Entrance — Old Fort Niagara – Museum Entrance

Before visiting the actual fort, you need to pay at the Visitor Center, which also happens to have a gift shop and museum, with many old artefacts. It serves as a great introduction to what you are about to see when you head over to the fort itself.

Located along the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, the most impressive building here is the French Castle. Built back in the 1750s, this is the original building of the fort and was purposefully built to look like a trading post, instead of a military building, so that the Iroquois Indians wouldn’t get too suspicious.

Walking around the rooms inside the French Castle at Fort Niagara, you can envision soldiers mulling about, cooking, sleeping and guarding the fort. As I visited during winter, it seemed to give it an even more authentic feeling, with the desolation and quietness of the complex helping to let the history of the place sink in.

View of the French Castle — View of the “French Castle” at Old Fort Niagara

Of course, my visit had to include a rifle firing demonstration too!

Apparently the fort often hosts class trips, not just for day visits but for overnight experiences as well. I thought that would have been a fun experience, to eat, sleep and live in a fort like soldiers did hundreds of years ago.