Oak Orchard Creek, National Natural Landmark and river in Orleans County, United States
Oak Orchard Creek is a river in western New York that flows north through Orleans County and empties into Lake Ontario. Its lower section is lined with a broad marsh filled with reeds and wetland plants, giving the waterway a very different character from its upstream stretches.
The creek played a role in early 19th-century settlement across the region, as its flow powered mills and small industries along its banks. The marsh at its lower end was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973.
The wetland along Oak Orchard Creek is a known stop for migratory birds moving along the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario corridors. Visitors can watch herons, ducks, and songbirds moving through the reed beds and shallow water at different times of year.
The lower stretch of the creek stays largely ice-free in winter because of hydroelectric activity upstream, so the area can be visited year-round. Bringing binoculars is a good idea, as the reed beds are wide and many birds rest at some distance from the bank.
Though the creek itself is little known outside the region, the marsh at its mouth is considered one of the more important wetland stops along the Great Lakes for birds following the Atlantic Flyway. Some rare species that rarely appear elsewhere in the state turn up here regularly during migration.
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