Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary

This 157-acre nature preserve along the Lake Como outlet is owned and operated by the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Situated in a high plateau pocket running from Locke to Homer, the preserve features a number of plants uncommon to the region and some of the highest breeding bird diversity in the state. The preserve, located along the Lake Como outlet, is in the Town of Summerhill in Cayuga County. Situated in a pocket of the high plateau that runs from Locke to Homer, the serene preserve is bisected by Fall Creek near its headwaters. A ridge to the west blocks prevailing winds; combined with the elevation, it makes the preserve a bit colder than the surrounding area. Hemlock and yellow birch, the dominant trees on the site, are typical of the Adirondacks, but are generally found only in the high steep valleys of the Finger Lakes.