Chemung Valley Audubon Society
PO Box 663 Elmira NY 14902 Founded March 27 1950
Gleason Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
The Gleason Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary is a diverse 30 acre preserve in the Town of Caton, NY. It was acquired with a bequest from the estate of long-time CVAS members, Herbert and Virginia Gleason. A system of trails passes through groves of hemlock, pines, and hardwoods. Several ponds and small streams enhance the property's value to wild plants and animals. To date 27 species of trees, 92 wild flowers, 2 reptiles, 10 amphibians, 11 mammals, and 80 birds have been recorded at the sanctuary. Trails are open to the public during daylight hours.
Directions to the Gleason Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary From Elmira, take Route 328 to Sagetown Road. Turn right on Sagetown Road. Follow Sagetown Road passing the end of Dutch Hill Road on the right, and Widger Hill Road on the left. Watch for a Town of Caton sign followed by a yellow intersection sign. Turn left at the intersection onto Birch Creek Road. Take the first left onto Hamilton Road. At the end of Hamilton Road, turn right onto Kelly Hill Road. After passing several houses and entering the woods, the road goes downhill. At the bottom on the right is a somewhat hidden pond and the driveway into the sanctuary is immediately past the pond. There is no sign by the road, but you can see the Gleason Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary sign from the road if you look down the driveway.
From Corning, take route 225 to Caton. From Caton, continue south on the Caton- Seeley Creek Road, passing the end of Cordurroy Road. At the next fourway intersection, turn left onto what is still Caton-Seeley Creek Road. At the next 3-way-intersection, bear right onto a road identified variously as Allen Road and Barto Hill Road. This will head south to the Pennsylvania border where it will turn eastward and then be called State Line Road. At the next 3-way- intersection, turn left onto Kelly Hill Road, which passes through a farm and enters the woods. The Sanctuary is on your left and the entrance is near the bottom of the slope with no sign by the road, but one posted down the driveway and visible from the road.
Things to see at the GAWS
Birds recorded at the Sanctuary Great Blue Heron, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, Killdeer, Solitary Sandpiper, Mourning Dove, Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, House Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Veery, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Blue-headed Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-winged Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Purple Finch, House Finch, American Goldfinch, | Trees recorded at the Sanctuary Red Maple, Black Birch, White Ash, Red Oak, Norway Spruce, Eastern Hemlock, Eastern White Pine, Yellow Birch, Paper Birch, Quaking Aspen, American Beech, Wild Black Cherry, Red Pine, Staghorn Sumac, Hop Hornbeam, White Oak, Bigtooth Aspen, Apple, Sugar Maple, Sassafras, Shadbush, Striped Maple, Black Willow, Witch Hazel, Choke Cherry |
Recent Photos
Who We Are
We envision ourselves as an organization that
*Is recognized as the regional promoter of birds and wild life habitat
*Is actively involved in the protection of wild life and their habitats
*Has a land management plan for the existing sanctuary
*Appeals to people of all ages
*Is recognized as the leading resource for regional environmental issues
*Is a facilitator of educational programs on birds and local ecology
