Great Swamp Conservancy
Canastota, Madison Co.
See ospreys perched atop nesting platforms and roam several miles of trails through diverse habitats looking for a variety of birds, as well as other wildlife, in this special place designated by the Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area near Oneida Lake in Central New York.
Wildlife to Watch
- Ospreys, bald eagles, and great-horned owls
- Great blue herons, including a heron rookery
- Many varieties of migrating waterfowl
- Turkey, bobwhite quail, bluebirds and a variety of other field and forest bird species
- Beaver, muskrat and white-tailed deer, frogs and other amphibians, garter snakes and turtles
- Bass, sunfish,bluegills and bullheads
Where to Watch
- Forested wetland
- Grassland and shrubland
- Upland woods
- Wet meadow, marsh, flooded swamp, and a restored pond
Recreational Opportunities
- Visitor center (accommodates large meetings and educational programs)
- Accessible nature trails, with brochures, a boardwalk, photo blinds, lookouts and interpretive signs
- Anne V. Pickard Wildlife Overlook parking area
- Accessible fishing platform at Simpson Park
- Parking for buses and motor homes at the main nature complex
Directions
See Google Maps for step by step directions to Great Swamp Conservancy (This link will open a page outside of the DEC website. Hold "Shift" down while clicking on the link to open it in a new window)
Size
About 302 total acres on four properties, however access to the 100-acre wetland visible from the Anne V. Pickard Wildlife Overlook is limited to the parking area only
Contact Information
Address: 8375 North Main Street, Canastota, NY 13032
Telephone: 315-697-2950
Website: The Great Swamp Conservancy, Inc. (This link leaves the DEC website)