Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary Trail Marker NYS Lake Como Editorial Image

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.