Braddock Bay and nearby Great Lakes shore stopover sites provide migrant land birds with critical food, shelter from weather and predators, resting habitat, and other resources needed along migration routes. The area is protected and studied by the Genesee Land Trust, the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory, and Braddock Bay Raptor Research to meet birds' needs and learn more about migration. In fall, adults and immature birds often arrive here after crossing the lake, and in spring migrating birds gather while waiting to make a nighttime flight across it. The diversity of vegetation at Braddock Bay supports many species, making long-term conservation of staging areas near Great Lakes shores important to migrant bird populations. Species seen or banded here include northern saw-whet owls, sharp-shinned hawks, scarlet tanagers, yellow-rumped warblers, and white-throated sparrows. At the bird observatory, birds moving through shrubs are caught in nearly invisible nets, carefully removed, processed by recording capture information and physical measurements including fat score, fitted with numbered leg bands, and released unharmed by licensed volunteer banders. Recapturing banded birds here and elsewhere provides important details about migration patterns and schedules. The Genesee Land Trust preserves and protects land in the greater Rochester area, including waterways, wetlands, farmland, open space, fish and wildlife habitat, and scenic or recreational areas, and it owns the Manitou Beach Preserve and, with the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory, the Kaiser Manitou Beach Banding Station.
