Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
The Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Inc. (FINWR) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing public awareness of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and to helping the community understand its mission and goals.
Check out our bald eagle nest camera!
PLEASE NOTE: The eagle camera live video is currently down. We did a site inspection, and the nest and camera are fine. We think the cold and ice may have messed with our power supply. We will be attempting to trouble shoot and repair the problem as soon as temperatures warm up enough to work on-site.
Thanks for your patience!
A bald eagle nest camera funded by Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge offers a captivating window into the lives of these majestic raptors. Streaming live footage of a nest above the refuge’s Cayuga Marsh, this camera provides bird enthusiasts and nature lovers a rare opportunity to observe bald eagles up close. With this cutting-edge technology, viewers can follow the eagles’ journey from any device with streaming capabilities.
FINWR Blog
FINWR elects officers, board member
At its annual meeting Nov. 22, the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (FINWR) elected a new member to its board and officers for the coming year. Elected to the board was Garner Light of Gasport, the group’s past president. Emma DeLeon of Williamsville was...
Winners announced in FINWR photo contest
The winners of the 2024-25 photo contest held by Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (FINWR) were announced Saturday, Nov. 22, at the nonprofit group’s annual meeting. First, second and third place were chosen in three categories: birds, other wildlife, and...
14 books for nature lovers on your list
The holiday season is just around the corner. If you have a nature/bird lover you are looking for a gift for, here are some possibilities suggested by some of our board members and other members of Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. All of these can be...
Become a Volunteer
FINWR and the refuge are always in need of volunteers in a variety of areas, including the Flyway Nature Store, staffing at various events, information technology, trail maintenance and improvement, eagle nest camera moderators, nesting/banding programs, gardening and weeding, sponsorship and communications.
Annual Photo Contest 2025-2026
Photos taken at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Basom, New York, between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026, are eligible. Winners will be chosen by a group of professional photographers from the Rochester area in adult (18 and older) and youth (17 and younger) divisions in three categories: birds, other wildlife, and landscapes, and a total of $1,000 in prizes will be awarded.
Make a Donation
Support FINWR by making a donation or becoming a sponsor today! Donations fund conservation, education, trails, docks, and many other projects at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
Conservation
Some of the projects funded by FINWR, like the pollinator meadow and the nesting programs, directly benefit the refuge’s varied wildlife. For instance, in 2024 the purple martin program provided 148 gourds, 126 of which fledged at least one bird, and a total of 500 purple martins were banded.
Become a Volunteer
FINWR and the refuge are always in need of volunteers in a variety of areas, including the Flyway Nature Store, staffing at various events, information technology, trail maintenance and improvement, eagle nest camera moderators, nesting/banding programs, gardening and weeding, sponsorship and communications.
16th Annual Photo Contest 2025-2026
Photos taken at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Basom, New York, between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026, are eligible. Winners will be chosen by a group of professional photographers from the Rochester area in adult (18 and older) and youth (17 and younger) divisions in three categories: birds, other wildlife, and landscapes, and a total of $1,000 in prizes will be awarded.
Conservation
Some of the projects funded by FINWR, like the pollinator meadow and the nesting programs, directly benefit the refuge’s varied wildlife. For instance, in 2024 the purple martin program provided 148 gourds, 126 of which fledged at least one bird, and a total of 500 purple martins were banded.
Make a Donation
Support FINWR by making a donation or becoming a sponsor today! Donations fund conservation, education, trails, docks, and many other projects at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Richard Moss, President
Be a swamp angel!
On Salt Works Road just west and north of the refuge is a historical marker about Charles Stielow, who came within hours of being executed in 1916 at Sing-Sing Prison for killing a farmer he had been working for. The exoneration is acknowledged as one of the first cases to usher in the modern science of criminal forensics — thus the marker. A 2010 book, “Slaughter on a Snowy Morn,” describes the case and what this area was like at that time. Stielow was a German immigrant and an itinerant farm laborer. There were a lot of farm laborers in that era, and the book asserts that one of the peculiar local phrases was to call such farm hands “swamp angels” because farmers could usually find one of them to help when the need arose. I’ve never heard anyone use that phrase locally, so I can’t vouch for its accuracy. But for our purposes, I really like the name “swamp angels” because I think it’s a good description for the members of FINWR, given that many people still think of the refuge as the Alabama swamps.
Visit Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (INWR) has over 100,000 public trail visits each year. Come see the wild animals and enjoy the beauty of nature at the refuge. We have fun events and activities that bring you closer to the outdoors. Click the link to see what’s happening soon: Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge Events. Join us for an exciting day out!
Staff interview: Logan Sauer, PARK RANGER
Logan is the ranger visitors are most likely to meet at the refuge Visitor Center. He uses his artistic sensibilities to connect people to nature, and he specializes in outreach to young people in underserved communities.