| OVERVIEW
While our calendars still say summer, with diminishing daylight, wildlife from shorebirds to songbirds to raptors and fish are aware of the slowly changing season and the time to move either seaward or south.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
 8/26 – Dutchess County, HRM 96: Just before 8:00 AM today, Matthew Rymkiewicz made a notable discovery when he came upon a stilt sandpiper in a shallow farm pond in the middle of an open field on Strever Road. The shorebird was often in the company of a pectoral sandpiper and at least one great egret. It seemed that raptors were also interested as a female kestrel flew in as well as three peregrine falcons that put up and chased the shorebirds including the stilt sandpiper!
Across five days, many birders came to see the stilt sandpiper, which was joined by two additional birds of the same species on 8/29. The three stilt sandpipers were last seen on 8/30. Least, semipalmated, solitary, and spotted sandpipers, along with greater and lesser yellowlegs, were also present throughout this time as well. [Photo of stilt sandpipers courtesy of Carena Pooth.]
– Deborah Tracy-Kral, Carena Pooth, Barbara Mansell
[The stilt sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) breeds in the open arctic tundra of North America and is seen in our region only in migration. This was only our second record of this species in Dutchess County. The previous report was of three stilt sandpipers at Fallkill Lake Park, seen by many observers between September 25 and October 13, 1968. This shorebird is more common in migration on Long Island and western New York. Barbara Butler.]
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES
[Note: Last week’s Almanac (8/19–Stony Point) discussed the adverse effects on wild celery (Vallisneria) of increased river flow and sedimentation from storm events. Hurricane Sandy (2012) was cited as the cause. However, the principal cause of the dramatic river-wide submerged aquatic vegetation collapse was the combined effects of Hurricane Irene and tropical storm Lee (2011). Betsy Blair.]
 8/26 – New Baltimore, HRM 131.5: We continue from last week’s entry on Kelly Halloran’s collection of old broken stems and bowls of kaolin pipes, eroded out of the sand on Polly Sherman’s beach. This area was part of the Mohican Indian homeland. Tobacco, a new commodity for Europeans, was introduced to the Dutch in the early seventeenth century. Native Americans had been using tobacco for ceremonial purposes for almost 2,000 years with elbow pipes that were often made of ground stone. Early European pipes were simple, with small bowls and narrow stem diameters, as tobacco was scarce and expensive.
How old were these kaolin pipes? If a maker’s mark is not present on a pipe, then bore diameter and bowl decoration (burnishing, carvings, etc.) can be used in dating. J.C. Harrington (1954) devised a means of relative dating for kaolin pipes based on the bore diameter of the stems. Later, Lewis Binford (1962) and Lee Hanson Jr. (1971) fine-tuned the process. Using these protocols, 225 of Kelly Halloran’s pipe stems and bowl fragments were analyzed to determine their likely date of manufacture. Four time-spans with place of manufacture were represented, the percentage of each depending on pipe stem diameter.
55% = c.1780 (1779-1790) English-American
44% = c. 1737 (1738-1741) English
1% = c. 1700 (1693-1703) Dutch
The 1779-1790 period (55%) represented the majority of the pipes; that fit nicely into the era of Rip Van Winkle (1769-1789), who we know smoked a kaolin pipe! [Photo of stone elbow pipe courtesy of Tom Lake.]
– Tom Lake
8/26 – Annsville Creek, HRM 43.5: I was kayaking near Annsville Circle and stopped to admire an osprey heading for shore with a fish in its talons. Suddenly, two adult bald eagles emerged with their own ideas about that meal. It didn’t take long for the osprey to release the fish before heading downriver. Bald eagles are well-known pirates of osprey catches. I couldn’t see if the eagles even bothered to grab the fish before they wheeled away and went off up Annsville Creek.
– Sharon AvRutick
8/26 – Bedford, HRM 35: We had no migrant raptors today at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch. There were the regulars: turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, a Cooper’s hawk, a red-shouldered hawk, and an osprey sitting and eating for hours in the microwave towers. Non-raptor observations included a common nighthawk, a Cape May warbler in the treetops behind the platform, and two monarchs heading southwest.
– Silvan Laan, Tait Johansson
8/27 – Greene County, HRM 112.2: We paddled into the Livingston-Ramshorn Sanctuary off Catskill Creek just before sunset and came across a merlin high up in a dead tree. This was a first for us. The highlight of our night was a great egret that gladly posed for its portrait while standing atop a boat’s canopy. A lovely green heron was also having a meal while perched on a log amidst the water chestnut. I’ve been seeing about two green herons in every location I’ve been paddling this summer, which makes me think they must have pretty distinct territories or I’d be seeing more. It was a perfect night – mirrored glass water and a beautiful sunset.
– Sharon Askew, Kelly Halloran
8/27 – Fort Montgomery, HRM 46.5: We were picnicking on the back patio of the visitor’s center at the Fort Montgomery State Historic Site when we spotted something we’ve never seen before in New York: a native lizard! It was a juvenile five-lined skink (Eumeces fasciatus), its reddish head and blue tail shining in the sun. It crept across the warm flagstones and then, as we watched, slid into an impossibly tiny crack in the wall and was gone.
– Joe Wallace, Sharon AvRutick
8/27 – Bedford, HRM 35: There were early signs of migration at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch with first of the season American kestrel, bald eagle, and broad-winged hawk. An immature broad-winged flew over the treetops in the last hour not far from the platform. I watched it catch and eat a dragonfly on the go. Fifteen minutes later, a second broad-winged spiraled up to catch a dragonfly on the go. Once it reached the apex of its rise, it glided straight southeast disappearing behind the treetops. Other raptors present were two Cooper’s hawks, a red-shouldered hawk, three red-tailed hawks, seven turkey vultures, and one black vulture. Non-raptor observations included monarchs, three ruby-throated hummingbirds, a mixed flock of black-and-white, black-throated-green, and chestnut-sided warblers and, in the last hour, three common nighthawks.
– Silvan Laan
8/28 – Peekskill, HRM 43: I fished the first five hours of the flood tide today from the shoreline rip-rap and had good success with channel catfish. I stopped counting after the first dozen or so, many of which were two to three pounds each. All were released. Once the rising tide crested, I began to attract the “bait-stealers,” likely blue crabs. I caught no carp – my target species – nor did I see any jumps or surface disturbances indicating they were present. The channel catfish saved what would have been a very slow day.
– Bill Greene
8/28 – Bedford, HRM 35: There was a very modest migration spread out over the day at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch: broad-winged hawk, osprey, sharp-shinned hawk, and an immature bald eagle spotted in the last half-hour, flying east. Local raptors included a red-shouldered hawk and an immature broad-winged hawk. Non-raptor observations included five monarchs moving west and two ravens around the microwave towers.
– Silvan Laan, Tait Johansson
8/28 – Manhattan, HRM 1: We checked our collection gear in Hudson River Park at The River Project’s sampling station on the lighthouse tender Lilac at Pier 25 and were greeted by a couple of young-of-the-year [YOY] oyster toadfish 20 millimeters [mm] long and a larger tautog (205 mm). Mixed in with the three fish were many juvenile mud crabs, a small clam worm, and a few anemones.
– Siddhartha Hayes
8/29 – Esopus Meadows, HRM 87: The timing was perfect: After its dive and snatch, my lens caught up with an osprey coming from the river carrying a foot-long channel catfish in its talons. Lately, the vast shallow and fish-rich bay at Esopus Meadows has been a magnet for late-summer osprey preparing for migration.
– Dwight Reed
8/29 – Bedford, HRM 35: Highlights from our day at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch included five osprey, four bald eagles, and one each red-shouldered, broad-winged, and sharp-shinned hawk flying southwest. Two of the osprey hung around, flying with fish and resting in telephone towers. Non-raptor observations included one each monarch butterfly, great egret, raven, two double-crested cormorants (adult and immature), and 16 cedar waxwings, all heading southwest.
– Silvan Laan
8/29 – Manhattan, HRM 1: We checked our collection gear in Hudson River Park at The River Project’s sampling station on the lighthouse tender Lilac at Pier 25 and although the traps and pots were empty of fishes, we were treated with a juvenile spider crab as well as many isopods, shore shrimp, mud dog whelk snails, mud crabs, sponges, and a few comb jellies.
– Siddhartha Hayes
8/30 – Milan, HRM 90: Our black bear paid a visit early this morning, just about a month since its last appearance. I guess we’re on its schedule of food stops. The bear took down a thistle feeder and seemed to be playing with it (at first I thought it had our cat!), staying awhile before ambling off into the woods.
– Marty Otter
8/30 – Bedford, HRM 35: Eight species were recorded as migrants at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch today: three black vultures, two broad-winged hawks, and one each osprey, bald eagle, and an unknown raptor. Local birds included an immature red-shouldered hawk mobbing the adult bald eagle as it moved along toward Long Island Sound. Non-raptor observations included a monarch, six ruby-throated hummingbirds, and 13 cedar waxwings. The14 common nighthawks we counted were apparently migrating.
– Silvan Laan
8/30 – Manhattan, HRM 1: With clear skies and a bright sun we checked our collection gear in Hudson River Park at The River Project’s sampling station on the lighthouse tender Lilac at Pier 25. While the numbers were few the quality was good including a sizeable tautog (300 mm, nearly a foot-long) and a gravid (with eggs) blue crab (110 mm carapace width).
– Siddhartha Hayes
 8/31 – Saratoga County, HRM 177.5: The Thursday birders checked out Saratoga Battlefield this morning and ran into one of those warbler waves, going from no birds to too many to keep track of in a few minutes. We had at least ten species of warblers including pine, blue-winged, black-throated-green, northern parula, chestnut-sided, magnolia, and Blackburnian. There may have been more but the light was terrible and, like every year, we realized we should have started studying the Roger Tory Peterson’s “confusing fall warblers” sooner! [Photo of northern parula courtesy of Mike Pogue.]
– Naomi Lloyd, Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club
8/31 – Town of New Paltz, HRM 78: There was a lot of poking out and leaning out by the red-headed woodpecker nestlings today in Weston Swamp. There was clearly room for only one to do so at a time, but I did see two visible at once within the nest-hole. Adding to the list of other birds chased off by the adults from the vicinity of the nest tree were red-winged blackbirds, goldfinches, and scarlet tanager.
– Peter Relson
8/31 – Bedford, HRM 35: Today’s small flight of migrants at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch included the season’s first northern harriers and peregrine falcons. Among the raptors not counted as migrants were two osprey flying high, headed northwest. In late morning an osprey glided in from the northwest carrying a sizable fish and landing on the “microwave” tower to eat it. Non-raptor observations included 14 ruby-throated hummingbirds and three common nighthawks.
– Tait Johansson
9/1 – Bedford, HRM 35: Sixteen migrants of seven species were spread out over the day at the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch, including northern harrier, six broad-winged hawks and three red-shouldered hawks – one of which was counted as a migrant. Non-raptor observations included four monarchs, three ruby-throated hummingbirds, two barn swallows, and eight cedar waxwings.
-Silvan Laan
9/1 – Manhattan, HRM 1: We checked our collection gear in Hudson River Park during an early afternoon high tide at The River Project’s sampling station on the lighthouse tender Lilac at Pier 25 and found three tautog (170 mm each), a large white perch (225 mm), and a young skilletfish (35 mm). We also found a juvenile spider crab that we happily took back with us to our River Project “touch tank” at Pier 40.
– Siddhartha Hayes
9/1 – Bronx, New York City: We visited several sites in the Bronx and Queens seeking potential new sites for our Day-in-the-Life-of-the-River event (October 12). Our first stop, Ferry Point Park in the Bronx, is a gorgeous corner of New York City with lots of Spartina (saltmarsh cordgrass). We found a sandy beach and in two seines we caught at least 600 Atlantic silversides, 25 striped killifish, a YOY striped bass, a small spider crab, and two dime-sized blue crabs. The water was 68 degrees Fahrenheit and the salinity was 23.0 parts-per-thousand [ppt]. The low tide had left a tide pool (77 degrees F; 25.0 ppt salinity) with dozens of YOY mummichogs and hermit crabs scurrying for cover.
– Chris Bowser, Margie Turrin
9/1 – Queens, New York City: The Alley Pond Environmental Center has a beautiful salt marsh with upland ponds, mud flats, Spartina, and the ubiquitous Phragmites. We were treated to hunting ospreys and herons plus large schools of Atlantic menhaden circling with mouths agape, their pewter cyclone fringed by schools of tiny silversides. [Photo of Atlantic menhaden courtesy of Chris Bowser.]
– Chris Bowser, Margie Turrin, Peter Park
[Menhaden swim with mouths agape because they are filter feeders, straining plankton from the water. Steve Stanne.]
9/1 – Queens, New York City: We seined the larger beach at Fort Totten Park with two hauls and caught 50 Atlantic silversides, four striped killifish, a northern pipefish, two YOY bluefish, and several gravid shore shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.). The water was 77 degrees F and the salinity was 23.0 ppt.
– Chris Bowser, Margie Turrin, Peter Park
9/2 – Hadley, HRM 208: I birded along Tower Road early this chilly morning (45 degrees Fahrenheit) and counted 25 species. There were no real surprises but in addition to three ravens, I saw some of the late-summer warbler migration with an ovenbird as well as Tennessee, yellow-rumped, black-throated-green warblers.
– Rob Snell, Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club
9/2 – Schuylerville, HRM 186: I found a pair of Philadelphia vireos and a yellow-throated vireo at Hudson Crossing this morning. I saw more of the late-summer warbler migration including magnolia, black-throated-green, and black-and-white warblers. A fledgling osprey was perched on an otherwise abandoned nest on top of the pilings. It was crying piteously, apparently unable to realize that it was on its own now in terms of acquiring food.
– Susan Beaudoin, Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club
9/2 – Greene County, HRM 125: I witnessed nature’s “tooth and claw” this morning when a merlin ran a sortie against a monarch butterfly. The butterfly, hopelessly out matched in speed, agility, and defense, was eventually taken by the merlin.
– Julie Elson, Michael Kalin
[Merlins are one of three falcons that we see with regularity in the Hudson Valley. In the 1934 edition of the Roger Tory Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America, the merlin is referred to as the eastern pigeon hawk. The two others are the American kestrel (sparrow hawk), and the peregrine falcon (duck hawk). Peterson offered these common names as a guide to each falcon’s preferred prey size. Tom Lake.]
9/2 – Kingston, HRM 92: The crew of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, docked in Rondout Creek, watched as an osprey flying with a fish in its talons was chased by an immature bald eagle. The eagle followed closely and darted at the osprey repeatedly before the osprey finally dropped the fish. The eagle, in mid-air, caught the fish and promptly ate it, head first, while still in flight. The osprey flew away.
– Maija Liisa Niemistö
9/2 – Town of New Paltz, HRM 78: The red-headed woodpecker nestlings in Weston Swamp were still poking out and leaning out of their nest hole. This morning one of the adults made a “chirring” sound that I had not heard before. Maybe it was the “time to leave the nest and explore the world” voice. I had five adult red-headed woodpeckers in one binocular view and that did not include “my” pair.”
– Peter Relson
9/2 – East Fishkill, HRM 66: Although I do not ordinarily see black bears in September, our “papa” bear came for a brief visit early this morning. He has been here many times this season. We see combinations of at least four different bears so often that we lose track of when they come for a visit. He found my squirrel feeder very yummy.
– Diane Anderson
9/2 – Bedford, HRM 35: It was an entertaining and challenging day at the Chestnut Ridge. Hawkwatch. We had 25 migrant raptors, seven of which remained unidentified. We had broad-winged hawk movement of at least eight birds and a line of four bald eagles. Non-raptor observations included a monarch, four ruby-throated hummingbirds, and 38 cedar waxwings.
-Silvan Laan
[When we use “unidentified raptors” in our hawkwatch reports, this designation comes as the result of several factors that usually operate in conjunction:
– Similarity of species (mainly buteos and accipiters)
– Great distance (especially with heat haze)
– Bad light conditions (back-light or harsh sunlight)
– Brevity of observation (split seconds)
Of course, I usually have a hunch of what it might be! Silvan Laan.]
SUMMER/FALL 2017 NATURAL HISTORY PROGRAMS
Saturday, September 16: 2:00 PM
Eighteenth Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble Seining Program at Kowawese Unique Area, New Windsor [Orange County]. Join Tom Lake, NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program consulting naturalist, to haul a net in the warm shallows to see “who” is home in the river today and then hear their fascinating stories. Wear shorts and sandals and help us seine. For more information, email Tom Lake trlake7@aol.com
Saturday, September 23, 2:00-5:00 PM
Science on the River at the Norrie Point Environmental Center, Staatsburg [Dutchess County]. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Research Reserve invites the public to celebrate National Estuaries Day. Help take a sediment core from the cove and discover what it can teach us. Canoe a tidal marsh of the Hudson (weather and space permitting). Enjoy a live birds of prey program. Help fish the waters around Norrie Point to find out who lives there. See how the types of organisms living in a stream indicate its health. Learn what SAV means and why it’s important to the river. Also, many games and activities are planned especially for our youngest visitors. This program is free and most exhibit areas are wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 845-889-4745 x109.
HUDSON RIVER MILES
The Hudson is measured north from Hudson River Mile 0 at the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan. The George Washington Bridge is at HRM 12, the Tappan Zee 28, Bear Mountain 47, Beacon-Newburgh 62, Mid-Hudson 75, Kingston-Rhinecliff 95, Rip Van Winkle 114, and the Federal Dam at Troy, the head of tidewater, at 153. The tidal section of the Hudson constitutes a bit less than half the total distance – 315 miles – from Lake Tear of the Clouds to the Battery. Entries from points east and west in the watershed reference the corresponding river mile on the mainstem.
TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR OBSERVATIONS OR TO SUBSCRIBE
The Hudson River Almanac is compiled and edited by Tom Lake and emailed weekly by DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program. Share your observations by e-mailing them to trlake7@aol.com.
To subscribe to the Almanac (or to unsubscribe), use the links on DEC’s Hudson River Almanac or DEC Delivers web pages.
Discover New York State Conservationist – the award-winning, advertisement-free magazine focusing on New York State’s great outdoors and natural resources. Conservationist features stunning photography, informative articles and around-the-state coverage. Visit the Conservationist webpage for more information.
USEFUL LINKS
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration online tide and tidal current predictions are invaluable when planning Hudson River field trips.
For real-time information on Hudson River tides, weather and water conditions from twelve monitoring stations, visit the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System website.
Information about the Hudson River Estuary Program is available on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4920.html .
Smartphone app available for New York outdoor enthusiasts!
DEC, in partnership with ParksByNature Network®, is proud to announce the launch of the New York Fishing, Hunting & Wildlife App for iPhone and Android. This FREE, cutting-edge mobile app gives both novice and seasoned outdoorsmen and women essential information in the palm of their hands. Powered by Pocket Ranger® technology, this official app for DEC will provide up-to-date information on fishing, hunting and wildlife watching and serve as an interactive outdoor app using today’s leading mobile devices. Using the app’s advanced GPS features, users will be able identify and locate New York’s many hunting, fishing and wildlife watching sites. They will also gain immediate access to species profiles, rules and regulations, and important permits and licensing details.
NY Open for Hunting and Fishing Initiative
Governor Cuomo’s NY Open for Fishing and Hunting Initiative is an effort to improve recreational opportunities for sportsmen and women and to boost tourism activities throughout the state. This initiative includes streamlining fishing and hunting licenses, reducing license fees, improving access for fishing and increasing hunting opportunities in New York State.
In support of this initiative, this year’s budget includes $6 million in NY Works funding to support creating 50 new land and water access projects to connect hunters, anglers, bird watchers and others who enjoy the outdoors to more than 380,000 acres of existing state and easement lands that have gone largely untapped until now. These 50 new access projects include building new boat launches, installing new hunting blinds and building new trails and parking areas. In addition, the 2014-15 budget includes $4 million to repair the state’s fish hatcheries; and renews and allows expanded use of crossbows for hunting in New York State.
This year’s budget also reduces short-term fishing licenses fees; increases the number of authorized statewide free fishing days to eight from two; authorizes DEC to offer 10 days of promotional prices for hunting, fishing and trapping licenses; and authorizes free Adventure Plates for new lifetime license holders, discounted Adventure Plates for existing lifetime license holders and regular fee Adventure Plates for annual license holders.
Copies of past issues of the Hudson River Almanac, Volumes II-VIII, are available for purchase from the publisher, Purple Mountain Press, (800) 325-2665, or email purple@catskill.net |
