The Hudson River Almanac is a weekly, natural history newsletter that covers the Hudson from the High Peaks of the Adirondacks to New York Harbor. It seeks to capture the river's spirit, magic, and science by presenting observations from many individuals who delight in the diversity of nature in the Hudson Valley.
Town of Poughkeepsie: In mid-morning the NY62 eagle nestlings, 82 days after hatching, became fledglings. At 11:15 AM, I followed the "passive" bird as it made its maiden flight - a short circle over the edge of a field - before clumsily crashing, unharmed, into the canopy of a tall white pine 200 feet north of the nest. I missed the "assertive" bird's first flight, but it was longer - across a wide field at least 600 feet to some riverside hardwoods where I lost it in the greenery. I could hear the adult(s) in the distance. It was a successful launch; I'm sure the adults have enough experience to handle things now.
-Tom Lake, 6/17/12
Since 1994, observations have been compiled from the contributions of more than 2000 volunteers, ranging from elementary school students to professional biologists. In presenting these records, the Almanac provides valuable river information to the public, places contemporary observations in historical perspective, and encourages others to look more closely at the Hudson and share what they see. In addition to recording what nature is doing over the year, the entries offer a fascinating measure of human emotional responses to natural phenomena.
Over time, the Almanac may serve as a comprehensive program to document changes in the ecosystem. Often, information about obscure animals and subtle changes can come only through direct observations made in many places over long periods of time. By compiling records from volunteers who observe nature as scientists or simply for their own pleasure, the Almanac builds a data base that can be used to guide future studies of Hudson Valley ecology.
Contribute Your Observations
Share your observations with other Hudson River lovers by e-mailing them to compiler Tom Lake. Observations for a given week should be sent in by 9:00 pm on the following Monday. See something really special? Call (845) 297-8935.