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.
5/21 – Waterford, HRM 158: From my perspective, bald eagle nest NY485 on Peebles Island was now nearly fully camouflaged by leafy branches. We have verified there are three nestlings, and we can imagine the nest was getting quite crowded. The adults spend much of their time in their favorite perch right across the river from the nest keeping it in full view.
- Andrew Walters, 5-21-2025
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.
