Hudson River, Bear Mountain Bridge to Croton, New York
Location
New York, USA
Survey date
2021-01-12
Survey ID
1058
Survey Conditions
Survey Date: 2021-01-12
Start Time: 09:30:00
End Time: 17:00:00
Temperature
0 (C)
2 (C)
Cloud Cover
70 (%)
35 (%)
Visibility
5.5 (km)
5 (km)
Precipitation
0: None
0: None
Wind Speed
2: 6-11 km/h (4-7 mph)
3: 12-19 km/h (8-12 mph)
Wind Direction
W
W
Water
Mostly open
Mostly open
Snow Depth
0 (in)
0 (in)
Observer 1
Ajit Antony
Observer 2
Liza Antony
Observer 3
Observer 4
Notes
Unseasonably warm for this week. There is a strong El Niña this year with the prediction of a warmer winter. There was not a single ice floe in the river. The only ice connected to the river was where the railway tracks cut across bays and created an area of still water. All the ponds were frozen. This time on this route, we went high tide compared to in December when it was very low tide, and in addition a month ago there had been a large die-off of menhaden. As a result of these two issues for the very first time in years we had no Bald Eagle seen at the boat launch at the end of the road south of Croton-Harmon station at the trestle. As on the last run of this route in December 2020 it was very hazy and difficult to see any Eagles at a distance. The BE nest at Montrose Point was unoccupied.
Survey Sightings
Species
Time
Count
Behavior
Morph
Age
Sex
Habitat
BE (Bald Eagle)
09:40:00
1
Perched
Immature
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian•forested
Notes: At the Iona Island overlook, 710 m west question a tree post to the northern tip of Iona Island. Basic III with a white inverted triangle upper back, lightish head and a slight eyeline.
BE (Bald Eagle)
09:55:00
1
Perched
Adult
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: At the Annsville Paddlesport Center. Perched on the ice east of the railway track 350 m west.
BE (Bald Eagle)
10:05:00
2
Perched
Adult
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: At Fleischmann's Park at Charles's Point. 450 m to the NW on a buoy, one at the base on the rocks and the other one near the top of the metallic structure.
BE (Bald Eagle)
10:15:00
1
Perched
Adult
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian•forested
Notes: At Charles's Marina. 310 m west perched in a tree on Indian Point, across from Lent's Cove.
RT (Red-tailed Hawk)
10:35:00
1
Perched
Adult
•forested•developed
Notes: At the South Gate (locked) of Entergy. First in a tree 75 m NW, 15 m up.
BE (Bald Eagle)
10:40:00
1
Perched
Adult
•forested•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: On Hardie Street at Steam Boat Dock, perched in a tree across the Hudson River 1.1 km WNW.
TV (Turkey Vulture)
10:45:00
1
Soaring
Notes: On Hardie Street at Steam Boat Dock, across the Hudson River WNW 2 km away over the horizon.
BE (Bald Eagle)
10:50:00
1
Soaring
Adult
•forested•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: On Hardie Street at Steam Boat Dock, while looking at the TV with a 'scope, too far to see even with binoculars, to the north.
BE (Bald Eagle)
10:55:00
3
Flying
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: On Hardie Street at Steam Boat Dock, seen flying part of the South over the Hudson River near Montrose Point c. 2 km away.
BE (Bald Eagle)
10:55:00
1
Flying
Adult
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian•forested
Notes: On Hardie Street at Steam Boat Dock, far to the south over the Hudson River, landed in a tree on Montrose Point c. 2 km.
TV (Turkey Vulture)
11:00:00
1
Soaring
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian•developed
Notes: On Hardie Street at Steam Boat Dock, flew a little south of us from west to east.
BE (Bald Eagle)
11:20:00
1
Perched
Immature
Notes: On Riverview Avenue, seen close to the southern tip of Stony Point perched in a tree, 1.1 km SW. It had white on the scapulars but no inverted white triangle, dark head, and a dark tail on a 'scope view
BE (Bald Eagle)
11:25:00
1
Perched
Adult
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian•developed•forested
Notes: Kings Ferry Road beside Lake Meahagh, perched in a tree 360 m ESE.
TV (Turkey Vulture)
11:30:00
2
Perched
Adult
•developed
Notes: On Kings Ferry Road south of Lake Meahagh, 50 m NE perched in a tree 15 m up.
BV (Black Vulture)
11:35:00
1
Perched
•developed
Notes: On Kings Ferry Road south of Lake Meahagh, 50 m NE perched in a tree 25 m up, 50 m NE.
RT (Red-tailed Hawk)
12:05:00
1
Flying
Adult
•forested•developed
Notes: On Crugers Station Road, in a tree to the NNW 100 m away and 35 m up.
RT (Red-tailed Hawk)
13:00:00
1
Perched
•roadsides•developed
Notes: Along Route 9, perched in a tree to the west.
RT (Red-tailed Hawk)
13:05:00
1
Perched
•roadsides•developed
Notes: Along Route 9, perched in a tree to the west.
TV (Turkey Vulture)
13:15:00
2
Soaring
•developed
Notes: At Croton-Harmon Station 300 m NNE beyond Route 9.
SS (Sharp-shinned Hawk)
13:30:00
1
Flying
Adult
•developed•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: At the main parking lot Croton Point flew NNE 50 m away.
BE (Bald Eagle)
13:35:00
1
Flying
Immature
•developed•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: At the main parking lot Croton Point with an Osprey like head, Basic III, 50 m away.
TV (Turkey Vulture)
13:40:00
1
Flying
•developed•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: At the main parking lot Croton Point flew in from the West (over the Hudson River).
BE (Bald Eagle)
13:45:00
1
Perched
Adult
•forested•grassland
Notes: From the top of the grassland at Croton Point perched in a tree to the NW, north of the main parking lot.
BE (Bald Eagle)
13:45:00
1
Perched
Adult
•forested•grassland
Notes: From the top of the grassland at Croton Point to the NW, perched in a nearby tree to
the other BE, north of the main parking lot. Subadult Basic IV with a whitish head.
BE (Bald Eagle)
15:55:00
1
Flying
Immature
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: At the New Croton Dam flew to the East with a white belly, smooth trailing edge to the wings, whitish head, and a white tail with a dark terminal band – Basic II.
BE (Bald Eagle)
16:00:00
2
Flying
Adult
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian
Notes: At the New Croton Dam one chasing another, diving on the other, far to the ENE, eventually landed in a tree sitting side-by-side in the area where the Eagles roost for the night 2 km away. We saw them subsequently from Croton Lake Road still perched next to each other.
BE (Bald Eagle)
16:15:00
1
Perched
Immature
•wetland/pond/marsh/riparian•forested
Notes: From Croton Lake Road, just east of the first island on the south side of Croton Lake, perched in a tree 800 m to the north. Dark all over with some white on the scapulars without any white triangle on the back, roosting for the night. Probably a juvenile.
GO (Great Horned Owl)
12:00:00
1
Flying
•developed•forested
Notes: At Croton Point office, flew from SW to NE at treetop level. Rounded wings, large head.
