New York City's Water Side

Bald Eagle on an Hudson River Ice Flow

There is more to New York City than Times Square and Wall Street. As most people know, the city is comprised mostly of islands and although it might not be quite apparent while walking down the middle of 5th avenue with shops and tall buildings everywhere, look beyond all this and you will see the water. It is everywhere. 

 Open water is one of the reasons we see more eagles on the Hudson in the winter. Ships like the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tug Wire keep the Hudson free of ice so that shipping can continue up and down its length in the winter time. This is good news for  the bald eagles who come down from the north to fish along its shores. 

 Some ice however seems to be preferred by the Hudson Eagles, who might be considered a bit lazy at times. When they find some they like to sit on it and catch a ride!

I had the good fortune to join the Hackensack River canoe Club on an eagle watching trip at the beginning of the year. The highlight was a visit Fleishman’s pier in Peekskill, New York, where one can get out quite far into the Hudson and if there is ice, get great views of eagles hitching a ride on the flows. These pics were taken by Kevin Doyle who I met on the pier out there. Thanks Kevin!

Ruffled Feathered Hudson Eagle

 

Another great nature spectacle one can expect in the waters around New York City this time of year is winter seal watching. Seals come from points north following the fish that they eat to survive. I recently went on a seal watch with the Riverhead Foundation where we saw about 30 seals.

Just this week I was sitting inside my houseboat watching out the window.I always have a small pair of binoculars close by to I watch the winter ducks like buffleheads, mergansers, loons and widgeons that live behind the boat all winter long. This day however, I saw something unusual that I didn't recognize by my naked eye. I quickly grabbed the binoculars and saw a seal with his head out of the water taking a look around. I very excitedly ran outside to the top deck of the boat to get a wider view of the creek. No more views, but a great memory and a first after many years of living here! Since I didn’t have my camera nearby, here are some pictures my friend Dennis Guiney sent me of some seals at a marina not far from here. 

 

Seal Pup at Gateway marina

Seal Pup at Gateway

Dennis was also nice enough to send pics of a humpback whale he saw off the southern coast of Long Island at a place called Point Lookout. 

Take good care and when you are in New York City don't forget to look out at the water...
You'll never know what you might see!

Humpback Whale on Long Island's South Shore