Birdwatching in Croton Point, New York
I am always in awe of the many wild birds that live and fly around my Bedford, New York farm and its surrounding areas - from the majestic hawks to the more diminutive hummingbirds searching for nectar in my gardens.
Earlier this month, on a beautiful Saturday morning, I joined a special birdwatching expedition offered by the Bedford Garden Club - "Naturalist Series - Raptors and Eagles." Our guide was Tait Johansson, Naturalist-in-Residence at the Bedford Audubon Society. The walk took us through parts of the 504-acre Croton Point Park, the largest peninsula on the Hudson River. This area attracts bald eagles, hawks, owls, waterfowl, and depending on the season, provides habitat for sparrows, American Pipits, Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and many others. As a lover of birds and conservation, I was delighted to go and learn more about our avian friends.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Our journey started early. Our group gathered by 8am. It was a glorious autumn morning and we were all eager to see and hear some interesting birds. Birds are some of the best ambassadors from the natural world. There are roughly 10-thousand species spread across the habitats on all seven continents. With their voices, plumage patterns, colors, and antics, birds provide countless information about the various types of birds and the ecosystems they inhabit.
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- It was also quite frosty on this morning at Croton Point Park located on the Hudson River. We were all told to dress warmly and to wear comfortable shoes.
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- We started on a 100-foot hill that covers more than 90-acres of the park. This hill is a capped landfill which was operated by the Westchester County government from 1927 to 1986 when it was capped and restored to green space. Croton Point is a very important stop for migrating birds.
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- Our guide on this nature trip was Tait Johansson, the Naturalist-in-Residence at the Bedford Audubon Society. Tait has been birding for more than 34-years.
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- Here is a photo of some of the participants in our group listening carefully to some of the natural bird calls. Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of science. A birdwatcher observes by using using the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope, and by listening for bird sounds.
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- In this photo, our group is listening to a juvenile Bald Eagle.
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- And here it is – a young Bald Eagle, characterized by its dark brown head and body. The Bald Eagle develops from a dark headed, dark-bellied bird in its first year to a white-headed, dark-bellied bird by age four. It was definitely a highlight of our walk.
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- At this juncture, we stopped to look at Hook Mountain in the distance. To early Dutch settlers, Hook Mountain was known as “Verdrietlg Hock,” which means “Tedious Point.” It is located within Hook Mountain State Park – a 676-acre undeveloped park, part of the Palisades Interstate Park system, just north of Nyack, New York.
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- We stopped often to listen for birds. Birds don’t live in isolation. In fact, each species interacts with numerous other animals and plants, as well as geologic formations and weather systems. When birding, it is important to be quiet. Birds are easily startled by loud noises and will flee to cover. It is also wise to avoid sudden movements.
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- Here is Joe looking off into the distance for hawks or other raptors. Our group also saw a red-tailed hawk. The red-tailed hawk is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, from the interior of Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies. It is one of the most common members within the genus of Buteo in North America or worldwide.
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- This is Beth Sachs, Founder of the nature series and President of the Bedford Garden Club. This outing is just one of the many wonderful and informative activities organized by the Bedford Garden Club. The BGC works tirelessly to preserve wildlife habitats in the greater Bedford community, conduct conservation research, and lead environmental education and native garden programs throughout the year. Go to their website to learn more.
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- Varner Redmon and Dana Worlock stop for a quick photo.
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- In this photo are Eric Kronenberg, Joe, Tait, Audrey Zinman, and John Redmon.
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- I wonder what Joe and Tait have spotted?
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- This image was taken right after Tait pointed out a close view of a Cooper’s hawk. Cooper’s hawk is a medium-sized hawk native to the North American continent and found from southern Canada to Mexico. There have been many sighting of Cooper’s hawks at my farm.
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- And here is a beautiful view across Croton Bay from the top of the Croton Point grassland. I hope this short blog inspires you to take a nature walk this holiday weekend to look and listen for these astonishing creatures. If you live in the area, look out for some of the other programs lead by the Bedford Audubon Society. Tait’s next excursion is in December – a field trip to Read Sanctuary/Marshlands Conservancy to look for Great Horned Owls, winter waterbirds, and lingering songbirds.
And here is a short video of our group listening to the sounds of a Northern Cardinal and a White-throated Sparrow.
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