Observations: Kingston to Castleton

Rondout Creek patrol early morning. Looking east at the CSX RR bridge. I don't go under the bridge when there is a train crossing. Chicken.

A flexible hose, like fire hose, has been led down the south bank of Catskill Creek from the area of the swimming pool at Forlini's Resort. We saw this hose coiled at the top of the slope several years ago. I investigated and found that the resort had closed. Now the hose has been deployed, presumably to pump out the pool.

At this time it may just be water which accumulated over the winter but it indicates that the resort may be reopening and we will have to warn them about discharging chlorinated water pool later in the season.

The smaller black suction pipe visible near the fire hose is probably used to suck up creek water for use at the resort. Catskill Creek is a spawning ground and home for a number of fish species.

Between Catskill Creek and The Rip Van Winkle Bridge on the west bank and straight across from Olana. Visitors to Olana get this view looking west. Another case of "Too bad sucker, I've got my beautiful view and to hell with yours". Good thing Frederic Church isn't round. He might go postal.

A very well established camp on Primming Hook on east bank north of Hudson. All the building materials were brought in by boat. This is prime habitat. To the north is a Scenic Hudson marsh. To the south is Open Space Institute land at Hudson. To the east is the Amtrak rail line. Clearing the camps (this is one of two) and adding this parcel to the surrounding preserved area would be great.

Eroded bank at Castleton Boat Club. In the past the club used waste cement test cylinders, spent machinery and extra building materials as fill and we warned them about the illegality of doing so again.

Erosion over the winter has exposed tires buried sometime in the past as fill. Very tidy stacking. How many tires are buried at the site? How much and what other kinds of waste material were buried?

An active Bald Eagle nest with kayakers below. Moments after I took this photo the eagle swooped down and attacked one of the kayakers. (Just kidding!)

Patrolling north through the federal dam

We were southbound from Waterford through the Federal Lock at Troy. Below this last lock is the tidal estuary - 150 miles to the Battery. This Lock Keeper is always interested to know what's happening on the river so we held the lock to compare river notes. These are interesting men - like lighthose keepers.

This is a well established nest near Coeymans. Looks like mom or pop is standing watch.

In the past RK has reported tree cutting and land clearing activity near this nest to the DEC.
For almost 100 years there were no nesting pairs on the HR Estuary - now there are at least 18. Full credit goes to the DEC Endangered Species Unit.

On 6/28 the US Dept. of the Interior removed the Bald Eagle from the endangered species list. The birds are still protected by the Bald Eagle Act of 1940.

We checked a backwater tidal steam and marsh near the eagle nesting site. The deck of the bridge has been removed but people are crossing on the steel beams and there is a well worn path heading off into the wooded/wild area next to the river. The "Road Closed" sign has a hundred or so bullet holes in it. A guy with a gun can do a lot of damage to signs - and wildlife. Riverkeeper is asking the State to set aside more land for wildlife protection in the upper Estuary.

Photos by John Lipscomb

John Mylod fishing just South of Poughkeepsie for Shad. He reported lots of bass and strippers but only the beginning of Shad.

Young Bald Eagles on Tracks

Schodack Creek - two immature Bald Eagles on the east side railroad track (they're called "immature" because they don't have the white markings which begin to show at four years of age). This is the track for the high speed Amtrak trains. Eagle mortality from high speed trains is significant. Eagles sometimes eat on "railroad kills" and don't have the room or speed to get out of the way when trains approach.