BALD EAGLES
On the Hudson
By Susan Piperato
W
atching the world go by your
window is part of what makes
train riding so pleasurable,
especially when the scenery
includes the Hudson River and
surrounding woodlands. It’s such a
relaxing view that it can lull you into dreaming—unless you’re
searching for Bald Eagles.
Surprising to many train travelers, Bald Eagles live along the
Hudson River, and it’s easy for keen observers to spot them, says
Lisa Masi, a senior wildlife biologist for the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in New Paltz.
Nesting season for Bald Eagles takes place from March to
July. “They’re more localized and territorial then,” Masi says.
Eagles’ nests are very large, even reaching “upwards of
hundreds of pounds,” so they tend to choose tall, sturdy
trees. Once a nest is built, a pair of eagles will reuse it.
“They’ll be in the tall tree you see emerging from the
canopy,” she says. “It can be a pine, a hardwood,
or any type of tree, as long as it’s thick and
large. When there are no leaves, eagles’ nests
are obvious. They’re a very large bramble
of sticks toward the top of the tree,
near the trunk or on a thick
branch. Once leaves are on the
trees, they’re harder to spot.”
In summertime, eagles
fly over the Hudson and
dart down to its surface to
hunt. “Eagles primarily eat
fish, but they’ll also eat
waterfowl and carrion,” says
Masi. But wintertime is also a good time to spot
eagles. “When the river is frozen, birds congregate
in areas of open water, mostly where tributaries
empty into the Hudson,” she says. “If the
weather is not too cold and the river isn’t
frozen, eagles can be anywhere”—including
up in their nests, conserving energy for the
mating season.
To protect the eagles, the DEC doesn’t
provide specific whereabouts of nests.
“Watching from the train may be the one of
the best ways to observe eagles with the
least additional stress to the birds,” she says.
“Like other wildlife, eagles are susceptible
to impacts from folks not taking necessary
steps to avoid harassing or disturbing
them while watching them.” For more
information on Bald Eagle watching
along the Hudson River, check out
www.dec.ny.gov/animals/74052.html.
Amtrak.com
New York By Rail | 33