Life on the Hudson

**Wentworth** · 10-31-2018, 08:30

OK, so it is not QUITE as interesting as Mark Twain's "Life on the Mississippi" but I'm going to inflict it on you anyway.... After teaching my Monday morning class I often go sit by the Hudson River and read some Patrick O'Brian. I tried to do this recently but my hour by the water was filled with other happenings preventing me from discovering the outcome of the exciting stern chase of the HMS Leopard by the Dutch 74 Waakzaamheid.
Shortly after dipping into O'Brian the first of the New York City "fall foliage' cruises passed by my position:

Name: Hudson River 2.jpg
Views: 142
Size: 160.6 KB

Name: Hudson River 2.jpg
Views: 142
Size: 160.6 KB

Not long thereafter one of the daily cargo ships came through as well:

Name: Hudson River 1.jpg
Views: 139
Size: 118.6 KB

And after that, this brute decided to have his brunch about 20 yards from my position. I'm guessing he fished it from the river -- he periodically glowered at me as if to say "go ahead try and take my food and see what that gets you." Although my phone camera doesn't really show it, this felllow is about the size of beagle -- quite a robust raptor.

Name: Hudson River 3.jpg
Views: 120
Size: 242.7 KB

Name: Hudson River 3.jpg
Views: 120
Size: 242.7 KB

After all this commotion, it was time to go back to work and Lucky Jack Aubrey's fate had to wait for another day.....

**DeRuyter** · 10-31-2018, 09:29

Looks like an osprey.

I used to have a view of a much smaller river from my office and an osprey would perch on a tree branch spotting fish for his lunch. Several times I saw him dive away and return with something shiny and wiggling in his claws.

**Wentworth** · 10-31-2018, 10:07

Eric,
I think you may be right about it being an Osprey-- with the rocky outcroppings lining the river (it is a bona fide fjord) many raptors nest and fish along the river, including quite a few bald eagles. I have one bald eagle that sits in a tree near my home and just stares at the river until he spots something delicious and off he goes to fish. One day when walking my dog he took off right over my head -- he had about a 6 foot wing span and looked like a B-52 to me ! The river is home to many large fish including the Great Atlantic Sturgeon (they come here to spawn), so it provides quite a menu for the raptors in the area.
best,
Bill