Historic Landmark on the Hudson River

Category: More Logbook

  • Trail conditions: cluttered

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    Recent floods washed driftwood and debris across the trail, boardwalks and dock. Plant material and other detritus are strewn about, piled up, and underfoot. Hiking boots recommended.

  • River rats

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    Heavy rains. Flooding on Esopus Creek. Dock called me early on Saturday morning. He was up until 4 AM moving stuff in his yard out of reach of flood tide and moving driftwood and detritus out of his yard with the ebb tide.  He was surviving on two hours of sleep and wondered if I…

  • Signs of spring

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    A snowstorm at the first of the month was followed a few days later by heavy rains. The storm runoff combined with snowmelt swelled the tributaries to the Hudson, including Esopus Creek. The sudden switch from winter to spring weather has been accompanied by other signs of seasonal change. Yesterday morning, in the predawn, I…

  • Trail conditions: soggy

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    Due to recent rains and snowmelt, the trail is wet with puddles of standing water in places.  An extreme high tide today washed woody debris onto portions of the trail. Boots are recommended.

  • Red-winged Blackbird

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    In recent days, I heard red-winged blackbirds calling in the wetlands near the lighthouse. This morning, I noticed one scratching for seed below the bird-feeder. Male red-winged blackbirds arrive early to claim territory before females show up for breeding season.  Last year, I heard the first red-winged blackbird on March 12th, which is not unusual.…

  • Cat update

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    Unfortunately, I have no conclusive news about the cat that visited the lighthouse last month. My neighbor Sylvia said that she was feeding it for awhile, but she hasn’t seen it lately. We are hoping that someone took it in.  Considering how friendly it was, that’s a likely outcome.

  • Northern Harrier

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    A raptor swooped down near the jetty beyond the dock as if striking at something. It came up with empty talons. The raptor continued to glide and circle over the reeds and shoreline. Its distinctive white rump identified it as a Northern Harrier. Its brownish coloring suggested that it was female. Eventually, the bird alighted…

  • Trail conditions: snowy

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    Due to recent snowfall, the trail is covered in snow. Winds may create snowdrifts in places. Low areas may be icy or slushy due to tide.

  • Knock, knock

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    Early this afternoon, I heard a knock at the front door. This baffled me because the trail was completely flooded and impassible. The lighthouse was surrounded by water, and the dock was submerged. How could someone possibly drop by the lighthouse in these conditions? I opened the door to see Ryan, one of the Clearwater…

  • Cat news

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    I received an email from Kate, who stayed here with her family on Thursday and took an interest in the cat wandering the premises that afternoon. Here’s what she has to say: I just spoke to the Saugerties Animal Clinic. They report that someone did indeed bring the cat in last week, but the clinic…