The almanac uses observations written by naturalists, river lovers of all ages, and scientists to assemble a journal of the river's unique moments.

It is printed by Purple Mountain Press, Ltd., (800-325-2665) and is lavishly illustrated by Marlena Marallo. It is available for $10, plus New York State sales tax, and $3.50 for shipping. E-mail address is: Purple@mail.catskill.net

These excerpts are taken, with permission from the publisher, from the Hudson River Almanac, Volume II. Each month, we'll be adding another excerpt from the book that corresponds to the current month.

March, 1995
March 6, Furnace Brook - At daybreak it is crisp and clear. I fired up my back-yard maple sugaring rigs for the last time this year. The season is not over, but I'm out of time and have to "sugar off." As I stoke the fires and relish the sweet smells of the evaporating sap, I'm conscious of "goose talk." It almost seems like two languages. High aloft are V's of migrating Canada geese - high flyers - their cries thinned by the half mile of atmosphere between us. On the small lakes 100 yards to either side of me, resident geese battle for prime nesting spots; squabbling and skirmishing and raising a din. I wonder if they are still the same birds; those travelers whose dimmed cries tug at our hearts, and the "homeboys," cursed for their leavings of recycled grass? No matter, both are news of the changing season. -- Christopher Letts

March 11, Croton Point - While walking Croton Point today, I encountered 17 species of birds. Two male canvasbacks were right up against the seawall on the north side of Croton Point, in the lee of a very strong south wind. The strong sunlight highlighted all their features: the bright colors, Roman-nose profile, and I realized that I was not likely to see canvasbacks again before the seasons run their course; I lingered and enjoyed. -- Christopher Letts

March 13, George's Island - At Swan Pond, on George's Island as well as Railroad Pond, in the Town of Cortlandt, I am beginning to see nesting activity of mute swans: site establishment, grass plucking, platform building. -- Christopher Letts.

March 19, Scarborough - Stan Drezek reported an unusual occurrence. He and his friend were striped bass fishing in the Hudson River at 2:30 p.m., about 750 feet offshore from the train station at Scarborough, when they began to hear, repeatedly, "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh." They investigated and observed what appeared to be one or two four-foot animals swimming in the river nearby. They attempted to get closer, but the animals appeared to be "boat shy." Stan described an eight inch dorsal fin protruding from the water as they swam. After a while they disappeared.
Recently we have been investigating sightings of dolphins in the vicinity of Staten Island and the Gowanus Canal. The descriptions of size and color (dark charcoal), suggests to us that harbor porpoises are in New York Harbor and the lower Hudson estuary. -- Kim Durham, OKEANOS
If you witness a marine mammal or sea turtle stranding in the Hudson River or adjacent marine waters, please call OKEANOS (510) 369-9829.

March 22, Croton Point - Coltsfoot was in bloom on the beach; daffodils were blooming in Croton-on-Hudson. In Croton Marsh I saw 18 green-wing teals, one red-breasted merganser, 15 American coot, a dozen buffleheads and 250 Canada geese. -- Christopher Letts.

Post Script: There is a popular saying among rivermen and biologists alike that no one moment on the Hudson will ever be repeated; nothing ever occurs twice in quite the same way. The innumerable factors that make up the river's character: seasons, weather, tide, current, salinity, Moon phase, time of day, water temperature, faunal mix, et al., combine and recombine to form a new script for each and every instant. We have tried with the Hudson River Almanac to capture some of those unique moments that define the Hudson Valley, river to upland, inexorably connected, a biological community. We have hopefully begun a tradition that will provide a focal point for documenting and sharing natural history phenomena along the river, from Tahawus to the sea. -- Tom Lake, Field Coordinator, Hudson River Almanac