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

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

Limited copies of The Hudson River Almanac: Volume II are also available at the same price. Volumes I and III are sold out.

These excerpts are taken, with permission from the publisher, from the Hudson River Almanac, Volume IV, 1997-98. Each month, we'll be adding another excerpt from the book that corresponds to the current month.

To contribute observations to the Hudson River Almanac, write to Tom Lake, 3 Steinhaus Lane, Wappinger Falls, NY 12590-3927, or fax: 297-8935 or e-mail to trlake@mailcity.com.

Those who wish to see more recent excerpts from the Hudson River Almanac may visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Web site at http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/hudson/monthly.html

July-August, 1999
July 8 - Yonkers - We went seining with students from Public School 7 from the Bronx at the Beczak Center beach on the river. In our net were sand shrimp, northern pipefish, and many comb jellies. The most interesting catch was a small yoy bluefish with a semicircular bite where its tail had been. This fish had likely fallen victim to the sharp teeth of one of its larger "siblings." David Rosenfeld
Nyack - Bob Gabrielson was still catching adult bluefish and weakfish in his "bunker net." When he pulled his net today, there were only a few menhaden, but he did find dinner: a 13-pound bluefish and an 8-pound weakfish.

July 26 - Croton River - Standing by the railroad bridge at 7:30 a.m., I took the time to watch a splendid sunrise over the Croton River marsh and gorge. As soon as there was enough light to see, hundreds of swallows of several species, but mostly tree swallows, swirled up into the sky to begin foraging: a veritable cloud of birds. An eagle came right down the middle of the Croton River and passed through the swallows seemingly without bothering them. As it flew over the Croton Bay enough light was available to show the white tail feathers of a mature bird. Christopher Letts

July 29 - Croton Bay - A low tide and vivid sunrise set the stage for a great blue heron ballet on a sandbar 200 yards off the railroad bridge. For about ten minutes I watched them fishing and vying for position on the sandbar. The ballet turned into a rumba as an adult bald eagle swept down the Croton River, out across the bay, and banked for a landing on the bar. The gulls and herons gave the eagle plenty of room, but none flew, and the dance resumed. Christopher Letts

July 30 - Croton Point - I labored up the landfill in steamy air at 6:30 a.m., spotted a Lapland longspur, and then was rewarded by the sight of an adult bald eagle flying the length of the Point to disappear toward the western shore. It continued to be very hot; everything was parched. This would be the tenth day in a row of 90 degree air temperatures. Christopher Letts
Hook Mountain to George's Island - The river was flat as we headed north, the morning haze burned off. Our fishing line off Hook Mountain brought up oyster shells from ancient beds and small half-inch mud crabs. At Rockland Light we counted 21 cormorants and a dozen herring gulls. By evening we reached George's Island and spotted a northern harrier. The next morning on our return trip, a white catfish motored along on the surface as if to say, "I am not a bottom feeder!" Daniel Wolff, Lorenzo Wolff

July 31 - Croton Point - This was the driest July and single hottest month on record. The desiccated landscape shows the strain. Lawns are baked, vines and bushes are dropping leaves. Streambeds are dry, pond and lake levels down, both wild and cultivated crops are failing. On Croton Point the landfill is the gold of a wheat field ready for harvest and the park smells like a haymow-hay cured on the stem. The land aches for rain. Christopher Letts

August 3 - Upper Nyack - A front came through so the weather was bearable but still no rain. The land was so parched that the lawns of the big riverfront homes appeared as though someone had substituted an acre or two of yellow sand. Lorenzo Wolff and I turned over rocks on a mud flat looking for blue crabs, no larger than a thumbnail, for his aquarium. As his nine-year-old body bent over the tide pools in search of prey, fifty yards away an immature black-crowned night heron did the same. He's the one with the yellow-green legs. Daniel Wolff
Sleepy Hollow - Our NYSDEC striped bass survey crew seines beaches along the tidal Hudson each summer, from mid-July through mid-November, to sample for young-of-the-year and year class strength. Today, with our 200-foot net, we captured a pair of uncommon fish, juvenile northern stargazers. Each was less than two inches long with a yellow stripe and eyes on the top of their head. Ron Gelardi, Kim McKown, Matt Graff, Susan Olsen

August 4 - Garrison - It was hot, sunny and dry. We went to Constitution Marsh hoping for some relief. As we approached the phragmites on the shore, a least bittern burst out of the reeds on wide, short wings. Its long yellow legs dangled down. From the bench on the boardwalk we could see smoke from the wildfire on Crow's Nest across the river. A helicopter, with a huge, dangling red bucket, brought river water to the blaze. Ruby throated hummingbirds zipped along the marsh mallows and jewelweed and two kingfishers had a rattling argument over fishing territory. Michael Shiffer, Elijah Shiffer, Amy Silberkleit, Isis Shiffer
Bear Mountain - From the top of Perkins Memorial it seemed that fully half of Dunderberg Mountain was on fire. The rising smoke plumes were dense enough to cast a shadow on the Hudson River. The call of a nearby raven seemed almost a commentary on the somber scene. Christopher Letts

August 8 - Garrison - We went out in Constitution Marsh to collect mud for the biological monitoring of the Foundry Cove Superfund remediation. To our delight we were treated to an incredible diversity of birds. Raptors: peregrine falcon, American kestrel, northern harrier, turkey vulture: Waterfowl: great-winged teal, wood duck, mallard; Wading birds: great blue heron, great egret: Shore birds: least sandpiper, greater yellowlegs, killdeer. That was only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, for there were shoals of menahden being herded by snapper bluefish and needlefish, plying the water's surface like miniature submarines. Just another day in the marsh. Eric Lind, Rich Anderson

August 24 - Croton Point - I heard a red-breasted nuthatch today at Croton Point. What was that bird doing there in August? Tiny tin horns. The wild cherries were ripe and the birds were working them over. Orioles, jays, woodpeckers. There was a huge flock of yoy cowbirds, a juvenile bobolink, a pair of greater yellowlegs, eight great egrets and a half dozen osprey. One was carrying a catfish. Christopher Letts