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.

October 1997
Hundreds of different fish.
Unbelievable sights to see.
Different kinds of animals.
Silversides and hogchokers live in the river.
One fish is never the same as any other.
No reason to ever go back home.
Jessica Demkiw, Pearl River Middle School

October 6 - Croton Point - In an oak grove on the north side of the point we saw a Nashville warbler and a blue jay doing a lengthy vocal imitation of a red-tailed hawk. Larry Bickford

October 16 - Croton Point - In a brief interval of blue sky and sunshine I watched half a dozen monarchs feeding and resting in a patch of late-blooming evening primrose and coreopsis. As I crested the hill, the world turned gray and bleak from heavy overcast. With that last moment of summer fading behind me, I raised my binoculars to see the first snow buntings of the season and, beyond, bobbing on Croton Bay, a pair of great northern divers in stern winter plumage. Christopher Letts
[The common loon has no peer as a fisherman. They seem equally at home on or under the water, often remaining submerged for extended periods of time in pursuit of fish. In Europe they are called the great northern diver, a name perhaps more befitting this magnificent bird.]

October 17 - Ossining - Henry Gourdine recalled a late-autumn day in early December many years ago when he caught a 43/4 lb. bluefish in upper Haverstraw Bay, along with two roe shad. Having been a commercial fisherman for nearly sixty years at that time, Henry knew full well about American shad but was amazed that females with eggs would be in the Hudson in December. The bluefish was a different story. Adult blues in the river were rare at this time. When he brought it back to the Ossining Boat Club the members did not know what it was. The bluefish was uncommon enough in the Hudson that speculation ranged from unknowing shrugs to salmon.
Henry Gourdine died on the evening of October 17. Henry had been a major part of the commercial fishing community on the Hudson River for 75 years. He was born on Croton Point in 1903, and for all of his years carried a love, a curiosity, and an appreciation of the Hudson River and all of the creatures that live there. For Henry, the Hudson River was family, and his family feels the great loss. Tom Lake

October 22 - Croton Point - The first-graders from White Plains moved ever so slowly and quietly to within ten feet of a resting monarch on a patch of sunlit grass. The last monarch we would see this year? Perhaps. We enjoyed its beauty and sent our blessings as it coasted away to the south. Christopher Letts

October 23 - Bear Mountain - A peregrine falcon was sitting on a light post on the Bear Mountain Bridge. I had been seeing a peregrine on the bridge 2-3 times a week in the morning while traveling to work. Stephen Seymour
Iona Island - Vultures were roosting in the cottonwoods just north of Iona Island. They began soaring when the wind kicked up. There were about 20 turkey vultures and 3 black vultures in a "kettle." They moved south toward Jones Point. Stephen Seymour

October 27 - Croton Point - White-throated sparrows continued to increase their presence along the base of the landfill. Several savannah sparrows were mixed in. A dozen eastern meadowlarks broke from cover well ahead of me, put to flight not by my advance, but by a circling immature red-tailed hawk close by overhead. The redtail, in turn, was chased off the top of the hill and into a treeline by an escort of crows. Tom Lake

October 30 - Tappan Zee - While seining for the NYSDEC Hudson River Fish Survey, we caught a 52 mm long spotted hake, a member of the cod family and an uncommon marine fish in the Hudson River. Ron Gelardi, Carl LoBue, Kim McKown