Green Island and Nature

Dorothy and I just came back from a walk through the wilds of Green Island.  Cool (10 degrees),  clear (bright sun), crunchy (lots of cold, cold snow underfoot) and crisp (not sure how to characterize crisp...maybe it's the pleasant, fresh feeling I get inside my nose when it's really cold).

 One of the highlights of the circuit we regularly walk is going to the River Park (home of the famous GIG Green Island Gazebo) which overlooks the Hudson River just below the Federal Dam in Troy.

Dorothy skiing through River Park, river and dam on the right

Looking south from park after an ice storm.

  This is a very interesting portion of the river for several reasons related to the dam.  The dam prevents most fish from going further upstream.  Some go through the lock but most are stopped.  This makes for great fishing in the spring when herring, striped bass and shad are on upstream mating runs.

Mother's Day fishing mayhem 

American Shad...fishing for this fish was called off last year because it's numbers are down.

The other thing the dam does is that it's turbulence keeps some water open during the coldest part of winter This attracts birds who feed on the fish and plants in the river (ducks) and birds that feed on fish and ducks (Bald Eagles).  It is thrilling to see Bald Eagles and we often do on this walk.  There is an active eagle nest on the north end of the Island.

I actually saw this pair copulating after taking this picture.

One of my favorite winter ducks that frequents the open water on the river is the Common Goldeneye. 

I didn't take this picture

We saw five males on one female today diving in the frigid Hudson. We also saw some Common Mergansers.

Three male and two female Common Mergansers in Hudson by River Park.  

Female's rusty red head  plumage is very cool (borrowed  image)

Both of these species are diving ducks and nest mainly in Canada.  They are welcome visitors in the heart of winter.

My special affection for the Goldeneye probably is because I was lucky enough to see several males wooing a female a couple of springs ago.  Here's a video of their dramatic courtship display. http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/common-goldeneye-bucephala-clangula/male-courtship-display and if that's not enough excitement for you here's an "extreme closeup" of a pair copulating in Norway in 2009.  http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/common-goldeneye-bucephala-clangula/pair-copulating-extreme-close

More bird porn in upcoming posts!

Stay warm!