EagleFest Brings Hudson Valley Environmentalists Together
As the bitter cold of a New York February morning sliced through the banks of the Hudson River, attendees of the annual Hudson River EagleFest were ironically spending most of their time huddled next to space heaters inside of makeshift gazebos and tents. Even with the frigid conditions, EagleFest once again warmed the hearts of Ulster County environmentalists.
While EagleFest was originally created to celebrate the return of the bald eagles and several other birds of prey to the Hudson Valley, the festival has morphed into an expo that welcomes conservationists, bird watchers, and nature lovers alike.
While the conservationists were still getting set up in the main tent, those in attendance flocked to “Sky Hunters in Flight”, a show conducted by Brian Bradley, one of the most notable falconry experts in the area. Bradley was able to treat the audience to glimpses of several owls, raptors and birds of prey. Some of the biggest hits included a great horned owl, spectacled owl, and a young red-tailed hawk. The loudest audience reaction came when he made a faint clicking noise in the rear of the tent, which led the great horned owl to jet out from his cage and perch right on Bradley’s hand.
“These creatures are so rare and so beautiful” Bradley said. “Part of why I love doing what I do is being able to work in conjunction with these amazing animals. Bradley also called for greater efforts to preserve the birds’ natural habitat. “There’s so much going on in the Hudson Valley, and it’s hard to think of the birds,” Bradley said. “I know that it’s impossible to stop most of this, but I can just hope that keeping their habitat safe is a big priority.”
While Bradley and the raptors were captivating audiences, several major environmental clubs were setting up shop inside the main tent. The organizations inside ranged in scope from water conservations to bird watching and even trail restoration. Heavy hitters like the Saw Mill River Audubon, a natural society with an emphasis on bird watching and hiking, were there distributing handouts that helped those in attendance become knowledgeable bird watchers.
A representative from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection also made the journey to EagleFest, educating the public about the Croton and Catskill watersheds, where delivers more than 1.1 billion gallons of fresh water to the city everyday. Keeping those watersheds healthy and unpolluted is of the utmost importance.
The “Eaglet Stage” had plenty of arts and crafts available for younger visitors. Experts like Dr. Danielle Begley-Miller helped break down the complexities of the natural world for an enthralled younger audience. Local craftspeople and artisans featuring homemade jewelry also took up a good bit of space.
The day concluded with Bradley letting his birds take to the wind, soaring far and wide above the Hudson River. Bradley helped a volunteer, one of the younger bird watchers in the audience, call the birds back, bringing an end to the festivities of the day.
Preservation of this beautiful riverbank and the rare birds that live in it is becoming a hot-button issue. With more festivals like these, the Hudson Valley’s riverbanks could stay beautiful and untarnished by humankind.
