Hudson Valley Eagle Fest

This is the second year we attended the Hudson Valley Eagle Fest, which was on February 7th (finally cleared enough room on my hard drive to download the photos...) We saw our friends from Beczak Environmental Education Center, Croton Point Park Nature Center, and Teatown Lake Reservation hosting the many eagle and Hudson River related activities.





















Bill Streeter of the Delaware Valley Raptor Center put on an amazing live bird display and taught us all so much about birds of prey. At some point I will get around to journaling my notes from his presentation. It was fascinating, and held Mikro's utterly rapt attention.

This is Benson, who was rehabilitated by the DVRC after being shot. He would not survive in the wild if released, so he is an educational ambassador these days.






















Most of the festivities took place at Croton Point park, and various other locations where eagles are routinely sighted. Our local historic site, Van Cortlandt Manor, also had craft activities and opened its grounds to eagle seeking hopefuls, which is very cool, because it is usually closed in the winter, and the grounds were lovely in the snow. I finally got an opportunity to do a real sketch! Drew a bald eagle from a reference photo using white prismacolor pencil on black paper, and helped Mikro try his hand at an eagle as well.