Tivoli Bay Bobcat

Encounter with a Bobcat

Tivioli Bay is a DEC managed bay (two actually, north and south bay) and a small strip of woods on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, that abuts Bard College in Northwest Dutchess County. There are a few miles of trails through out the woods, and at least one trail that leads out to the bays and the rail road tracks. It's a great place to go bird watching or take a nice, easy stroll in the woods.

Last night, a friend and I decided to do a little bird watching, grabbed the cameras (basic point and shoot digital, and 35mm SLR w/200-600mm lens) and binoculars. We parked on the access road immedatly next to Bard College (just past the Performing Arts Center). This is a designated handicap access trail, and is essentially a road - there is a partial road into the bay itself that the railroad uses to access the railroad itself.

Upon emerging into the bay and out of the woods, we paused at a water channel that opens into the southern bay. Out on the bay itself, along the shoreline of the receeding tide, my friend spotted a Bald Eagle. She saw it in flight, I only managed to catch it when it had landed, and was obviously picking something apart. We also noticed a brown, immature Bald Eagle. Even though it was very far away, I was able to see it with the 35mm camera, and finished off a roll of film. Popped open the back of the camera to swap out the film, and glanced up into the water channel. As I did so, about 50 feet away, a Bobcat emerged from the marsh and slowly slinked his way across the channel (over a log). I could only stammer "bduh, bduh, bduh" as I tried to get my friend's attention. She managed to get her Bino's on it (I was still fumbling with the film, and couldn't get to the digital!), and said, though it was rather tawny, it was indeed, a Bobcat. Very Cool and Special 10 seconds, to say the least!

We decided we could go home right then and be happy. Thankfully we didn't, and continued on into the bay. While we saw a number of other birds and critters, the real treat (other than the eagles and bobcat) was the Least Bittern (small, heron like bird) which flew past us and landed in the reeds about 5 feet away. That was a real treat, because they are rather shy and blend in very, very well.

But that Bobcat, wow!

Reviews

[Marie Anzalone]

We always had some amazing experiences when we went there.