Bear Mountain

Looking south from Bear Mountain

     People often ask me if I would ever consider leaving the Hudson Valley and move permanently to our second home in Florida.  Well, we do have some pretty severe conditions up here with the snow and all, but we don't get an awful lot of hurricanes or tornadoes either.  We do have the fall which means I have to rake up all those bushels of leaves that fall to the ground. But they do look beautiful while they remain on the trees.  And yes, I do miss looking out the front windows and looking out onto the wonderful sea, but on the other hand, we are not exactly hurting for inspirational vistas here in the Highlands.  Take today for example.  Sharon and I travelled up to the top of Bear Mountain, a 1400' granite block which overlooks the Hudson and offers some great birding and some great views.  At this time of year, the canvas is painted in an extraordinary array of green, white and pink as the mountain laurel has just reached peak blooms.

      It is unbelievable to drive up the mountain along Perkins Memorial Drive and witness one of nature's premier works of art.  There are few gardens in the world that can match the mountains literally covered with the glossy leaves and white and pink clusters of flowers.

    
  Add to this the birds that like to call the mountain peak home and you've got all it takes to make for a wonderful day of birding or just sitting on the mountain and taking in the sights and sounds.

Eastern towhee

     Our best birds of the day tried to rival the flora with the Great Crested flycatcher's lemon yellow breast and the Scarlet tanager's brilliant red coat serving to accentuate the floral arrangement of the peak. The songs of the oriole, the warbling vireos, the Eastern towhee and the Chipping sparrow added a third element to the mix, just to round out an overall breathtaking experience.

Scarlet tanager

Great crested flycatcher

So, will I ever leave the valley for the Sunshine State (which I also love!)?  Not in this lifetime........