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PALISADES INTERSTATE PARK, N.J.—On Sunday, Oct. 7, State Line Lookout in Alpine, the highest point in the Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey, will host a special nature event called “Hawks Over the Hudson.”
The event, to be held rain or shine from 12-4 p.m., will feature live birds of prey presented by the Delaware Valley Raptor Center at 1 and 2:30 p.m. Between the programs, visitors will have a chance to see the animals up close, chat with the presenters, and to enjoy activities and exhibits presented by some of the member organizations of the Nature Program Cooperative, an affiliation of local nature centers and environmental groups that is sponsoring the event.
The program is free and open to all, with no advance registration required to attend.
State Line Lookout is accessible from its own exit on the northbound Palisades Interstate Parkway about 2 miles north of Exit 2 (a well-marked U-turn is available for southbound travelers) or to pedestrians and cyclists via Old Route 9W, a closed section of highway that begins by the entrance to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory on U.S. Route 9W. Lookout Inn, a refreshment stand at the site with a lunch and snack menu, as well as gifts and books, will be open during the event.
In case of rain, the presentation will be held under a tent, but if weather permits, visitors will also be able to stop by an ongoing “hawk watch” only a few yards beyond the parking area – and over 500 feet above the Hudson River. There they can try their luck at spotting wild “raptors”—hawks, eagles and falcons—as they migrate south. Throughout the fall, volunteer observers congregate at the Lookout to identify the passing raptors, part of a continent-wide study conducted by the Hawk Migration Association of North America. From September into early November, the State Line hawk watch also welcomes visitors who want to learn more about these magnificent animals.
While an occasional eagle will glide by at eye-level, visitors will also learn how experienced birders use a combination of clues like silhouettes and flight patterns to identify even those animals that pass hundreds of feet overhead. Visitors to the hawk watch are encouraged to bring binoculars with them if they can.
For more information or directions, call (201) 768-1360 ext. 108.
Photo courtesy Eric Nelsen