June 3, 2022

Discussion as to whether eagles can swim is one of the pressing issues of our time. Thus, I wanted to update you on this question.

This morning, we were ready to leave the dock at Hyde Park Marina. We are still tied up and check for coming traffic. Something floating in the water. There are logs and such from time to time so I grab my binoculars to take a look. It is a Bald Eagle floating down stream. He is floating along, looking around. Just like on an inner tube floating the river.

What! He must be in distress, but he does not look to be. He is floating along in a 1.4 knot current. There is nothing much we can really do but wait for him to pass before pulling out. He does try a couple of wing flaps in the water, but does not look like he can really get off the ground… water.

Meanwhile, Jim takes out his trusty phone and searches on whether eagles can swim. About this time, I observe a very interesting behavior.

Jim begins reading to me about the fact that, although not great swimmers, eagles in fact do swim! Who would have thought?

The eagle makes it all the way from the middle of the river to the shore, hops out and begins to flap his wings to dry them off before taking to the air.

Last time we were on the Hudson, we saw deer swim the width of the fast flowing Hudson. Very impressive what the Hudson can teach us.