Papscanee Creek
12 August 2006

We put in at the public boat ramp in the Town of Bethlehem near Albany.  We paddled across the Hudson River and headed for the mouth of the Papscanee Creek.

The tide was going out when we got there and was only about ankle deep in some areas.  We had to get out and walk the kayaks over the flats at the entrance to the creek.  Once in the creek proper we found some shallow area but could work our way off.  Around a high tide would be a better time to paddle the creek.

We got closer to and took better pictures of a couple of Belted Kingfishers than we had been able to in the past.  They even performed for us - diving for fish, hovering above the water and just flying around near us.

You have to go under a train bridge and an old road bridge.  The deck on the road bridge is gone and all that is left are the 'I' beams and supports.
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Hope you enjoy the pictures
Map of Paddle
DEC boat launch sign
John tries to run from Mary's camera, but is too slow
DEC road sign
Mouth of the Papscanee Creek with outgoing tide is only about ankle deep
John takes his kayak for a drag across the soon-to-be mudflat
View of the creek
Mary takes a panoramic of the creek
The shore of the creek
The woods, a duck blind & brown water
John on the Papscanee Creek
John paddles toward the little beach in front of the duck blind
Closest picture of a Belted Kingfisher I have been able to get
Belted Kingfisher flies into a nearby tree
Belted Kingfisher hovers over the creek
What a beautiful day for a paddle
An immature Bald Eagle surprises us
Looking for a deeper section of the shallow creek
Can you see the little fish hitting the water's surface?
The bridge ahead used to be part of a road
Not much left of the bridge