YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO

Welcome back! We have birding stories, fly fishing misadventures, and a whole lotta Catskill happenings. Hope you enjoy this week’s edition and I’ll see ya out there.

A few weeks ago I was sitting on the porch in the early hours, the sun just rising over the mountain, and that’s when I heard a strange call from the forest. It was unfamiliar, most certainly an avian neighbor I had yet to meet. After a bit of time, I identified the mysterious caller as the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Their sound is unmistakable, a series of almost hollow notes that get deeper and slow down. They’ve been called many names from Cucumber Birds to Cowbirds, but old timers often referred to them as Rain Crows for their tendency to be more vocal on humid and overcast days, beckoning an incoming storm.

Standing about a foot tall, yellow-billed cuckoos have curved yellow beaks with a dark tip, and boast a dramatically long black tail with bold white spots. They should stick out more than they do, but manage to remain hidden in our deciduous forests, moving between trees and hiding behind leaves.

Every fall, the local yellow-billed cuckoo heads south on an epic journey to Central America, the West Indies, and South America — some traveling as far as northern Argentina. They navigate thousands of miles using stars and magnetic fields, then return back north each spring to continue their migration cycle.

Their arrival in spring is a bit later than most birds, but timed precisely for when larger insects emerge. The cuckoo prefers to munch on tent caterpillars and fall webworms, among a variety of other insects and wild fruits. Occasionally, they’ll even hop out of the trees for small vertebrates including frogs and lizards.

While the yellow-billed cuckoo is an expert at hide-and-seek, if you listen carefully in the early summer morning or evenings you may just hear their call — and if you are really lucky you may spot one before they depart our region in September.

I’m writing from Stanley, Idaho on the banks of the Salmon River and at the edge of the Sawtooth Mountain Range.

Yesterday morning, a friend and I packed up his little Kia rental car for what was supposed to be a short drive and an easy hike. Our target was a meadow below the Castle Peak alpine chain lakes. We heard rumors of good fishing and that’s all we needed to get out there.

The drive into the backcountry tested the full capabilities and insurance policy of his rental and the hike tested our preparedness. What we thought would be a half mile stroll turned into 8 miles, uphill. We rationed our water, chewed on electrolyte tablets (not advised), and divvied up our sole handful of trail mix. The sun, high in the high desert, had me questioning my decision to trudge in with a 30 pound backpack and 10 pound felted-sole wading boots.

Upon arrival, we were exhausted but elated to have finally reached our destination. Deep into bear, moose, and big cat country, we fished the alpine meadows. The water was gin clear, every pool had more fish than we were able to count, and the backdrop of Castle Peak was nothing short of stunning.

Our fly pattern of choice was a hopper with a hint of purple and rubber legs that floated high (and don’t worry, we crimped the barb). Each cast seemed to result in a fast strike and quick release — and the more the fly got hit, the better it performed.

The only trout we came across was a native strain, the Westslope Cutthroat, truly one of the most beautiful fish I’ve seen.

Could we have packed more water, snacks, whiskey, and been better prepared? For sure. Was it all worth it? Absolutely.

Want to spread the good word about your business, a project you’re working on, a hire, or just want to say hi to 36,000 friends?

Roses Brook Farms Step into a field of flowers in the heart of the Catskills. At Roses Brook Blooms, you’ll find fresh-cut bouquets, small-batch honey, and handmade gifts at our seasonal stand at 2476 Roses Brook Road, South Kortright. Planning a celebration, get together or special event? We offer custom orders, DIY event buckets, and Pick-Your-Own experiences among the blooms! Explore more here.

Root & Ramble lets you spend more time enjoying your home and less time managing it. We are your full service property manager for everything your property needs from handyman repairs and maintenance, to pool care, landscaping, and more. We can coordinate your existing vendors or bring in our trusted team, ensuring every detail is taken care of Learn more here.

Catskill Cryo offers whole body cryotherapy — a quick and effective way to reduce inflammation, ease pain, and speed up recovery. Just three minutes in the cold can leave you feeling clear-headed, energized, and refreshed. Catskill Cryo makes cutting-edge wellness simple, safe, and local. You can find them right on main street in Catskill (P.S. everyone I know who has tried it, swears by it). Discover the benefits and book a session here.

Roar into Adventure on the Catskill Mountain Railroads Dinosaur Express. Grab your Explorer’s hat and take a train ride back in time to the Jurassic Period and discover the magic of Dinosaurs! After departing the station, passengers will suddenly find themselves back in the days when dinosaurs ruled the earth. Let your little ones’ imaginations run wild as they encounter these prehistoric creatures during the journey and at the Dinosaur Park. Designed especially for younger children, this train ride offers an unforgettable experience for the whole family. All aboard.

Meadowlark Festival — A three-day music festival from September 12-14th at Stone Ridge Orchard that benefits Hudson Valley farmers — featuring Sunflower Bean, Haley Heynderickx, Cut Worms, River Whyless, Willi Carlisle, and more. The stage is a 1940s travel trailer situated under a centuries-old oak tree on a heritage apple orchard. For a limited time use discount code CATSKILLCREW for 15% off tickets. Click here to learn more or buy tickets.

Adopt Pets: Big congrats to Crew Member Brett for adopting his new dog Connie! This week we have Wilbur the pup, Spirits the cat, and Waffles the File Snake.

Property of the Week: This Catskill ranch has the coolest wood stove I’ve seen.

The Sky Report: The Perseid meteor shower peaks the night of August 12-13th at 4:00 AM when you can spot two dozen meteors an hour. The Perseids are famous for being one of the most reliable annual showers, sometimes topping 110 meteors per hour in perfect dark-sky conditions. They’re the fiery remains of Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, burning up in the atmosphere at 37 miles per second.

Sunrise 6:00 AM
Sunset 8:00 PM
Fire Danger [moderate]
Air Quality [moderate]
Moon Phase [waning gibbous]

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Gilboa Museum, Gilboa - Food Preservation with Michael Solyn of Solinsky's at 6pm details

Tubby's, Kingston - Ace Of Cups Food Event at 5pm lineup

Catskill Center, Mt. Tremper - Catskills Nature Explorers: Pollinator Power at 10:30am get outside

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Thank You Thank You, Blue Ranger, and Gracie Gray at 8pm tix

The Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale - Movie Night: Roar at 7:30pm watch the trailer

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Kaleidoscope Assembly at 6pm take a look

Wiltwyck Taproom, Kingston - Speed Dating & Comedy at 6pm have fun

Henry Hudson Riverside Park, Hudson - Thomas Cole 200th Anniversary Sail on the Schooner Apollonia at 7pm get on the water

Blackthrone Resort, East Durham - Rat’s Nest Run-In, a multi-day hot rod party sweet

Wayside Cider, Andes - Fish Disco: a food pop and a vinyl night with Montauk Catch Club get fishy

The Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale - The Materialists at 7pm movie night

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Making Dark Waves at 7pm dance

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel - Steve Miller Band at 7:30pm get a ticket

Meadowbrook Farm Catskills , Leeds - Sunflower and Sangria Festival all weekend long deets

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Performances by Fust and Adeline Hotel at 8pm details

Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock - Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads: A Reggae Tribute To The Talking Heads at 8pm tix

Catskill Center, Oliverea - Hike for the Catskills: Guided Sunrise Hike to Giant Ledge at 4:30am wake up early

Rough Draft, Kingston - Trivia Night at 6pm

Tubby's, Kingston - Wet Tuna, Prairiewolf, and Sloppy Heads at 7pm more info

Laugh it Up Comedy Club, Poughkeepsie - Hudson Valley's Funniest Showcase enjoy

Wild Hudson Valley, Cairo - Night in the Forest, a twilight stargazing nature walk tickets

Ravenwood, Kerhonkson - Flag making for kids at 11am details and Immersive Drawing for the adults at 3pm more info

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel - Dierks Bentley at 7pm tix

Kitchen Garden Health, Hudson - Natural Dye Workshop at 10am make stuff

Urban Cowboy, Big Indian - Live bluegrass music concert in Urban Cowboy Lodge at 7pm

Pine Hill Community Center, Pine Hill - Concert: Feast of Friends, the ultimate tribute to Jim Morrison and The Doors at 7pm

Pine Hill Fire House, Pine Hill - Fire Department Pig Roast Fundraiser at 3pm support phfd

ArtPort Kingston, Kingston - Color Theory for Gardeners Lecture by David Thiergartner at 4pm plan your garden

Kaaterskill Market, Catskill - Two-Day Cattail Hat Workshop at Kaaterskill Market at 9:30am hang with renee

Oz Farm, Saugerties - Excavation Games at 11am dig it

Catskill Brewery, Livingston Manor - Comedy Night at 7:30pm laugh it up

Catskill Fly Fishing Museum, Livingston Manor - Saturday Fly Tyers Series at 11am tight lines

Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - Midnight Ramble ft. Jeffrey Gaines at 8pm tix

Lost Book Shop, Delhi - Workshop: Writing the Forest at 2pm more of this stuff

Phoenicia Playhouse, Phoenicia - Flying Cat Music Series: Amy Speace at 7pm take a look

Roxbury Arts Group, Roxbury - Homegrown Sounds at 3pm good stuff

Athens Cultural Center, Athens - Summer Music Series: The Goddess Party at 4:30pm enjoy

Margaretville - Natural Wine Vine Crawl stopping at Mornings, Oda’s, and Rae’s this is great

Night School, Athens - Live music with bartender Nate on the drums at 6pm stir it up

Wild Hudson Valley, Cairo - August Foraging Workshop tickets

Tubby's, Kingston - Kingston’s Daytime Queer African Dance Party at 6pm details

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel - Sebastian Maniscalco at 7:30pm lol

Opus 40, Saugerties - Zydeco Dance Party with CJ Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band alright alright alright

Phoenicia Diner, Phoenicia - Jackson Lundy's Peachy Keen Road Show at 12pm rsvp

Rough Draft, Kingston - Hudson Valley Bloom: Make Personal Butterflies at 10am create