Holistic Birding
Piermont Pier
sourced from Ebird
Overview
Piermont Pier extends nearly a mile into the Hudson River, offering 360-degree views and access to a unique mix of river, mudflat, marsh, shrub, and woodland habitat. The pier can be very interesting during migration, when birds use it as a crossing point over the Hudson. Nearby Piermont Marsh and Sparkill Creek add additional habitat and birding opportunities.
Birding after a major storm (or during an average storm!) can be very productive.
Birding Piermont Pier
Begin at Art Rittenberg Field and bird along Ferry Road to the 9/11 Memorial, then continue onto the pier. The ball field, children's park, and surrounding trees can produce sparrows, songbirds, woodpeckers, and nesting orioles.
The shrubs along Ferry Road are good for warblers, sparrows, and other migrants; check the trees near the memorial for Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon. In August, look for concentrations of Osprey feeding over the river.
Beyond the memorial, the pier reaches open Hudson River habitat. When the tide exposes the flats and breakwater, look for shorebirds, gulls, and terns. The rocky shoreline and concrete dock provide roosting areas, with Caspian Terns increasingly regular in summer.
Winter can bring waterfowl and other species associated with the deeper river channel.
Mulberry trees along the pier attract birds during the breeding season, and nest boxes support breeding Tree Swallows. Rain and fog can be surprisingly productive, concentrating waterfowl and migrant birds at the end of the pier.
If shorebirding, be sure to check tides.
Hotspot note: For a single eBird list, use Piermont Pier. The Art Rittenberg Ball Field & Ferry Road to Scheffold Memorial sub-location covers the distinct field, marsh, shrub, and woodland habitat before the pier.
Visitor Information
Restrooms
-
Portable toilet
Accessibility
-
The road is paved and can be VERY crowded on weekends.
Park at the Art Rittenberg Field for the walk to the end of the pier. Overflow parking is available in Municipal Lot D on Gair Street. Limited parking is available at the pier in designated DEC spaces; parking along the pier requires a permit. There is no motor-vehicle access on Sundays during the warmer months.
For recent bird sightings and more, visit eBird.
