Majestic Bald Eagles - A Joy of CT Winters

Majestic Bald Eagles Winter in Southern CT

Really? Yes, really.

Four Eagles Atop Trees along the CT River

Every Winter, when their Northern feeding grounds freeze hard as iron, eagles from as far North as Canada come down to nest and feed along the Southern  CT river where they find open waters and plenty to eat.

From late in January to mid-March eagle watching opportunities abound, and eagle watchers wander along the lower CT river valley and the CT shoreline area where the CT River meets Long Island Sound for a chance to view these magnificent birds.

Three Ways to Eagle Watch

We have found three different approaches to fulfilled eagle watching: the river cruise, the guided land tour, and the self-directed driving tour. So, we've also created three different overnight Eagle Watch Escape packages - one for each way to eagle watch. There's something here for everyone.

The Eagle Watch Cruise

Eagle Watch and Wildlife Boat Tours depart from the dock at the CT River Museum in nearby Essex CT. Come aboard Project Oceanology’s Enviro-Lab III, a 65′ modern research vessel equipped with a heated cabin and lots of deck space. A naturalist is on board to be your host and provides guided narration, pointing out the eagles and describing their behaviors and more. Free coffee is on board and the use of binoculars is also included. Your cruise ticket also gives you same day free admission to all the CT River Museum galleries featuring the Eagles of Essex exhibit.

Boat departures are on Fridays at 1:00 PM; and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
Advance reservations are the best way to assure you'll have a spot on your choice of date and time. To reserve call the CT River Museum at 860-767-8269. You may also reserve online from the CT River Museum's web site.

Enviro-Lab III - from CT River Museum Web Site

The Guided Land Tour

Jerry Connolly, owner of The Audubon Shop in Madison CT, will share his enthusiasm and passion for birding in general, and the majestic Bald Eagles, specifically, by taking you on a guided land tour to the area's prime eagle viewing spots. The tours are arranged in carpools departing from the shop bright and early on Saturday mornings in February and March and include a soup and sandwich lunch. With Jerry as your guide you'll both see the eagles and learn all about them. Somehow I think he's got some good eagle-watch stories to share too.

Advance reservations are a must and best done by telephone call to the shop at (203) 245-9056 during regular business hours, 10:00am - 5:00pm. Be sure to reserve binoculars, too, if you need to rent them for the tour.

The Self-Directed Driving Tour

If you prefer to go at your own pace, or if you've cruised and been guided in the past, you may feel more like taking yourself on a Self-Directed Driving Tour to the various nearby eagle viewing spots. Prepared for our overnight guests, you may ask the innkeeper for the printed Self-Guided Eagle Watch Tour, along with a map, when you are staying here at the inn. Follow the directions using the map or use your own GPS and you're on your way, on your day, your schedule, your pace.

No need to reserve your copy of the tour in advance, but do remember to bring binoculars or call The Audubon Shop in advance to reserve binoculars to rent for the day.

Photo by Jack Faller - from Audubon Shop Facebook
 

Three Wonderful Escape Packages for Eagle Watchers

Eagle Watch Cruise Escape Package -
Two Eagle Watch Cruise tickets, including admission to the CT River Museum; Gift Certificates for Lunch, The Audubon Shop, and afternoon coffee or tea; book about Eagles; printed Self-Directed Driving Tour for more eagle watching; map; snacks for the road. Add $180 to your reservation for a one, two, or more nights stay at our Tidewater Inn B&B.

Eagle Watch Guided Land Tour Escape Package -
Two Guided Land Tour tickets, including lunch; Gift Certificates for The Audubon Shop and afternoon coffee or tea; book about Eagles; printed Self-Directed Driving Tour for more eagle watching; map; snacks for the road. Add $105 to your reservation for a one, two, or more nights stay at our Tidewater Inn B&B.

Eagle Watch Self-Directed Driving Tour Escape Package -
Our printed Self-Directed Driving Tour; map; Gift Certificates for Lunch, The Audubon Shop, and afternoon coffee or tea; book about Eagles; snacks for the road. Add $95 to your reservation for a one, two or more nights stay at our Tidewater Inn B&B.

Choose your Escape Package, Choose your Room, Choose your Dates and Come! The Eagles are here for your to see.

Book by email to escape@thetidewater.com, by phone 203-245-8457 or through our web site, TheTidewater.com.

I look forward to welcoming you.

                                                                            Victoria

By the way ... Nature lovers ... Seal Watch Cruises around the Thimble Islands are what to sse and do around here in March!

April 2009 Wine Dinner Getaway Event

Many years before I became an innkeeper I had the joy of attending an elegant wine dinner at the Blue Hill Inn in Maine. That experience is part of my journey to owning the Tidewater Inn, and we'll save that for another telling at another time.

Those wonderful memories have lingered, and when I decided to host a Wine Dinner Getaway event here at the Tidewater, I knew that I would model it after that very same weekend that I had so enjoyed.

Now, the Blue Hill Inn had it's own restaurant and French trained chef. We're a bed and breakfast inn, no restaurant, no chef ... just an very enthusiastic innkeeper and home cook. So, I asked Rick Lewis, the owner of the Madison Wine Shop, Fawn Nebinger, the owner of Madison Cheese, etc., and Elizabeth Perry, of Elizabeth's Cafe at Perfect Parties, to join me, using their respective talents, to creating a memorable Wine Dinner Getaway event.


Our first Wine Dinner Getaway was on Friday, April 24, 2009. Fine wines were paired with exquisite food and served in the most elegant of settings. At the dinner Rick and his assistant, Pat Roberts, presented and poured each wine, course by course. It was as if everyone was a personal guest of the wine merchant in the dining room of a gracious home.



Traditionally when we dine we first choose our food and then select the wine to complement it. A unique feature of our Wine Dinner Getaway events is that we do the opposite: First Rick selected six wines to feature: one sparkling, two whites, two reds, and one dessert wine. Each wine was then matched with a tasting course selected and prepared to highlight its qualities. I thought you might enjoy knowing the wines and the food pairings that were served, so here they are.






Hors d'Oeuvres were served with a Mont Ferrant Rose" Brut, a deep pink, sparkling wine from Spain. Monastrell skins give this wine its stunning aromas of blackberries, currants and strawberries. Sensuous delicate fruit, there is not detectable residual sugar in the long, lovely, crisp finish. I couln't wait for Christmas, many months away, to serve this wine at our open house for family and friends.



The hors d'oeuvres included Spanakopitakia (Greek Spinach Filo Triangles), Taramousalata on Belgian Endive (Greek Carp Roe, Olive Oil and Lemon Spread), and Artichoke Bottoms with Seared Sea Scallops and Hollandaise in a Kadaifi nest. This first course was served buffet style so that everyone could meet and mingle.




Our Soup course, Roast Duck and Wild Rice Soup, was served to highlight the Galiciano Godello. Godello has been known by wine insiders for years. It is native to Valdeorras, which is 100 miles inland, off the Atlantic, in a mountainous area. These stresses and harsh landscape give this grape its character. Lovely minerality, crisp and clean ... along with a long finish. Great departure from Chardonnay.




Our third course, a Lobster Salad on a bed of baby greens with Avocado, Grapefruit and Citrus Vinaigrette, was served to show the best qualities of the Cour-Cheverny. This is the "ultimate shellfish wine," according to Rick. It is made from a grape called Romorantin ... this wine has lime fruit and zingy acid. You will love this wine. Rick's promise!





The next course was Giannone Chicken Breast with pan jus, Baby French Horn Mushrooms and Wild Ramps. This course featured the 2007 Atteca Old Vines red wine. An '07 Old Vines Garnacha, it is stunning, smokey, rich and just outstanding, with blackberry notes and a persistent, lovely finish. We served this wine for our innkeeper's reception for weeks to follow and it was quite a favorite.






Between the third and fourth courses we served an intermezzo of fresh lemon sorbet to refresh the palate.




The next tasting entree of Rosemary crusted Lamb Loin with Asparagus and Merlot Sauce, featured New Zealand's Mud House Pinot Noir. New Zealand makes great Pinot Noirs ... and this is tops, according to Rick. It is well balanced with outstanding fruit and a hint of smoke.




The final wine of the evening was a 1997 Costa Diva Muscat Dessert Wine. Liquid Gold! A perfect balance of sweetness and acid, it will not leave your mouth feeling viscous. This is dessert! To feature this wonderful dessert wine we served a cheese course and a dessert course too.



The Cheeses served were: * Drunken Goat, a semi-soft cheese aged in red wine. It is Artisanaly made in Murcia, Spain. The rind is edible and has a delicious fruity flavor of the wine in which it was aged. * Manchego with Membrillo, a semi-soft cheese served with quince paste. It is exclusively made in Castille -La Mancha, Spain, with raw milk from Manchega sheep. Very pleasant and buttery flavor, slightly spicy and with a great richness of aromas. * Cabrales, a Spanish soft blue cheese made with a combination of cow, sheep and goat's milk. It is artisanally made in Asturias using raw milk. Its flavor is deep, strong and spicy, piquant with an intense acid and creamy undertone. * Brebis, Abbey de Belloc, from the French Pyrenees. This is an Ardi-Gasna (local sheep's milk cheese) which is either made or aged in the Abbey. It is dense, supple and fruity with a lightly carmelized flavor that lingers.






Our dessert was a traditional classic Spanish Flan.




Saturday morning we served a full gourmet breakfast to all before everyone departed to explore Madison and to drop in a the Madison Wine Shop and Madison Cheese, etc. to purchase wines and cheeses to take home.



We learned a few important things with this first of our wine dinner getaway events: remember to provide vegetarian alternatives, and how about something with wine at Saturday's breakfast...

All the guests asked, "When's the next Wine Dinner Getaway?"