HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 11, 1976 - What's Your Sign of Spring11, 1976
by Paul
Stoutenburgh What's
Your HARBINGER OF SPRING is the sight of swans pairing off and staking out their
territory. photo by Roger
Stoutenburgh What with the spring -
like weather that comes and
goes, people have been asking
the usual question about "signs
of spring." These signs are all
about us. In our fresh water
marshes we find the skunk
cabbage blossoming. It's brave thrust
into winter's cold air months ago
was encouraged by extra light
and warmth as the months moved
on. Now its growth and color
stand out against the drab
winter
background. Of course, by now the male
red- wings are back. Flocks
are chattering among
themselves down by the pond in the
pasture. These early birds always
seem out of place especially when
the temperature changes and
March gives us a bit of snow. Yet, it'
s these signs that keep our
spirits
up. The monotony of our
winter woods is broken at this time
of year by the yellowing of
the willows. Down in our creeks
the red - breasted mergansers
and buffle -head ducks are starting
to act as if a spring went off
inside them. The male is quiet for
a spell and then, all of a
sudden, he'll chase and thrash about
the unassuming female, holding
his head to the sky and standing up
in the water, displaying
his beautiful spring
plumage. It won't be long now
before you'll see your favorite pair
of swans starting to stake out
their territory. Our creeks
are becoming more and more used
by these graceful birds. There'
s nothing more serene
and beautiful than a swan settled on
a nest but make no mistake,
her guardian is always
nearby. I remember once years
ago when a friend of mine and I
were canoeing and trespassed
too close. We hadn't paid too
much attention to the male
swimming toward us as we gracefully
glided along past the nests on the
river. Then to and behold we thought
a galloping horse was coming
down upon us! The male puffed
himself up so he looked twice his size.
On top of this he got a full head
of steam and started
charging toward us madly flapping
and paddling over the
water. Needless to say we
responded with "all our steam" and
the water flew as we paddled. I'
ll never forget my looking over
my shoulder, wondering what I'd
do if he ever caught up with us.
Like so many threats in the wild,
his mission accomplished, the
swan dropped back and
continued patrolling the nest, still
double - sized and
ruffled. Believe it or not, I'm
writing this in my car in the parking )ot
at Montauk State Park. It's 7:
30 Sunday morning and I'm
waiting for friends to come so we can
go out to the Point to see what'
s about. Spring is here at the
Park also. In front of me I can
literally see thousands of scoters;
surf, white and American.
Small flocks of these ducks can be
seen feeding in our bay throughout
the winter. They don't nest here
but frozen waters up north
move them down to our area. I haven'
t seen this kind of concentration
in many years. We get thousands
off Orient State Park each winter
but nothing like this. Ten
thousand would be a
conservative estimate, I'd say. But
what makes them unusual now is
that spring fever has set them
afire also. Like the mergansers in
our creeks, these scoters are
starting to perform their mating
ritual. Bills in the air — thrash
and chase —and in between a dive
to the bottom for a choice mussel
or crustacean of some sort.
These ducks are as much at home
under the water as on top. I'm told
the Scoters swallow mussels
whole and their powerful gizzards
crush them to bits, digests the flesh
and expel the shell in hundreds
of tiny
pieces. Soon these birds will leave
our shores and head up north
where they'll nest all along the
eastern coast to Hudson Bay. It
staggers the mind to think of the
great migrations of birds and
the fantastic rejuvenation of
our countryside when the sun
grows warm and the days grow
longer. We're on the mere threshold
of spring and perhaps to some
we are too premature. Yet, if
we didn't have these thoughts
there would be no catalogs read,
no seeds ordered, no lawns raked,
no fishing trips planned nor
boats readied and all the millions
of other things that stimulate
those of us who are moved by the
first sign of