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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 17, 2005 - A foray to the other forkOfficial Newspaper of Southold Town A foray to the other fork Focus on Nature By Paul Stoutenburgh Let' s head out to Montauk – its a perfect day. Yes, I know it' s Saturday and well probably run into a lot of traffic, but it will be worth it. A friend told us about a pair of red - tailed hawks hanging around an old nest in Riverhead. It was right on our way, so we'd check it out. Ron's directions were excellent and we found the nest but didn't see the hawks. They were probably off hunting. The nest was quite a bulky affair, meaning it has probably been used year after year. Red -tails have a tendency to stay in the same area throughout their lifetime. This picture was taken on a beach where this white - winged scoter died. A victim of an oil spill, its legs and underbody were covered with oil. Times /Review photo by Paul Stoutenburgh We were a bit disappointed but nevertheless the stop was worthwhile because right to the south of the nest site were open fields where the snow had been captured by a snow fence, creating great drifts of undulating shadows of snow. We just had to get the camera out and take a few shots. The drifts and farm buildings in the distance would make our stop worthwhile. We soon bypassed Riverhead and headed for Flanders, where the road headed east to Hampton Bays. There we got on the dual highway and in no time we were passing over the Shinnecock Canal. Then it was on to busy Southampton. On we went, through Water Mill; Bridgehampton was next. The village was alive with people. It reminded me of Greenport — busy shoppers and people just enjoying the day. Next we passed through East Hampton, with its wide streets and magnificentflagpolethatmustbeahundredfeethigh. Then it was off to Amagansett, the last town before you reach Montauk. For the first time the speed limit went to 55 mph on the long, straight highway that headed eastward across the low flatlands that once acted as summer pasture for the early settlers' cattle. We passed the state park campground that held so many wonderful memories of our camping there; sometimes without our kids and other times with our kids and, yes, even with our grandkids. Its one of the most sought -after parks in the state, and why not? It's right on the ocean beach. We passed through the village of Montauk, which hasn' t changed too much. We could see the one tall building and the stately Montauk Manor perched on a hill overlooking the whole of Montauk. They were the dreams of some who envisioned a magnificent resort area with oceangoing steamships pulling into its docks, railroad connection to the city — and then "the Crash" came and everything fell apart. They did get as far as building the manor and the mini skyscraper that still stands and functions today, but those were just about all of those flamboyant dreams that came true. Just before we reached the famous Montauk lighthouse we noticed a large sign telling about the new Fort Hero Park. We've been there and recommend it highly. Its The Suffolk Times I A foray to the other fork Page 2 of 3 trails start at the great clay cliffs that face the mighty Atlantic to the south. But today our destination was the point, so we drove on to the parking lot, paid our $6 and parked near the trail that leads to the rocky beach below. By the way, remember — there are warm, clean restrooms here and they are open year- round. I got out my equipment – tripod, scope and binoculars — and both of us put on heavier coats, for there was still a tingle in the air even though the sun was out bright. We walked down to the water's edge amongst the rocks, which did their best trying to trip us. The only birds close to shore were seagulls resting on the rocks. Once I got my scope set up and focused I could see rafts of black scoters diving offshore. I've mentioned scoters in previous articles. These are the big ducks that move out of the north to spend the winter along the warmer waters of the Atlantic seaboard. One of the places they congregate is here at Montauk because of the abundance of blue mussels found off the point. There were black scoters by the hundreds diving and thrashing about. It was the first time in all my years of birding I'd ever seen so many of these black scoters. They are the smallest and least known scoter, and here they were, right in front of us. I believe their thrashing was part of the courtship ritual they were going through. There were many more males than females. (But isn't that the way its always been ?) Most were in small groups of 20 to 30. This black scoter is the only all -black duck in the whole of North America. Its only distinguishing mark is a yellow- orange knob at the base of its bill that stood out brightly in the late - aftemoon sun, giving us great views of this little - known duck. We could also see other scoters farther to the north; mostly white - winged scoters, whose name comes from the white patch on their wings that is most noticeable when the bind Is flying. When the male white - winged scoter Is on the water, it looks all black, with the exception of a white mark over its eye. It has a colorful orange -and- white bill, but then all scoters have colorful bills. The third scoter, the surf scoter, was there, also in great numbers. "Skunk heads" the gunners call them. They have a white patch on the top of their head and another white patch on the nape of their neck. All the scoters swallow their food whole, meaning the mussels, clams or other shellfish are ground up in the duck's gizzard. That's hard to believe but true. There are always the robbers around. By that I mean the gulls. As a scoter would rise to the surface with its bill full of small mussels attached to seaweed, a gull would rush over and take it away. Gulls can't dive down deep to where the mussels are so they let these scoters do the diving for them. This thieving is done on other ducks, too, such as the bufflehead and the red - breasted merganser. As we watched the activity off the point, 10 or 12 Bonaparte gulls flew by. These are the smallest of all our gulls. Their flight is more tem -like than like that of a gull. They are a delight to watch. They were in their winter plumage of white with a black spot on the side of their head. Their spring and summer plumage will find them with a black head, but we'll not see them then, for they don't nest here. You can usually find them at Moriches Inlet, Shinnecock Inlet and, for those of you who have been to Niagara Falls, they are the dainty white birds that dip down to feed and fly in and out of the spray. They're often found inland on rivers and lakes. We did see one of the great northern ducks that visits us in the winter, the eider. There are two eiders: the king eider, which is much rarer, and the common eider. We searched and searched, but couldn't find the king eider. We did, however, see 30 or more common eiders, some in their beautiful winter plumage. This is the duck that provides the down for the most expensive down jackets. Natives of the far north collect the down from the nests of the eider and sell it for a fancy price. It brought back memories of when we were in Stockholm, Sweden, on one of our trips years ago and stopped at a place where you could buy duck decoys. I bought one representing the common eider, which we wouldn't use at home as a working decoy. But in the Scandinavian countries eiders are legal game and decoys are used there to lure the ducks within range. http: / /www2.timesreview.com/ST /community /282856510979471.php 3/17/2005 The Suffolk Times I A foray to the other fork Page 3 of 3 We had a wonderful day at the point and only wish more of you could enjoy what Barbara and I saw as we drove along the south shore and eventually to Montauk. Oh, yes, and if you do go, don't forget to take your binoculars. 2005 Times - Review Newspapers http: / /www2.timesreview.com/ST /community /282856510979471.php 3/17/2005 The Suffolk Times •March 17, 2005 foray to the other fork LET's HEAD our To Montauk — it's a perfect day. Yes, I know it's Saturday and we'll probably run into a lot of traffic, but it will be worth it. A friend told us about a pair of red - tailed hawks hanging around an old nest in Riverhead. It was right on our way, so we'd check it out. Ron's direc- tions were excellent and we found the nest but didn't se the hawks. They Focus were probably off hunting. The ON nest was quite NATURE a bulky affair, meaning it has by pawl probably been Stoutenburgh used year after year. Red -tails have a tendencyitnot . in the same area throughout their lifetime. We were a bit disappointed but nev- ertheless the stop was worthwhile be- cause right to the south of the nest site were open fields where the snow had been captured by a snow fence creat- Times /Review photo by Paul Stoutenburgh There are three species of scoters that visit our shores in the winter; the surf, the white - winged and the black. The greatest numbers can be found at Mon- tauk point, where they dive for the blue mussels that are common there. The picture above was taken on a beach where this white - winged scoter died. A victim of an oil spill, its legs and underbody were covered with oil. ing great drifts of undulating shadows of snow. We just had to get the camera out an to e a few shots. The drifts and farm buildings in the dis- tance would make our stop worthwhile. We soon bypassed Riverhead and headed for Flanders, where the road headed east to Hampton Bays. There we got on the dual highway and in no time we were passing over the Shinnecock Canal. Then it was on to busy Southampton. On we went, through Water Mill; Bridgehampton was next. The village was alive with people. It reminded me of Greenport — busy shoppers and people just enjoy- ing the day. Next we passed through East Hampton, with its wide streets and magnificent flagpole that must be a hundred feet high. Then it was off to Amagansett, the last town before you reach Montauk. Fort e first time the speed limit went to 55 mph on the long, straight highway that headed eastward across the low flatlands that once acted as summer pasture for the early settlers' cattle. We passed the state park campground that held so many wonderful memories of our camping there; sometimes without our kids and other times with our kids and, yes, even with our grandkids. It's one of the most sought -after parks in the state, and why not? It's right on the ocean beach. We passed through the village of Montauk, which hasn't changed too much. We could see the one tall buildine and the stately Montauk Manor perched o a hill overlooking the whole of Mon- tauk. They were the dreams of some who envisioned a magnificent resort area with oceangoing steamships pull- ing into its docks, railroad connection to the city — and then "the Crash" came and everything fell apart. They did get as far as building the manor and the mini skyscraper that still stands and func- tions today, but those were just about all of those flamboyant dreams that came true. Just before we reached the famous Montauk light- house we noticed a large sign telling about the new Fort Hero Park. We've been there and recommend it highly. Its trails start at the great clay cliffs that face the mighty Atlantic to the south. But today our des- tination was the point, so we drove on to the parking lot, paid our $6 and parked near the trail that leads to the rocky beach below. By the way, remember there are warm, clean restrooms here and they I got out my equipment — tripod, scope and bin- oculars — and both of us put on heavier coats, for there was still a tingle in the air even though the sun was out bright. We walked down to the water's edge amongst the rocks, which did their best trying to trip us. The only birds close to shore were seagulls resting on the rocks. Once I got my scope set up and focused I could see rafts of black scoters diving offshore. I've mentioned scoters in previous articles. These are the big ducks that move out of the north to spend the winter along the warmer waters of the Atlantic seaboard. One of the places they congre- gate is here at Montauk because of the abundance of blue mussels found off the point. There were black scoters by the hundreds diving and thrashing about. It was the first time in all myyearsofbirdingI'd ever seen so many of these blac scoters. They are the smallest and least known sco- ter, and here they were, right in front of us. I believe their thrashing was part of the courtship ritual they were going through. There were many more males than females. (But isn't that the way it's always been ?) Most were in small groups of 20 to 30. This black scoter is the onlyall -black duck in the whole of North America. Its only distinguishing markisayellow - orange knob at the base of its bill that stood out brightly in the late- afternoon sun, giving us great views of this little -known duck. We could also see other scoters far - The black scoter is ther to the north; mostly white - winged scoters, whose name comes from thetheonlyall -black white patch on their wings that is mostduckinthewholenoticeablewhenthebirdisflying. of North America. When the male white - winged scoter is on the water, it looks all black, with the exception of a white mark over its eye. It has a colorful orange- and -white bill, but then all scoters have colorful bills. The third scoter, the surf scoter, was there, also in great numbers. "Skunk heads" the gunners call them. Theyhaveawhitepatchonthetopoftheirheadandanotherwhitepatchonthe nape of their neck. All the scoters swallow their food whole, meaning the mussels, clams or other shellfish are ground up in the duck's gizzard. That'shardtobelievebuttrue. There are always the robbers around. By that Imeanthegulls. As a scoter would rise to the surfacewithitsbillfullofsmallmusselsattachedtosea- weed, a gull would rush over and take it away. Gulls. can't dive down deep to where the mussels are sotheyletthesescotersdothedivingforthem. Thisthievingisdoneonotherducks, too, such as thebuffleheadandthered - breasted merganser. As we watched the activity off the point, 10 or12Bonapartegullsflewby. These are the small- est of all our gulls. Their flight is more tern -like than like that of a gull. They are a delight to watch. They were in their winter plumage of white with a black spot on the side of their head. Their spring and summer plumage will find them with a black head, but we'll not see them then, for they don'tnesthere. You can usually find them at Moriches Inlet, Shinnecock Inlet and, for those of you who have been to Niagara Falls, they are the daintyhitebirdsthatdipdowntofeedandflyinandoutfthespray. They're often found inland on riversandlakPc We did see one of the great northern ducks that visits us in the winter, the eider. There are two ei- ders: the king eider, which is much rarer, and the common eider. We searched and searched, but couldn't find the king eider. We did, however, see30ormorecommoneiders, some in their beautiful winter plumage. This is the duck that provides thedownforthemostexpensivedownjackets. Natives of the far north collect the down from the nests oftheeiderandsellitforafancyprice. It brought back memories of when we were inStockholm, Sweden, on one of our trips years ago and stopped at a place where you could buy duckdecoys. I bought one representing the common eider, which we wouldn't use at home as a workingdecoy. But in the Scandinavian countries eiders arelegalgameanddecoysareusedtheretoluretheduckswithinrange. We had a wonderful day at the point and onlywishmoreofyoucouldenjoywhatBarbaraand I saw as we drove along the south shore and eventu- ally to Montauk. Oh, yes, and if you do go, don'tforgettotakeyourbinoculars. Times /Review photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh ' Welcome home, osprey The Nassau Point osprey arrived at 10 a.m. on March 13 and the East Creek osprey arrived later in the day. Others will be arriving soon in your neighborhood.