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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 13, 2005 - Time to name that turtleOctober 13, 2005 • The News - Review • 9A Time to name that turtle CAPTURE THESE SPARKLING fail days if you can, for like everything else in this great world of ours, nothing lasts for- ever. With that in mind, Barbara and I packed a lunch and headed for the dock the other day. At the dock we could see the tail thatch grass that has turned a golden brown and the long seed heads sprin- kled amongst its tall blades. There was a gentle northwest wind blowing, so we set our course for the lee of the land and headed out. Focus Of course, at this time of year ON I never go any - N ATU R E where on the wa- terwithoutdrop - by paUl ping a fishing line Stoutenbutglt over the stem. It paid off with one nice - size snapper on the way out. Off to our right we could see the abandoned osprey's platform, telling us most of the ospreys were on their way south for the winter. Just think, some of them will spend the winter as far south as the Amazon River in Brazil and then return in the spring to the same nesting platform they used last year — "Oh, the wonder of it all." We had the bay pretty much to ourselves. We passed one spot on the beach where people kept their colorful kayaks, sunfish and other small craft, telling us sum- mer days for them were just about over. One lone person walked the beach with his dog. We saw a few big Royal terns flying over the bay, which told us our bay& there were fish around. We see them only occasionally when bluefish are in a feeding frenzy. It' s then that they swoop down and reap the harvest of snail fish that the blue- fish are feeding on. Our destination was behind a clump of trees on a deserted piece of sandy beach. Here we got out, set up our table, the top of our picnic basket, and, with some boat cushions to sit on, we settled in for lunch. As we ate our sandwiches and sipped our drinks, we could see dark clumps of something at the water's edge. Once our lunch was over, it was time to investigate what those dark blotches were that were strewn so heavily along the beach. As we approached them their shape re- vealed what they were: the sponge sea- weed called sodium, or as some call it, spaghetti grass, a new seaweed that has come to our shores from across the sea. It' s relatively new to our area and has already spread throughout our waters Some people cuss it; others think it might be a savior, for the spongy sea- weed does provide some protection from predators It's a place where baby scallops and other minute marine life can hide. Only time will tell if it's going to be a plus or minus in our bays In order for this plant to flourish it needs something to attach itself to and so each of the clumps of sodium had an anchor stone. Evidently the stones were not heavy enough to hold them in place, so in a strong wind the clumps of sodium dragged anchor and landed up on shore. On each stone were two, three or more slipper shells, or boat shells as some call them. Seeing they were so N, — fi v,e photos 1 y 6a,hara Stuuleriuurph Left: Two turtle shells and one live turtle found recently on the North Fork. The shell on the right is from our saltwater diamondback terrapin; in the center, trying to get out of the picture, is a Bell's hinge -back tortoise, a native of arid Africa, often sold in pet shops; the other shell Is of an adult red -eared slider, a cute little green turtle sold in pet shops. All were found last week on the North Fork. Right: This photo clearly shows the unusual hinged back of the African Bell's hinge - back tortoise. Left where it was found, this turtle would surely have died as ft requires SO- to 90- degree temperatures. fresh, I took out my pocketknife and pried one off. Needless to say, I didn't hesitate to eat it, and many more fol- lowed. They are something like the es- cargot you get in a restaurant Perhaps some day we'll find them on the menu of our favorite restaurant. On our way back I again trolled and caught one more snapper In some places along the creek we saw the telltale heads of diamondback turtles popping up for a breath of air. They're our most abundant saltwater turtle. All of which brings me to a tale about two turtles I met for the first time this week. It all started when our son told us of a turtle shell found under a house on Laurel fake, one he had never seen be- fore. And on the same day a live turtle was brought to us from a nearby con- struction site. No one seemed to know what kind of turtle it was, so we went to get sonic professional help. The live Only time will tell If spaghetti grass Is going to be a Plus of minus In turtle was identified as a Bell's hinge - back tortoise by Steve, who is a special- ist on turtles at the International Fauna Society in Riverhead. It was alive and well, but we were concerned whether or not it was go- ing to make it in our world. We were told it was from the desert of Africa and its name refers to the fact that its back actually hinges — most unusual. If you look closely at the photograph, you can see where this hinging takes place. If it's attacked from the rear, it can close the back half of its shell to protect itself. Its worst enemy is the hyena, which can actually bite through its heavy shell. What it was doing on Long Island one can only speculate. The most logi- cal explanation is that it was someone's pet. Unfortunately, turtles are sold in pet stores throughout the country1he problem comes when the person gets tired of the turtle and lets it go in the wild. It is illegal to let any animals go in the wild, as they might upset our local populations, much like the starlings and sparrows that were released and are now a threat to our local native birds Perhaps the owners released this particular tortoise not thinking whether or not a desert tortoise could ever make it through our cold winter. It was very friendly, so maybe it was someone's pet and somehow it got away. It is now in good hands and will be taken care of So ends the story of the mysterious turtle from Africa. The turtle shell that was found under the home on Laurel Lake was identi- tied by Dr. Pisciotta of the North Fork Animal Hospital as that of a slider, to be more specific, a red -eared slider. Again, this turtle was probably bought as a pet, cute and small, but, like all God' s children, it grew big.Then per- haps interest waned and it was let go in the lake, which is strictly illegal. Sliders are turtles of the south, which means they might not live through our winter. And if it did make it along with others, they could establish a population in the lake, which, by the way, has happened at times in Lake Ronkonkoma. The Suffolk Times • October 13, 2005 - U;imie 1( that ter. Suffolk Times photos by Barbara Stoutenburg Left: Two turtle shells and one live turtle found recently on the North Fork. The shell on the right is from our saltwaterdiamondbackterrapin; in the center, trying to get out of the picture, is a Bell's hinge -back tortoise, a native of and Africa, often sold in pet shops; the other shell is of an adult red -eared slider, a cute little green turtle sold in pet shops. All werefoundlastweekontheNorthFork. Right: This photo clearly shows the unusual hinged back of the African Bell's hinge - back tortoise. Left where it was found, this turtle would surely have died as it requires 8o- to 90- degree temperatures. CAPTURE THESE SPARKLING fall days if you can, for like everything else in this great world of ours, nothing lasts for- ever. With that in mind, Barbara and I packed a lunch and headed for the dock the other day. At the dock we could see the tall thatch grass that has turned a golden brown and the long seed heads sprin- kled amongst its tall blades. There was a gentle northwest wind blowing, so we set our course for the lee of the Focus land and headed otit. Of course, at ON this time of year NATURE I never go any- where on the wa- by Paul ter without drop - Stoutenburgh ping a fishing line over the stern. It paid off with one nice-size snapper on the way out. Off to o- umnn- ght we coula see ine abandoned osprey's platform, telling us most of the ospreys were on their way south for the winter. Just think, some of them will spend the winter as far south as the Amazon River in Brazil and then return in the spring to the same nesting platform they used last year — "Oh, the wonder of it all." We had the bay pretty much to our- selves. We passed one spot on the beach where people kept their colorful kayaksi sunfish and other small craft, telling us summer days for them were just about over. One lone person walked the beach with his dog. We saw a few big Royal terns flying over the bay, which told us there were fish around. We see them only occasionally when bluefish are in a feeding frenzy. It's then that they swoop down and reap the harvest of small fish that the bluefish are feeding on. was behind a clump trees on a deserted piece of sandy ash. Here we got out, up our table, the top of our picnic basket, and with some boat cushions to sit on, we settled in for lunch. As we ate our sandwiches and sipped our drinks, we could see dark clumps of some- some call ttiem. geeing they were so fresh, I took out my pocketknife and pried one oft: Needless to say, I didn't hesitate to eat it, and many more fol- lowed. They are something like the es- cargot you get in a restaurant. Perhaps some day we'll find them on the menu of our favorite restaurant. On our way back I again trolled and caught one more snapper. In some plac es along the creek we saw the telltale heads of diamondback turtles popping up for a breath of air. They're our most abundant saltwater turtle. All of which brings me to a tale about two turtles I met for the first time this week. It all started when our son told us of a turtle shell found under a house on Laurel Lake, one he had never seen be Only time will tell if spaghetti grass is going to be a plus or minus in our bays. thing at the water's edge. Once our lunch was over, it was time to inves- tigate what those dark blotches were that were strewn so heavily along the beach. As we approached them their shape revealed what they were: the sponge seaweed called sodium, or as some call it, spaghetti grass, a new sea- weed that has come to our shores from across the sea. It's relatively new to out area and has already spread through- out our waters. Some people cuss it; others think it might be a savior, for the spongy sea- weed does provide some protection from predators. It's a place where baby scallops and other minute marine life can hide. Only time will tell if it's going to be a plus or minus in our bays. In order for this plant to flourish it needs something to attach itself to and so each of the clumps of sodium had an anchor stone. Evidently the stones were not heavy enough to hold them in place, so in a strong wind the clumps of sodium dragged anchor and landed up fon shore. On each stone were two, three or more slipper shells, or boat shells as ist on the same day a live turtle as brought to us from a nearby construction site. No one seemed to know what kind of turtle it was, so we went to get some professional help. The live turtle was identified as a Bell's hinge -back tortoise by Steve, who is a special- at the International Fauna Society in Riverhead. It was alive and well, but we were concerned whether or not it was go- ing to make it in our world. We were told it was from the desert of Africa and its name refers to the fact that its back actually hinges — most unusual. If you look closely at the photograph, you can see where this hinging takes place. If it's attacked from the rear, it can close the back half of its shell to protect itself Its worst enemy is the hyena, which can actually bite through its heavy shell. What it was doing on Long Island one can only speculate. The most logi- cal explanation is that it was someone's pet. Unfortunately, turtles are sold in pet stores throughout the country. The problem comes when the person gets tired of the turtle and lets it go in the wild. It is illegal to let any animals go in the wild, as they might upset our local populations, much like the starlings and sparrows that were released and are now a threat to our local native birds. rhays the owners released this Particular tortoise not thinking wh or not a desert tortoise could ever make it through our cold winter. It was very friendly, so maybe it was someone's pet and somehow it got away. It is now in good hands and will be taken care of So nds the story of the mysterious turtle from Africa. The turtle shell that was found under he home on Laurel Lake was identi- fied by Dr. Pisciotta of the North Fork knimal Hospital as that of a slider, to be more specific, a red -eared slider. Again, this turtle was probably bought as a pet, cute and small, but, like all God's children, it grew big. Then per- haps interest waned and it was let go in the lake, which is strictly illegal. Sliders are turtles of the south, which means they might not live through our winter. And if it did make it along with others, they could establish a population in the lake, which, by the way, has happened at times in Lake Ronkonkoma.