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Home My WebLink AboutDecember 02, 2004 - Heading for the westward hills The Suffolk Times • December 2, 2004 � e a ln . or e w es war 1 s ,,, .,,,,�a , � � ,��,- �.� ,,�n � ' ��, �i.�� ;"n�� i'nd ,� q ,��.�w, � I� r;g �4"�lV� ...X�> "`^R^r.,A3;,,. tl H��w, �� , � � � � �r��t� y��gz^ ��.F� "'��ir n� �� ii y�p��l y��,ir� 7 d ,i�'� H��i� , y Jd�. .� � , �; i P �� _ a� �;, r,,„ ��,�1', r �'I> y r ��„�.'. ��i1�� d �� '�I� ��'' x^�.L1,,Ypi'%'n�tl! �,�"� /�� u� �in�. �v :; i,,,J , r�l�' ,r�, t �� '�'� � � �« � ��,, 'X °� , ' "_ . �-�,'I *n� J„u' , t� ��,,,, �uw ��i,�r �,i Times/Review photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Mallard ducks are probably the best-known ducks we have. Here at Wading River Pond they are fed by good-hearted souls each day.This feeding of mal- lards is common everywhere, and the mallards seem to take the handouts with little fear of man. tv otvt;or'ri�os�warm ays last sod farms that ran a chill up my back, week,Barbara and I wanted to take for there is the possibility of having advantage of the special gift of good development take over this precious weather,plus we wanted to get away resource.How can we turn some of 1'rom raking leaves,which had con- New York State's finest farmland into sumed us for most of the week.We rows and rows of houses? Could this decided to go for a drive,with really happen? nowhere in particular in mind.We In sharp contrast,driving farther didn't head east,as we so often do, along Sound Avenue,we passed the but went west along what we call the Grantham-Reeve property to the North Road north,now protected through the (Route 48). Peconic Land Trust.These properties FO(:V$ We passed run from the road to the Sound bluffs ON Mattituck, and will be kept as farmland and Laurel,James- open space in perpetuity.How gener- NATU RE port,Aquebogue ous of these families—no,that word by Paul and then is not strong enough—how remark- Stoutenburgh Riverhead, able these concerned individuals where we saw were in saving this valuable resource. reat expanses of On we went.We came to the sto The day was painted in bright sun- � �;, light and,as we drove along,we could u°�, � see backlighted stalks of the wine �, � berry showing off its orange-red •� � bristly stems.The backlighting of these � � long,graceful stalks showed us just �o,_ where the wine berry grew. �n '� The road was up and down.It was �' hard to find a level section of this sin- os o gle-lane dirt road.We assed Miss _ � � Annie's Geek with its splendid salt heade out to t e Id Country Inn _ � marsh and now-abandoned osprey for a delightful dinner.How the chat- � N L platform,which still held its huge nest ter and laughter flowed.How good it � �a � on top.I had heard from Mike Laspia, was to have all the family together(it � � � the preserve director,that the ospreys was a special time for celebration— ,� N ,� had done very well this year,with our 54th wedding anniversary).Then � a a� eight productive nests—much better it was back on the bumpy road to the c� � � �n o than last year. Manor House and to bed. � � Mashomack is being used more and The next morning Barbara looked � — .. � � = more by hikers,and on this beautiful out the window and exploded with, y � � sunny day we saw many.There are six "Look! Bluebirds!"I coulddt believe � � trails from one-eighth of a mile (barri- it,but,sure enough,there they were, 0 o L er free-Braille trail) to 11 miles,all nine or 10 of them.They were feeding d •� .r � � o clearly marked. on something in the grass.Every once ,n � � As we drove along we passed an in a while they'd drop down,hop a� o area where they had practiced con- about a bit,and then fly away to a ` � e trolled burning,which means they lit- nearby bush or tree,only to repeat the � 0 � erally set a section on fire and let it act of feeding.It was when one would � �t burn.Of course,all this is under strict fly down that the bright blue they are o R � control.The idea is to try to duplicate so known for dazzled your eyes.What c�i � ° the natural fires such as those from a beautiful bird.For the next half hou d T � � lightning that would burn out old we followed them around,our binocu- � � y unproductive areas,makin room for lars revealing their true beauty.As the � d 'c new growth. excitement wore off,we o� ` N Finally we got to the began to notice other How the chatter c ,Q = Manar House,which is a birds nearby. c� a +. beautiful,big,Weacner�;�i- and laugfiter We saw our first jun- � '� '°'ao shingle late-Victorian �OW�. HOW cos.As they flew we � .+�—, i mansion with 10 bed- could see the little bit of good it was to � � � rooms,spacious meeting white in their tail feath- r � z rooms,a huge kitchen have all the crs.Then my glasses � e° o and,in general,the look picked up two cedar ° '°a ,� of elegance.Soon after, family together. waxwings and,off to the � c � our family started to lcFt at the top of a tree in � �0 �i arrive.With much chatter and rooms thc carly sun,were six starlings sitting � c � checked out,we all sat down to steam there waiting for the morning sun to � > � ing bowls of clam chowder. warm them up. _ �p r After lunch we decided to take a We could hear the twittering of � N � brisk walk down to Bass Creek to the goldfinches.Gone were their bright �n 'R N south.We were having a big change in black-and-yellow summer coats.There +_ � temperature that brought a sharp, were chickadees,titmice,a bully blue .�,� � crisp wind out of the northwest.It's jay that took the findings of a " � surprising how weather can change so nuthatch and stole away,and a single 3 � o abruptly,but we didn't care.All bun- downy woodpecker exploring his find. = i v dled up,we were actuall y stimulated We were in our glor y. � ,�? � by the sudden change in the weather. The weather so far was perfect,but �°c� o a�i After our walk,we headed back just the forecast for the next day didn't g � �o as the sun began to set,and what a sound so good.That didn't matter � �,o d beautiful sunset it was.Cameras much to us,for we had had a chance � � E clicked to try to catch the moment of to spend some time together while o � o the day. exploring the grounds and trails oi L � '> Back at the Manor House,it was a Mashomack.We packed our bags and � � � time o f re laxing,wl t h a crac k ling fire hea de d home. _ ` � in the fireplace,games of Hearts in For those of you who like to hike, � ,Q � one room,poker in another and a try the trails at Mashomack.We know dead serious game of chess in front of you will enjoy them as much as we the fire.Then,at 7 o'clock,all 12 of us did.