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Home My WebLink AboutJanuary 22, 2004 - A wintry day with the ducks The Suffolk Times • January 22, 2004 � wln r a . w 1 e uc s ,,;� ;,, � '��"'�� , ' l, i �/�l I .'..l M�Vr w� (� q� n N��lll..lui ir ll�xi'lIJ�ll��i�� . . . r� ��Y . [1� � � ilq4°�i.'�" . � �y9� BnK�3��A allo 1 iin� p anne to � �� s�,"` � �pend a day surveying the wintcr �� '%�� ucks in our local waters from utchogue to Riverhead.Little did w now that when the day we had lanned on arrived the temperature would be down to seven degrees.We �,' ` . had dressed warmly and yet when we , �;'''' - ,, �� m�.�;; �� : got in the car it - ° � � was like getting ' "� �� , �;� �� FQGLj$ into a refrigera- � ' ON tor.Our bottles ,� � °� of water that �" ,��,,,,,, �" ��,��s"�`��`� jyA'j'j,JR� alwaystravcl ,�r "�"""'�� '�' � �,a� ��,�; ,�� ,, �, bp with us werc �l fau� �„� ��,� Iin�es/I�cviuw��li�.��I;��I'�i.0`i��iilu:�huryli Stoutenburgh frozen solid. Hooded mergansers are one of the rare sights to see, for they're usual- Our first stop ly found only in fresh water. They, like wood ducks, nest in tree cavities. wouid be down in New Suffolk,where we pulled into the town parking lot to scan the frozen bay.Here and there were small � �cac cc west a ong cw, u I<� < patches of open water.We could see Avenue and slopped at West Crcck oldsquaws,those winter ducks,cavart- Bridge.There,up along the far side,in ing around as if it were summer. opep water but sheltered from the Tfiey're handsome black-and-white wind,were probably 100 or marc ducks,the males flaunting long tails. black ducks.The water was frozen On quiet days you can hear them talk everywhere else.Our next stop was ing amongst themselves.Of course, Downs Creek,which was also frozen there were the old standbys,the seag- but had a few openings along its ulls,milling around,waiting for the edges.I'm sure these open areas are diving ducks to come to the surface. where fresh water seeps up from Thcn they would fly over and snatch underground.Remember,the temper- the food away from them.This is typi- ature of groundwater is about 50 cal behavior for gulls. degrees,so those areas stay open.The There were a few red-breasted mer- temperature was slowly creeping up gansers amongst them.Their long,nar —now at nine degrees.Seven black row-toothed bills make it easy to ducks were there.As we pulled away probe under the debris of the bottom from this frozen area,I wondered to seek out crustaceans,fish or what- what the Indians did in cold spells like ever is up for grabs.One last look at this,for it was here,on this very creek, the frozen waters over by Robins Island revealed the buoy off the north end was now a dump of ice. the old tern colony was.Let's hope that the Corchaug Indian fort was located. this new sandy area Next,we stopped at the headwaters Pole at the edge of thc roaci,hut thcn will entice the terns to of Deep Hole Creek,where mallards �'e i'ound that was not such a good �ome back.The prob- can always be found.From there we idea,as cars and people would stop b lem is we have so headed to Marratooka Lake.We were and disturb the birds. many roving raccoons absolutely dumbfounded at the num- �at winter we cut a hole in the ice and wild cats that play ber of geese resting on the ice.There �n Husing Pond and put up an osprey havoc with birds that must have been 1,000 or more,a mass Platform there.The next season the nest on the ground.As of gray and white.The wind was com- ospreys promptly adopted the new N'��'alked back,the ing from the north and they all faced location and from then on,which is sleeping black ducks into it,leaving their white rumps probably 20 years by now,they've got leery of us and flew toward us.It was a scene to remem- come back each year. away.You can always ber. Still traveling west,we come to tell them by their We pulled into Mattituck Veterans Brush's Creek,with its new bridge. whitish under-parts as Memorial Park on the bay.There we Looking up the creek from the bridge they fly. saw seagulls again along the water's �'e�'�'ere amazed to see widgeon, Heading west again edge,protected from that bitter north beautiful freshwater ducks.They were found us in wind.The tempera- mingled in with black ducks—there Aquebogue at the head of the creek ture was climbing where there was a slowly—now to 10 small amount of o en degrees.We could must have been 70 ar more.People p keep track of it as must be feeding these ducks,because Water.Everything else we have one of they seemed like they were busy eat- was frozen.The town those temperature ing something.It was a great place to as one a nice job.of making a little pullofi�where you can stop and look at gauges in the car see widgeon,only about 500 feet up the creek.There were 40 or 50 black that lets us know from the bridge.We could hear them ducks and mallards and one lone coot. the outside temper- talking,a trait they're noted for. A few ring-billed gulls were sitting on ature.Farther along This,by the way,is always a good pilings waiting for a�andout.The the beach we saw place to stop during the summer to temperature had now reached 19 three black ducks see martins (a type of swallow),for degrees.What a relief from the early- and three mallards there's a martin box there that seems morning bitter cold. and five or six to lure these big swallows each year.I Our final stop would be up in back Canada geese. wish I could do the same.I have three of Riverhead behind Swezey's once- When we turned boxes up and can't lure a single mar- busy store.The Peconic River was around to leave,we tin. open and it had an array of black noticed the parking Our next stop was at the town park ducks,mallards and,best of all,a lot surface was on the bay in Jamesport.Again,the parade of 14 hooded mergansers.If strewn with shells bay was frozen,but there was a little you've never seen this little freshwater and stones.These open water where 20 black ducks and duck,you ought to drive up and take are the result of the same number of gulls slept,their a look.It has a large white crest that gulis'finding slip- heads and bills tucked away under can be raised up to make its head look per or boat shells quite handsome on its colorful black- that are attached to s oncs an carry- and-white body.They were a joy to ing them up into the air and dropping their feathers.Remember,the cold see.Half were females that were them on a hard surface to break them bay water is still warmer than the air dressed in a brownish winter garb. open.They then eat the innards,leav- temperature,which by now was 13 They,too,had a crest that occasionally ing the stones and shells behind. degrees.Most black ducks will sleep would lift up. Another trait of gulls. during the day,waiting for night,when Then we spotted 10 canvasback Our next stop was the Mattituck they will fly inland to some disked- ducks.These,again,are freshwater Yacht Club and ballpark opposite over cornfield to find a meal. ducks.They have a bright white back Husing Pond.Few people realize that I wanted to get out of the car and a large sloping bill—a really years ago there was a creek that ran because I thought it would be a good handsome duck.As we watched,three through here called Horton's Creek. place to find snow buntings,but I pied-billed grebes drifted by,diving When they put the road across,it cre- couldn't find any.The only birds I occasionally to glean the bottom for ated Husing Pond,one of The Nature could find were 25 or 30 juncos that food. Conservancy s preserves.I can seemed to make ends meet by glean- We had a delightful morning of just remember being called when the ing the sand for seeds.Years ago there looking and seeing.You might call it a ospreys were building their nest on �,as a very active tern colony here.I winter duck walk,although we did the high ballpark lights.The people see they have dredged the area,put- very little walking.Most of it was right were concerned that when they turned ting spoil dre ged-up sand)where from the car,an easy trick to do.We'll the lights on at night the nest might do another"duck walk"to the east, catch on fire.I got a group together starting from our home in Cutchogue and we moved the nest to a telephone and working our way out to Orient Point. Perhaps we'll see you along thc way.