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Home My WebLink AboutOctober 14, 2004 - Scoping out fall's fauna The Suffolk Times • October 14, 2004 O �� ou a s auna __ _ _ ,�� , , M i ° W'�� ,i� � ,� ��w��`i,� ��i�� ; „/r� ,,�,,,, �ti �o�, ,,,,;o� � ��'� ��,�%i,, � �� l� "1P8 �i � � � NI� ��l ""tM � �r �� ,,,�w �,,'��'` �� w ' a . � ��1�� .�� r�� a;�l��k�6��J) , �W��„ii�� i �r � bb k� r � l ��l , ��^��'��" q �! ��i��'/��N �. �w l r �`Yw �,/�� '% h+ r . ��ijiw l��"i " uti �Jl�� i '�"',� �'"iM i l��Nl l�' ,�� •�+� r��'d y� r pl � ry� r � � � h�li� �ti ri ��1'"i�/��i °� w�� aa � �n�� i�,,, D� n�w who-�Ni�� f��i, �i ix i " �", i � �", ��" �W��,q r� � : �i /r �fl i �� " � �ui� � ��ri rq�� i � „ ry ;, �'r�ii i��.r il✓ �� N7.i �m iNl �u�,�� , ��p w� iN� � /r �u�k.ii 7 N � �� Nn� '�,� i'�N. ��'�� INd iu i4� � . w � �,� ri ��u ti 'Nr'q � � .d4 �' �' �r' j ' Vi . 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'' .,�vu �,. ��i��li��up�� ,� � �,. i� , . ��/ . �� r o�� ^Mr v- m � fi�, yk . ° M, " �.�p'�'A l�Xryl4N�,�,.� �.i� '�7/�rrrn � y��, l �p. �g�� 1 .�a q 4v�w � �,.�ti�.�w.. �� , � � ^ ',� �0•. mivaµ. -��. ��H�4�4i�'N�X mlN.�u . � � r � i l�l�. �'+'^k rP"� v A i :�� ,µm �s i�, i a�� d� Nr7 ;"��t Jaiu'��h �C,l�i^�,�i� o 1��. �l m Times/Review photo by Paul Stoutenburgh I inies/li�view photo by Barbora Sloutcnl�urgh Leit:The woods and countryside shudder when this "tiger of the woods" flies by. With its uncanny eyesight, incredible hearing and silent flight, this great horned owl is a deadly hunt�er. Right: Hickory nuts, black walnuts, acorns and other nuts are food for fattening up now;some are hidden by the squirrel for later. Not all the nuts that are buried in the ground are reclaimed and so a hickor nut or an acorn ets its chance to become a tree. ON ONI?OI''I'110S1�:('OOI,I7lOi'Ilin�S we had rece�7tly,1 took my spotling could see the back pasture and pon scope,which helps me to see faraway and the trces that circle the pasture. objects up close,and went out to the The first thing I noticed—and I did- pasture edge to see what I could see. n't need a scope to see it—was that This scope is something I highly rec- thc cows were not swinging their tails ommend to anyone interested in the as they usually db.The early-morning world around them.Lucky for me, Our lawn is ��>�>>ness has kept the flies away and when Larry Penny,a friend of mine, � they were able to graze in peace. was in the service years ago in Japan, the squirrels I focused the scope to where I could he picked up a burial grou�d. sce a big bird that had flown to one of spotting scope for the willows down by the pond.It was FQ(;jJ$ me,and Pve been a bluejay that had been to the neigh- using it ever bor's bird feeder,where it had loaded �N since.It must be its jowls with sunflower seeds.It was 1�`ATURE 40 years old by now tucking them one by one under b Paul °O`'�'- the bark of the tree,or in some cavity, y At an rate,I for use when its food supply becomes Stoutenburgh y scarce. took it out and sat cluwil whcre I One year I had a pair build their nest in my open-fronted birdhouse that I put up especially for them.I watched them feed their young from inside a blind I had set up nearby.The interesting part about being able to Then,to my surprise and enjoy- photograph from a blind is that you ment,a big bird flew up and landed Then I swung my scope over to t e can often tell what the birds are feed- on the windmill.This windmill is 50 little pond that was dug by a farmer to �ng their young.That particular morn- feet high.It's not turnin now use for irrigating his crops.There in �ng,the parents were feeding a special because the pump is worn out and the pond were three mallards,their oupe of moth that had just hatched has to be replaced.It makes a great brilliant green heads bent down to the place for birds to perch and survey level of the water,their bills out in Now that raising their young is over the land.It stayed five or 10 minutes front taking up the duckweed that for this year,the crested flycatcher and,seeing nothing,mc�ved on.It was covers the surface of the pond.The down in the pasture is doing what it our resident red-tailed hawk.They colors were unbelievable.I could see knows best,catching flies and enjoying often come to the windmill to survey them moving along leaving an open the warmth of the sun that has now the area for rabbits,mice,voles and trail behind them. stirred up the insects.Earlier in the even an occasional snake.There was Years ago there was no duckweed, day,the coolness kept all insects from no peace for this hawk,for while it but in the past three or four years it flY�ng• was there,two or three small birds has come in each year to cover the As usual,I hear crows in the dis- harassed and dive-bombed it.What surface of the pond.Duckweed is a lit- tance,probably harassing an owl. brave little creatures they were. tle plant about one eighth of an inch Speaking of owls,the other evenin , My scope moved over to the little in size that thrives on the surface of �ust as we were sitting down to eat, irrigation pond,where I noticed still water.It's introduced from pond Barbara saw something big at the top something peculiar had gone on.One to pond by accidentally getting of a tall evergreen.It had a familiar of the old willows had been blown attached to the body of ducks that silhouette,with two ears on top of its over during one of those fierce winds then visit other ponds.There it falls of head.It was a great horned owl that we had a few weeks ago.Believe it or and multiplies,eventually covering the had come out from its daytime hiding not,there's not a leaf left on the tree. surface of the new pond.These irriga- place and was now ready for its The cows had eaten every leaf they tion ponds are found throughout the evening hunt.We watched it for 15 could reach.Cows are opportunists, low-lying areas on ot t e Nort an minutes or so as we ate,then it took and if there is anything new to eat, South forks.They were dug into the off from its perch and went into a they'll be there. water table that lies underneath the long glide.I'm sure it captured some In the top of one of the trees I two forks.The ponds can only work as innocent rodent or rabbit for its could see six cedar waxwings.They a water supply where the water table evening meal. were eating the berries of the Virginia is relatively close to the surface (20 As I swept the pasture creeper that had made its way to the feet or less).The farther north you go with my scope,I saw birds top of the tree.As we move into fall, on the North Fork,the higher the ele- fly up into a tree.When I Virginia creeper produces beautiful vation of land,until you get to the focused in on them,they blue berries that evidently are good cliffs that run along the Sound.There turned out to be goldfinch to eat—that is,as far as cedar the water table is 20,40,70 or more es in their beautiful yel- waxwings are concerned. feet below,and deep wells are used to low-and-black plumage.This was their I noticed something white in our get the water out. season for living.They're seed eaters, pasture,and so I swung my scope As I swing my scope of and there's a bounty of seeds every- over and found that they were puff- to the left,I see a bird where you look.No wonder they shun balls. I'm sure many of you remember drop to the ground and my thistle feeder.Something spooked these from when you squeezed them then fly up and light on them and they flew off in their bob- and a big plume of brown spores the barbed-wire fence.It's bing-up-and-down flight. drifted into the air.These minute a crested flycatcher,one As I sat on the bench,a gray squir- spores will remain airborne in the of our largest flycatchers,which has a rel came hopping along,paying no atmosphere for a long time before distinct yelloi�v belly.Crested flycatch- attention to me at aIL It came within they settle and find another likely ers nest in the woods around us.Thcy three feet of ine.In its mouth was a spot to grow anew. have a sharp call that once heard is hickary nut with its green covering It's been fun just looking and seeing easily recognized.Their nests are already removed.It was now ready to what otherwise is out of sight.Thanks built in cavities and often include a be buried.Our lawn is the squirrels' to some special optics,a whole new snakeskin;wh ,no one really knows. burial ground.Like the bluejay,it was warld has opened up. stashing its little treasure for future days when food would be scarce.