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July 22, 1999 - Keeping an eye on the ospreyJuly 22, 1999 • The Suffolk Times • 7A Keeping an eye on the osprey Remember those super -hot humid days we had a few weeks ago? We had put up with the discomfort all day and so after supper Barbara and I decided to treat ourselves to a boat ride out into the bay to cool off. It was one of those evenings when the humidity lay over you like a hot wet blanket. Down at the dock we found the tide on its way out after reaching its peak an hour before. The lush green marshes on both sides were still flooded, which made them a prime grazing area for the multitudes of organ- isms that feed in this rich pasture, so much goes on in this complex community of the salt marshes. Even with all our science and technol- ogy this vital nutrient facto- ry still holds untold secrets. Later as we slowly moved along, taking in the grandeur of the evening, we'd see great egrets and snowy egrets hunting the ever - hungry minnows that during the high tide explore this green- stalked jungle of the marsh. It was still hot and stifling as we moved out toward the bay. We passed a moored sailboat with an osprey perched atop the mast. There it could act as a spotter for its evening meal of fish. It was reluctant to fly as we passed by but it finally did, its huge wings flapping rapidly at first until it became well airborne, then into a more steady beat as it headed to the cove where it circled, searching for fish. We could tell when the osprey spotted its prey for it would hover in the air, its wings flapping rapidly to keep it over its target, then, when all was right, it would fold its wings and drop like a rock into the water below. There'd be a mighty splash, followed by what seemed a moment of quiet. Then with much beating of wings and flying spray, the osprey would emerge, pumping its way into the air, its prize held in its talons. It would fly tow over the water for a few hundred feet, then start to rise slowly. After it had gained its dignity, there would be a moment of violent shaking as the bird stopped, in midair, to shake the water from its water -laden feathers. Its next stop would be its favorite perch, where it would feast on its still- moving catch. Ospreys are not perfect hunters, as they miss their prey often before fi- nally making contact. Usually the head of the fish is eaten first and if the hunting has been good and the osprey's appetite is satisfied, it will then share its catch with the female and young back at the nest. Even here if the female is hungry, she will eat first and then the remaining goes to the young. Remember, this is raw nature where the sys- tem dictates that the par- ents are the first to survive, then the offspring. In this harsh world of reality, it assures that the parents will survive and hopefully be around for a more successful season the next year. Just before we left the quiet waters of the creek we passed an osprey nest with its one young and attending female. Lately, we've heard alarming accounts of young ospreys not surviv- ing the way they have in the past. I dis- cussed this situation with Mike Scheibel, an osprey specialist, who has been keeping an official eye on these birds for years. He tells me that Shelter Island and Gardiners Island seem to be having the most difficulty. At Shelter Island's Mashomack, where they have 11 active nests this year, only one new young bird survives. Here they feel the main problem is raccoons. It seems the raccoon shield they've been putting around the osprey pole to keep these clever predators from climbing to the nests is not working. On Gardiners Island there are no raccoons. Back in 1994 they had 71 active nests, now this year they have slipped down to a mere 47. Here star- vation of the young seems to be the main culprit. One of the main sources of food for ospreys is the bunkers or menhaden that years ago schooled in FOCUS ON NATURE by Paul Stoutenburgh LET'S LOOK BACK 75 years ago July 18, 1924 New bank does big business: The First National Bank of Cutchogue, which opened for business Monday morn- ing of this week with a capital of $25,000 and surplus of equal amount, received about $23,000 in deposits before the bank closed for the day. The directors are well pleased with the showing made the first day, especially because of the time of the year, when most of the farm- ers' money is in the ground. Local gleanings: George Main, an experienced harness maker, who has been a resident of Greenport for over seven years, will open a harness shop in the L. Levinson store on lower Main Street. The circus which exhibited in Greenport on Saturday was exceptionally well attended. The show was one of the finest, cleanest and most up -to -date circuses that has ever visited this locality. There were no objectionable features or chance games on the grounds. The circus employees were courteous and gentlemanly and the two perfor- mances which were given in the afternoon and evening were of the highest class. 50 years ago July 22, 1949 Lodge has new management: Lake Lodge, beautifully located at Great Pond, Southold, which has been closed for several seasons, was opened this week under the manage- Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh There are reports from Shelter Island and Gardiners Island that their repro- duction of ospreys is down. Speculation is that there Is a scarcity of fish in some locations and then there's the ever - present problem of raccoon and owl predation. All contribute to the osprey's decline. Here on the North Fork osprey reproduction has been good. our bays and Sound by the millions. Today we can hardly find a trace of them in our local waters. What makes it more confusing is that we are hear- ing reports of osprey depletion in "pockets" of New Jersey, Delaware and Connecticut as well. Lucky we on both the North and South forks are still doing well with our ospreys. Time out for Lyme I'm writing this in the emergency room of the Eastern Long Island Hospital, where I go each morning to receive my intravenous medication for Lyme disease. I have a shunt in my arm that allows the nurse to hook me up to a plastic bag of dripping an- tibiotic. It's all painless and hopefully after 21 days of treatment, I'll be rid of the symptoms of muscle loss, complete fatigue, loss of energy, and feeling that ment of John Murphy of New York City, who was former- ly connected with the Concourse Plaza Hotel in New York. Drive in at Jack's: During the unusual hot spell of weather, Jack's Shack at the Southold Town Beach has been extremely busy. Now this popular summer resort offers a new feature, free outdoor movies on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. A cordial invitation is extended to the public to drive up to Jack's Shack and enjoy the free moving - picture show while enjoying a bite to eat or a cooling drink served to you in your car. 25 years ago July 18, 1974 Mattituck expansion eyed: The Mattituck - Cutchogue Board of Education took a step toward a building expan- sion program at its monthly meeting last Thursday night by creating a New Facility Committee. At the time of consolidation, the board acknowledged that the joining of the two districts would advance the date when a new facility would be required. The student population of the district is growing at an annual rate of five percent, or 70 to 75 students a year. According to district principal Roger Burns, every room in the district's four facilities will be in full use this fall and he predicted that the system would "feel the pinch" by 1976. At the movies: Showing at Mattituck Twin Cinemas, "The Great Gatsby" and "The Exorcist." something just wasn't right. What this early- morning routine has given me is the opportunity to sit and write unin- terrupted as the antibiotic drips away. Of course, outside my little room there's always something gong on, nurses on the go, an occasional doctor passing by, and it seems there's always someone in the waiting room outside. Time goes by rapidly and soon some- one slips in and says, "You're all fin- ished," and takes me off my hookup, then I'm bandaged up and I'm off. In the meantime I've gotten a page or two of writing done for my Focus arti- cle. Up in the air again Every once in a while I get the op- portunity to fly with my son in his plane; usually it's on a brief business trip but on occasion it's just for plea- sure. In that case it could be Block Island or off to Maine, Christmas shopping at L.L. Bean or to one of the many interesting places he comes up with. The reason I mention flying is that just the other day we went on one of his business flights that took us over the East End. How beautiful it all looked from above. We flew out of Mattituck into a northwest wind,that brought us up over Mattituck. Below I could see the dark blue Sound to the north and then Mattituck Inlet with its twists and turns at its mouth, then straightening out to that long water- way that ends up at the dual highway to the south. Originally the creek went farther but that was before it was filled in to accommodate the highway. And to think that waterway was once trav- eled by Native Americans who pad- dled across the Sound and then portaged over to the bay, where they would gain the riches of the East End's nearby bays and creeks. From the air you could plainly see that our East End is truly an agricul- tural community. Yet we can also see where our farmland gives way to new housing developments and occasional shopping centers. You can see evi- See Focus, next page