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June 02, 2005 - The wonder of warblersI OA • The Suffolk Times • June 2, 2005 I ""' i—ew photo by ea,ba Stnutenbu,gh Springtime is the time that we see the greatest variety of birds moving through our area. Here, a rose - breasted grosbeak stops to refuel at our feeder. He has no trouble getting into the seeds with his big, powerful, stubby bill. The wonder of warblers I CAN'T LET MAY uo by without mentioning a group of feathered jew- els that migrate through our area on the way to their nesting grounds in the north. They're called "warblers." Anyone the least bit interested in birds knows that word, for it repre- sents the highlight of the binding year. We see these warblers for a short time and then they are off again, ON leaving us only memories of one of nature's show of shows — the warbler days It's then you see the great- est variety of birds Even those only casually interested in birds will recognize that there are different birds around at this time. The red - winged blackbird, the cheerful robin, the bold grackle are but a few of the most common transients that come from the south to spend the summer here on the North Fork. But there's so much more. It's the warblers that are found in the treetops where they probe the tiny flowers for insects Some will be working amongst the lower bushes, and still others are found at ground level. These small warblers go unno- ticed by most, except for those who have waited all year for that special day in May when the warblers are in. One of the main reasons most people have trouble identifying the warblers is that they are always on the move, so it's hard to get a good look at them. If they were the size of a robin, it would make it much easier to see them. Remember, they are only a little larger than a chickadee.Then there is such a wide variety of colors, it is easy to con- fuse them. To some who have an ear for sound, listening can be the quickest and most posi- tive way of identifying war- blers. I have trouble hearing but I know people who can identify a bird by its song without ever seeing it. Not all warblers have a pretty song, some buzz, some zip and some hiss, while others chirp. The songs of birds are at their highest during courtship and nesting time. Like the special places along our highway where we stop to have a bite to eat in comfortable surroundings, so it is with the flight of the warblers They look for those special places that have the correct plant fife that attracts the insects that they feed on. It's these insects that will be turned into energy so the birds can continue on their way to the next fueling stop. We on Long Island know these special places that attract these colorful bits of fluff. Bird- ers congregate there in hopes of seeing Focus NATURE by Paul Stoutenburgh 0 r . nicy 00 BEAUTY SALON WE'RE SURE May SUMMER IS COMIIVQQ! Lisa Please call for an appointment. Dateeas We offer artificial nails and manicures, Katgy in addition to cuts, colors and perms. Tues. and Wed. 8:30 -5, Thurs. 8:30 -8, Fri, 8:30 -5, Sat. 8 -1:30. QQtoo 800111if OatoeAmm 400 Pike Street, Mattituck • 298 -8962 10 to 20 or even 30 or more different kinds of warblers. There are approxi- mately 53 species of what Roger Tory Peterson calls "the butterflies of the bird world" that nest in the U.S. and Canada. A May morning is an excit- ing time to be out with an enthusiastic group of birders Everyone there will be searching the treetops with their binoculars in hopes of being first to see that special warbler. Springtime is courting time for most birds and every male dresses in his most attractive attire. This show of color in one form or another is worn all through the nesting period. Then in the fall, the warblers, like other birds, gradually molt their now wom -out summer feathers for less colorful at- tire. Now identification becomes even harder. Even my bird book has set aside a special section called "Confus- ing Fall Warblers" With nesting and rear- ing of young over, the warblers migrate back to A their winter quarters in a the Caribbean or Mexi- t0 co, some even making it to the mainland of Cen- a tral and South America. group of It's almost impossible to comprehend the dangers all birds have during their migration. Death comes from so many sources, many of them new — communica- tion towers, lights on buildings, from lighthouses, windows in our homes, nature's storms, high winds, the list goes on and on. I've seen the results of migrating birds decimated by man's bright lights. Let me recall a period when West- hampton Air Base was flourishing. Roy Wilcox, one of the great natural- ists from the south side, called me and told of a disaster that resulted in hundreds of migrating birds of all sorts being killed because of a light beam that pointed into the air that helped to determine cloud ceiling. What had happened was the birds were migrat- ing and were drawn into the tight and they became confused and dashed into the nearby buildings On the ground I found warblers of all sorts, thrushes, catbirds, herons, yellow- shafted flick- ers — the list goes on. Evidently it was a perfect night for migrating and the birds were drawn to the light. It's this kind of disaster that is happening throughout the whole country and gives us an idea of the devastation that goes on mostly unnoticed. Besides all the hazards birds must endure on their annual migration north, there is another more sinister threat brewing from the nasty habit of the cowbird laying its eggs in another bird's nest. This dastardly habit leaves the cowbird free from any of the de- manding duties of raising its young. It can now devote all its time to deposit- ing its eggs in other birds' nests. Usu- ally the cowbird's egg hatches out ear - her than the unsuspecting parent b'ud's eggs, with the end result being the cow- bird young has the jump on the others. Because of its extra feeding it becomes larger and more aggressive, so much so it sometimes smothers the weaker, undernour- ished young. There have even been cases recorded where it actually pushes the weakened young out of the nest. birders. Often we see these parent birds feeding the oversized cowbird even after it's left the nest. The ironic part is that the parent bird doesn't even realize she is not feeding her own. The alarming act that the cowbird performs is becoming more and more prevalent. To some observers it's on the brink of becoming epidemic. With all these hurdles it's easy to realize why we see fewer and fewer of our woodland birds Along with this annual springtime flight of warblers there are many other birds that brighten our days Just last week we had a rose - breasted grosbeak at our feeder. What a handsome fellow he is with his gaudy black- and -white dress highlighted by a bright raspberry red breast. We were able to watch in amazement as his thick, stubby bill broke open seed after seed to get at the meat inside. Flycatchers, tanagers, vireos, whip- poorwills and others catch our eye at this wonderful time of the year. May morning is n exciting time be out with n enthusiastic The Suffolk Times • June 2, 2005 of rble-rs I Times /Review photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh Springtime is the time that we see the greatest variety of birds moving through our area. Here, a rose - breasted grosbeak stops to refuel at our feeder. He has no trouble getting into the seeds with his big, powerful, stubby bill. 1 CAN'T LET MAY Go by without mentioning a group of feathered jew els that migrate through our area on the way to their nesting grounds in the north. They're called "warblers." Anyone the least bit interested in birds knows that word, for it re re- sents the highlight of the birding year. We see these warblers for a short time and then they are off again leaving us only memories of one of nature's show of shows — the warbler days. It's then you see the great- est variety of birds. Ih interested in birds will recognize that there are different birds around at this time. The red - winged blackbird, the cheerful robin, the bold grackle are bu a few of the most common transients that come from the south to spend the summer here on the North Fork. But there's so much more. It's the warblers that are found in the treetops where they probe the tiny flowers for insects. Some will be working amongst the lower bushes, and still others are found at ground level. These small warblers go unno- ticed by most, except for those who have waited all year for that special day in May when the warblers are in. One of the main reasons most people have trouble identifying the warblers is that they are always on the move, so it's hard to get a good look at them. If they were the size of a robin, it would make it much easier to see them. Remember, they are onl; a little larger than a chickadee. Then there is such a wide variety of colors, it is easy to con- fuse them. To some who have an ear for sound, listening can be the quickest and most posi- tive way of identifying war- blers. I have trouble hearing but I know people who can identify a bird by its song without ever seeing it. Not all warblers have a pretty song; some buzz, some zip and some hiss, while others chirp., The songs of birds are at their highest during courtship and nesting time. Like the special places along our highway where we stop to have a bite to eat in comfortable surroundings, so it is with the flight of the warblers. They look for those special places that have the correct plant life that attracts the insects that they feed on. It's these insects that will be turned into energy o the birds can continue on their way to the next fueling stop. We on Long Island know these special places that attract these colorful bits of fluff. Bird- ers conereeate there in hones of seeine FOCUS ON NATURE by Paul Stoutenburgh 10 to 20 or even 30 or more different kinds of warblers. There are approxi- mately 53 species of what Roger Tory Peterson calls "the butterflies of the bird world" that nest in the US. and Canada. A May morning is an excit- ing time to be out with an enthusiastic group of birders. Everyone there will be searching the treetops with their binoculars in hopes of being first to se( that special warbler. Springtime is courting time for most birds and every male dresses in his most attractive attire. This show of color in one form or another is worn all through the nesting period. Then in the fall, the warblers, like other birds, gradually molt their now worn-out summer feathers for less colorful at- tire. Now identification becomes even harder. Even my bird book has set aside a special section called "Confus- ing Fall Warblers." With nesting and rear- ing of young over, the warblers migrate back to their winter quarters in the Caribbean or Mexi- co, some even making it to the mainland of Cen- tral and South America. It's almost impossible to comprehend the dangers all birds have during their migration. Death comes from so many sources, many of them new — communica- tion towers, lights on buildings, from lighthouses, windows in our homes, nature's storms, high winds, the list goes on and on. I've seen the results of migrating birds decimated by man's bright lights. Let me recall a period when West- hampton Air Base was flourishing. Roy Wilcox, one of the great natural- ists from the south side, called me and told of a disaster that resulted in hundreds of migrating birds of all sorts being killed because of a light beam that pointed into the air that helped to determine Cloud ceiling. What had happened was the birds were migrat- ing and were drawn into the light and they became confused and dashed into the nearby buildings. On the ground' I found warblers of all sorts, thrushes, catbirds, herons, yellow- shafted flick- ers — the list goes on. Evidently it was a perfect night for migrating and the birds were drawn to the light. It's this kind of disaster that is happening throughout the whole country and gives us an idea of the devastation that goes on mostly unnoticed. Besides all the hazards birds must endure on their annual migration north, there is another more sinister threat brewing from the nasty habit of the cowbird laying its eggs in another bird's nest. This,dastardly habit leaves the cowbird free from any of the de- manding duties of raising its young. It can now devote all its time to deposit- ing its eggs in other birds' nests. Usu- ally the cowbird's egg hatches out ear- lier than the unsuspecting parent bird's eggs, with the end result being the cow- bird young has the jump on the others. Because of its extra feeding it becomes larger an d more aggressive, so much so it sometimes smothers the weaker, undernour- ished young. There have even been cases recorded where it actually pushes the weakened young out of the nest. Often we see these parent-birds feeding the oversized cowbird even a ter it's left the nest. The ironic part is that the parent bird doesn't even realize she is not feeding her own. The alarming act that the cowbird , performs is becoming more and more prevalent. To some observers it's on the brink of becoming epidemic. With all these hurdles it's easy to realize -why we see fewer and fewer of our woodland birds. . Along with this annual springtime flight of warblers there are many other birds that brighten our days. Just last week we had a rose - breasted grosbeak at our feeder. What a handsome fellow he is with his gaudy black -and -white dress highlighted by a bright.raspberry red breast. We were able to watch in amazement as his thick, stubby bill broke open seed after seed to get at the meat inside. Flycatchers, tanagers, vireos, whip- poorwills and others catch our eye at this wonderful time of the year. A May morning is an exciting time to be out with an enthusiastic group of birders.