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September 27, 2007 - A season for moving on12A • The Suffolk Times • September 27, 2007 1 'A,. to • �n 3R ,;jrpy 1W71,: b irltf V ' .• ' > A v1 , . t � T• ro q Suffolk Times photos by Barbara Stoulerrburgh Everyone knows about the Monarch butterfly and its annual migration south. It seems Impossible that such a delicate creature can escape the ravages of all kinds of weather and end up as far away as Mexico, where it will spend the winter. Butter- and -eggs, like many of our roadside flowers, is not a native plant; rather it came to our shores as a stowaway in a bag of grain or some other import. From there It escaped and found a new home. Today it can be seen almost everywhere. Probably the biggest burst of color in the fall comes from the goldenrod. There are many different kinds, but the biggest and most colorful is the seaside goldenrod. It's found near the water's edge, for it can tolerate salt spray. A season for moving on Sept. 27: Where are all the cars going`? Every year we see more and more traffic, and what a mess some of them make when it comes to parking. Recently we took a drive out to Orient, and I feel sorry for the people who at one time thought they were living in paradise only to awaken one day and find their para- dise shattered by parked cars along the highway, giv- ing the feeling of driving through a tunnel. On a lighter side, we had headed toward Orient to find some of the migrating swallows that often congregate there in great numbers. They literally take over the trees, telephone wires and just about anything that provides a good foothold. If you catch the right Focus S day, you'll be amazed at their numbers ON I remember one time look- ing NATURE mg through my 20 -power scope and seeing tree swallows oc- by Paul cupying every twig, limb and Stoutenburgh branch of a particular tree. As _ I watched, I could see this mass of birds actually bending down the branches with their weight as more and more landed.The migration of birds or animals and even fish is a complicated science made up of facts and theories as to why migration takes place. With the tree swallows, one fact that we laypeople can understand is that swallows of all kinds live on flying insects We've all seen swallows of one sort or another flying in graceful swoops and dives as they home in on some flying insects With that in mind, what happens to the swallows when the temperature starts to drop and the insects no longer take to the air? For the tree swallows, there's only one solution: They follow the food supply. Years ago, I put up a martin box (martins are our largest swallow) with 12 compartments I soon had a thriving community of martins All went well until we had a prolonged cold spell, when the insects didn't fly. This went on for a week or so. The martins wouldn't leave their community box with young and eggs in- side. In the end, all my martins died of starvation. Swallows aren't the only ones to move on as the temperature drops Monarch butterflies cannot func- tion in cold weather. When photographing butterflies I often put my subject in ajar and then put it in the refrigerator where I can watch its movements slow down to a halt Then, with camera ready and butter- Times chute by Paul Stoutwburah Tree swallows take well to bird boxes. The diffi- culty Is that they often take over bluebird boxes. The answer to that is to put up two boxes close to each other. The tree swallow won't let another tree swallow take the second box, which leaves It available for the bluebird. flies numbed by the cold, I can take my picture being assured they will remain quite motionless while I photograph them. Then I let them go. This cooling process of the butterflies was demon- strated to me years ago, when I worked for the Fire Island National Seashore. (Some of my readers may remember me speaking of this before.) There had been a steady migration of Monarchs one day and when the sun went down, coolness took over. I hap- pened to be where these handsome orange - and -black dancers were looking for a place to stay for the night. Luck was with me as I watched hundreds of but- terflies fluttering around a particular cedar tree. Why they had chosen that tree, I have no idea. Some had already landed; others were still busy checking over the night's lodging before taking their place amongst the branches. As time went on, the butterfly activity slowed down and then came to a halt; the cedar tree had turned into a colorful Christmas tree. So fascinated by "my" butterfly tree, I wanted to be around when the sun rose and warmed things up. I was up before the sun. As I stepped outside the air was on the cool side and my butterflies were still asleep. I watched for over an hour. The sun was finally warming things up; every once in a while, there'd be a wing movement. An hour went by and my Christ- mas tree was steadily turning back to a cedar tree. Now, all about, butterflies drifted off to the west. I had witnessed one of Mother Nature's best -kept se- crets — where do butterflies go at night? On our drive to Orient we could see fall's many familiar signs. Not only were the swallows heading south, small groups of robins were working the lawns and fields, building up that all- important fat reserve for their trip south. They, too, move with the avail- ability of food. Whenever we're in Orient we try to drop in at the state park, where we always seem to find something of interest The day was so inviting, there were people all over, some having picnic lunches, some fishing and others just relaxing in the sun. What a great facility the state has created there.I only wish there were a few pull-offs along the entrance road where you could look out over the water. It's a great place to see our winter sea ducks and occasionally well see shore- birds feeding at the water's edge. Years ago, when I was walking more, we'd often take long walks out to that wonderful wild area to the west of the parking lot. The only sign of than there are the remains of an old fish factory. Headed back home along the highways we noticed clumps of what looked like little purple asters that have sown their seeds wherever the roadside is clear enough for them to get a foothold. A few clumps of butter -and -eggs were doing their best to blossom before the first freeze does them in. There were even a few blossoms of Queen Anne's lace still trying to make a showing. But the flower that caught your eye most was the goldenrod. In some areas, fields of it were blossoming. It is a beautiful, tall, yellow- flower- ing plant that often is blamed for people's allergies. The truth of the matter is goldenrod's pollen is not carried by the wind. Ragweed is the culprit. Be sure to capture some of these beautifid fall days The weather couldn't be better. Suffolk Times •September 27, 2007 4a sea son • for mon� Sept. 27: Where are all the cars going? Every year we see more and more traffic, and what a mess some of them make when it comes to parking. Recently we took a drive out .to Orient, and I feel sorry for the people who at one time thought they were living in paradise only to awaken one day and find their para- dise shattered by parked cars along the highway, giv- ing the feeling of driving through a tunnel. On a lighter side, we had headed toward Orient to find some of the migrating swallows that often congregate there in great numbers. They literally take over the trees, telephone wires and iust about ;ry 11 N �4 � µ qg 1m�„,,+p � ,, ✓,wl�rm N r� N" ;loll +lin:. o EN M,'-, 0t: yaac0o L U O = O ;_ a(n (D R o i-o U F. i (D E 0 M-0M 3 U O0 C3 4 i 7 N U O O = ,O +I L E _ 4) i fl! Y O •- +I = a 7 L '� OA N fa y O y E e E O E 0. C � +' O N i = a = y O O O CL (D o a +� 0 E r i w D2.`�o Eoc U c V C fa U K a O R N N U i 0 3 ca O M N N � a o � ��.c t= a d o +� CD c -0 T ++ � M 0 Cam N O +O+ O QO ooa� 0 Y 3 o 41 C 3: N , > 2 M > 0 W :2 0 N anything that provides a good foothold. If you catch the right FOCUS day, you'll be amazed at their numbers. O N I remember one time look- NATURE ing through my 20 -power scope and seeing tree swallows oc- by Paul cupying every twig, limb and Stoutenburgh branch of a particular tree. As I watched, I could see this "mass of birds actually bending down the branches with their weight as more and more landed. The migration of birds or animals and even fish is a complicated science made up of facts and theories as to why migration takes place. With the tree swallows, one fact that we laypeople -an understand is that swallows of all kinds live on Flying insects. We've all seen swallows of one sort or another flying in graceful swoops and dives as they home in on some flying insects. With that in mind, what happens to the swallows when the temperature Aarts to drop and the insects no longer take to the air? For the tree swallows, there's only one solution: They follow the food supply. Years ago, I put up a martin box (martins are our .argest swallow) with 12 compartments. I soon had a thriving community of martins. All went well until we iad a prolonged cold spell, when the insects didn't fly This went on for a week or so. The martins wouldn't eave their community box with'young and eggs in- side. In the end, all my martins died of starvation. Swallows aren't the only ones to move on as the :emperature drops. Monarch butterflies cannot func- ion in cold weather. When photographing butterflie often put my subject in a jar and then put it in the efrigerator where I can watch its movements slow Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Tree swallows take well to bird boxes. The diffi- culty is that they often take over bluebird boxes. The answer to that is to put up two boxes close to each other. The tree swallow won't let another tree swallow take the second box, which leaves it available for the bluebird. i flies numbed by the cold, I can take my picture being assured they will remain quite motionless while I photograph them. Then I let them go. This cooling process of the butterflies was demon- strated to me years ago, when I worked for the Fire Island National Seashore. (Some of my readers may remember me speaking of this before.) `There had been a steady migration of Monarchs one day and when the sun went down, coolness took over. I hap- pened to be where these handsome orange- and -black dancers were looking for a place to stay for the night. Luck was with me as I watched hundreds of but- terflies fluttering around a particular cedar tree. Why they had chosen that tree, I have no idea. Some had already landed; others were still busy checking over the night's lodging before taking their place anion st the branches. As time went on, the butterfly activity slowed down and then came to a halt; the. cedar tree had turned into a colorful Christmas tree. So fascinated by "my" butterfly tree, I wanted to be around when the sun rose and warmed. things up. I was up before the sun. As I stepped outside the air was on the cool side and my butterflies were still asleep. I watched for over an hour. The sun was finally warming things up; every once in a while, there'd be a wing movement. An hour went by and my Christ- mas tree was steadily turning back to a cedar tree. Now, all about, butterflies drifted off to the west. I had witnessed one of Mother Nature's best -kept se- crets — where do butterflies go at night? ' On our drive to Orient we could see fall's many familiar signs. Not only were the swallows heading south, small groups of robins were working the lawns and fields, building up that all- important fat reserve for their trip south. They, too, move with the avail- ability of food. Whenever we're in Orient we try to drop in at the state park, where we always seem to find something of interest. The day was so inviting, there were people all over, some having picnic lunches, some fishing and others just relaxing in the sun. What a great facility the state has created there. I only wish there were a few pull-offs along the entrance road where you could look out over the water. It's a great place to see our winter sea ducks and occasionally we'll see shore birds feeding at the water's edge. Years ago, when I was walking more, we'd often take long walks out to that wonderful wild area to the west of the parking lot. The only sign of man there are the remains of an old fish factory. Headed back home along the highways we noticed clumps of what looked like little purple asters that have sown their seeds wherever the roadside is clear enough for them to get a foothold. A few clumps of butter - and -eggs were doing their best to blossom before the first freeze does them in. There were even a few blossoms of Queen Anne's lace still trying to. make a showing. But the flower that caught your eye most was the goldenrod. In some areas, fields of it were blossoming. It is a beautiful, tall, yellow- flower- ing plant that often is blamed for people's allergies. The truth of the matter is goldenrod's pollen is not carried by the wind. Ragweed is the culprit. Be sure to capture some of these beautiful fall days. The weather couldn't be better.