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August 24, 2006 - Monarchs make a moveI 2 • The Suffolk Times - August 24, 2006 Monarchs make a move SUNDAY MORNING, AND it looks like another great day. For some silly reason I couldn't sleep, which is un- usual for me. I'm sure many of you have tossed and turned until, like me, you say, "Enough is enough," and get up, even if it is only 5 a.m. After a brief stop at the john to wash the sleepers out of my eyes, I walked out into the living room to our big picture window to face the bright, awaken- ing day. FOGUS I knew that with the prevail - ON ing northwest NATURE Win's and warm weather, by Paul there would Stoutenburgh be no dew on the grass, so I stepped out- side with my slippers on and a light T -shirt and pants. Oh, myl What a change in temperature the early - morning fight had brought with it. It was downright chilly as I walked toward the garden. So far, my eight -foot wire fence has kept the deer out, but they devastated Barbara's white impa- tiens, just outside the garden gate. I wonder if those sad - looking green stumps will ever come back. I thought I'd look for deer in the adjacent fields, but the grasses are so tall, the deer could be out there and I would never see them. It was a quarter past five when our old rooster started to let the world know he was ready to do battle with any other rooster that might try to take over his turf. I must say, he's a handsome one. He lives outside and is grateful for any crumbs he can get. The rest of the chickens are kept penned up, the reason being that inside, with all his lady friends, is the king of the pen — a big, fancy, white leghorn. If those two roosters ever came together there'd be a fight of fights, where feathers would fly and blood would run. So each morning, in place of a fight, there's a crowing con- test to see who can crow the loudest. Meanwhile, the less noisy land birds start to move. They can do that, for they are warm - blooded, but the butterflies that are attracted to my Years ago, when we were camping down In Cape Hatteras National Sea- shore,I was awakened by a group of strange, noisy birds. A bit bleary - eyed, I looked out of the tent to see five or six fish crows working over our picnic table. From then on I'd never forget that noisy, raspy call that is so different from that of our common crow. Suffolk Times photos by Paul Stoutenburgh This Is the 'show of shows' when It comes to butterflies. Here you see monarchs stopping to rest overnight before the warmth of the sun heads them south on their unbelievable annual migration. Each fall monarchs fly on their perilous mi- gration south. It seems Incredible that they can make It through storms and winds that often blow them out to sea. butterfly bushes are cold - blooded and we'll have to wait for the warmth of the sun before they are ready to move. Years ago I worked summers for the National Park Service over on Fire Island, which is part of that long outer beach that parallels the South Shore with its rolling dunes and miles and miles of pristine beaches. It's the best place to see the fail migration of not only monarch butterflies but migrating hawks, as well. Most all travel west along that outer beach, where you can easily see them pass- ing through. On certain days, when the conditions are just right, you'll see one of the great sights of fall. It makes me think of one of the most spectacular sights of butterflies I've ever seen. Let me tell you about it. Monarch butterflies had been passing through in great numbers all day and as the sun started to set, it must have triggered something in each butterfly to prepare for the cool night ahead. They picked out a particular pine tree and started to gather on it by the hundreds. I'd never seen anything like it. It seemed there were monarchs on every inch of that tree. Talk about the wonder of a Christmas tree! There it wasl Loaded with the folded wings of butterflies, each waiting for the cool night to pass. Of course, I had to be there at sunrise the next morning. Slowly, the sun came up. Its warmth had stirred my Christmas tree of butter- flies; it seemed as if it had started to breathe. First one set of wings would slowly open to catch the wondrous living power of the sun, and then another, and another, until one by one they had all taken off, heading west on their unbelievable migration south. What wonders are all about us. As I was writing about butterflies, the outside world came alive with crow calls, not the usual clear call of an adult crow, but the newfound calls of young crows on the loose. There has been a family of five for the past three weeks sneaking into wher- ever there's food to be found, and it doesn't matter what kind; they're not particular. And if they can't find anything on their own, they'll start calling with pleading cries to their parents: "I'm hungry," "Come and feed me," "Come now," "I'm hungry." These young calls will he heard throughout the day as the birds chat- ter amongst themselves. As they learn the tricks of survival, they'll start to find food on their own. The young stay together pretty much of the time; if you see one, the others are surely nearby. The crow family is composed of over 100 species worldwide, many of which we don't recognize as members of the crow family, such as the blue jay. The two families of crows we see and recognize are the common crow we've just been talking about and the smaller fish crow we're seeing more and more of along the South Shore. In the South along the shoreline, the fish crow is the predominant noisy crow we see there. Their call is sure to wake you each morning if you are living or vis- iting in Florida. Crows in general rank high in intel- ligence and can be trained to speak words and imitate other bird calls I remember one crow that would greet you with the clearest "Hello, hello," as you passed through the gate at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge. Catch Paul Stoutenburgh every week in TIMES /REVIEW NEWSPAPERS. The Suffolk Times o August 24, 2006 u rchs ke a move 4� Suffolk Times photos by Paul Stoutenburg This Is the `show of shows' when It comes to butterflies. Here you see monarchs stopping to rest overnight before th warmth of the sun heads them south on their unbelievable annual migration. Each fall monarchs fly on their perilous m ,±ration south. It seems incredible that they can make It through storms and winds that often blow them out to sea. SUNDAY MORNING, AND it looks like another great day. For some sill, reason I couldn't sleep, which is un- usual for me. I'm sure many of you have tossed and turned until; like me, you say, "Enough is enough," and get up, even if it is only 5 a.m. After a brief stop at the john to wash the sleepers out of my eyes, I walked out into the living room to our big picture window to face the bright, awaken- ing day. FOCUS I knew that with the prevail 0 N ing northwest NATURE Finds and warm weather, by Pain there would Stoutenburgh be no dew on the grass, so I stepped out- side with my slippers on and a light T -shirt and pants. Oh, my! What a change in temperature the early - morning light had brought with it. It was downright chilly as I walked toward the garden. So far, my eight -foot wire fence has kept the deer out, but they devastated Barbara's white impa- tiens, just outside the garden gate. I wonder if those sad - looking green stumps will ever come back. I thought I'd look for deer in the adjacent fields, but the grasses are so tall, the deer could be out there and I would never see them. It was a quarter past five when our old rooster started to let the world know he was ready to do battle with any other rooster that might try to take over his turf. I must say, he's a handsome one. He lives outside and is gratefu or any crumbs he can get. The rest of the chickens are kept penned up, the reason being that inside, with all his lady friends, is the king of the pen — a big, fancy, white leghorn. If those two roosters ever came together there'd be a fight of fights, where feathers would fly and blood would run' So each morning, in place of a fight, there's a crowing con- test to see who can crow the loudest. Meanwhile, the less noisy land birds start to move. They can do that, for they are warm - blooded, but the butterflies that are attracted to my butterfly bushes are cold - blooded and we'll have to wait for the warmth of the sun before they are ready to move. Years ago I worked summers for the National Park Service over on Fire Island, which is part of that long outer beach that parallels the South Shore with its rolling dunes and mile; and miles of pristine beaches. It's the best place to see the fall migration of not only monarch butterflies but migrating hawks, as well. Most all travel west along that outer beach, where you can easily see them pass- ing through. On certain days, when the conditions are just right, you'll see one of the great sights of fall. It makes me think of one of the most spectacular sights of butterflies I've ever seen, Let me tell you about it. Monarch butterflies had been passing through in great numbers all day and as the sun started to set, it must have triggered something in each butterfly to prepare for the ool night ahead. They picked out a particular pine tree and started to gather on it by the hundreds. I'd never seen anything like it. It seemeo there were monarchs on every inch of that tree. Talk about the wonder of a Christmas tree! There it was! oaded with the folded wings of utterflies, each waiting for the cool night to pass. Of course, I had to be there at sunrise the next morning. Slowly, the sun came up. Its warmth had stirred my Christmas tree of butter- flies; it seemed as if it had started to breathe. First one set of wings would slowly open to catch the wondrous living power of the sun, and then another, and another,.until one by Dne they had all taken off, heading west on their unbelievable migration >outh. What wonders are all about us the outside world came alive with crow calls, not the usual clear call of an adult crow, but the newfound call of young crows on the loose. There has been a family of five for the past three weeks sneaking into wher- ever there's food to be found, and it doesn't matter what kind: thev're Years ago, when we were camping down in Cape Hatteras National Sea- shore, I was awakened by a group of strange, noisy birds. A bit bleary - eyed, I looked out of the tent to see five or six fish crows working over our picnic table. From then on I'd never forget that noisy, raspy call that is so different from that of our common crow. not particular. And if they can't find anything on their own, they'll start calling with pleading cries to their parents: "I'm hungry," "Come and feed me," "Come now," "I'm hungry.' These young calls will be heard throughout the day as the birds chat. ter amongst themselves. As they learn the tricks of survival, they'll start to find food on their own. The young stay together pretty much of the tirVe; if you see one, the others are surely nearby. The crow family is composed of I ser 100 species worldwide, many which we don't recognize as embers of the crow family, such the blue jay. The two families of crows we see and recognize are the common crow we've just been talking about and the smaller fish crow we're seeing more and more of along the South Shore. In the South along the shoreline, the fish crow is the predominant noisy crow we see there. Their call is sure to wake you each morning if you are living or vis- iting in Florida. Crows in general rank high in intel- ligence and can be trained to speak words and imitate other bird calls. I remember one crow that would greet you with the clearest "Hello, hello," as you passed through the gate at the Ouosue Wildlife Refuse.