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March 12, 19987 - Meeting Springtime HalfwayPage,1 #A /The Suffolk Times /March l 2, 1987 Meeting Springtime"Nalfway By PAUL STOUTENBURGH Even with the mild weather pre- dicted for the weekend, Barbara and I were impatient about spring com- ing, so we decided to head south just to be reassured. Of course, like here the redwings were the most common bird to signal that winter weather was over. We'd even seen a few ad- ventm,er:, before we left, but the train thrust really hadn't started up north as yet. As we drove south, we could see each marsh and suitable site had a male redwing sitting high above his chosen territory. We did see occasional flocks that were proba- bly bent on being up our way in the near future, but the territorial birds were the most noticeable. The further we headed south, the more grackles -- those large black, long - tailed iridescent birds that nest in groups -- we could see staking out their territory in the groves of cedars and other evergreens. All along the way we'd see strings of geese heading north. Whenever we'd make a stop we could hear their wonderful wild honking that seems to stir wonder in most of us. Throughout our trip in almost every little pond or man -made waterhole we'd see single pairs of these geese that appeared to us to have already settled in to nest. Whether these birds were just resting for a while and would eventually join up with the flocks we saw overhead was hard to say. Streams Start to Flow Of course every little brook and stream was bubbling with winter's thaw. Pennsylvania and Virginia had lots more snow than we had and we could still see patches of white here and there on the shaded hill- sides. Ice, that had built up during the winter, could occasionally be seen in the less open areas also, but the warm weather would soon dis- solve all this. The most conspicuous tree to show signs of spring was the willow, much like the ones down at my own pond. But these to the south were more ad- vanced in their yellow coat. It seemed as if they were two to three weeks earlier than ours. All along the roadbanks and through the mowed hay fields, we could see woodchuck nibbling at the new emerging grasses. The warmth had brought them out -f their dirt mound burrows to explore once more in the warmth of what seemed like a Focus on Nature summer sun. We see these same groundhogs occasionally along the Expressway just outside of Riverhead and up towards Yaphank. We saw many muskrat roadkills along the roads. This is the time that the "kids" are forced out to forage for themselves and face their own prob- lems. Muskrats, like most, have ter- ritories that supply them with food and when too many youngsters start feeding off their territory the supply runs low. This "chasing them out" to find their own often takes them miles away from their birth place. It is dur- ing these wanderings they are most susceptible to all sorts of predators and man's machines. Cows Look Ragged The area of Pennsylvania, Mary- land and Virginia we traveled through always seemed to have dairies within eyesight. It was good to see the cows out nibbling the pioneer shoots of grass that had started to tint the fields with green. Some were rich and solid while others were still barely breaking winter's grip. I wondered why there was such a variety of new growth. Most of the cows did not look trim and clean, but rather their coats were matted and rough. They'd spent too many days in muddy corrals and wet stalls and had not yet had time to work out all of winter's grime. Outside pasture with spring rains and a warm sun would soon change all this. By the time we reached the Shenandoah Valley it looked like summer. Kids were outside in short sleeves playing baseball in the schoolyards and it seemed everyone was wearing shorts. We decided to camp near the George Washington Forest in Virginia, but when we ar- rived they had not yet opened the campsites. Saturday was to be their first day so, the lovely lady at the campground let us move in anyway and set up camp. Our little popup tent is great, for it takes little time to put up. Soon we had sleeping pads and bags laid out and were ready to explore the area. Later in the evening when we re- turned to camp, we walked in moon- light and as we snuggled in our bags MB 4 t� W, � RE STAURANT �, 34 FRONT STREET, GREENPORT, NY 477 -9883 FRESH LOCAL SEAFOOD STEAKS 6 CHOPS Plus Daily Blackboard Special 7 Days• Lunch* Dinner* Cocktail All Major Credit Cards Accepted .10410 - Senibr CitizAn Discount (food Ily,,� we could hear the spring peepers down by the pond heralding in warm weather. But like most places the evenings got cool and by morning when we awoke there was a heavy frost over the pasture down below and our tent had a coating of ice over it. We picked the tent up and put it out in the sun to thaw as we prepared our breakfast over a wood fire. Breakfast consisted of fruit juice, hot oatmeal, hot chocolate, and toast with jam -- enough for us to start off the day. Stop at Gettysburg On our way back we stopped and visited Gettysburg, that historic battlefield where most agree the turning point of the Civil War occur- red. We were deeply impressed and moved by this memorable battlefield where we walked and drove from point to point. We seem to forget those tragic years when a nation tore at itself to preserve itself and it is good for the soul to be reminded how much we owe both the north and the south for welding a stronger nation. As we moved about the battlefields, we'd see bluebirds on fence posts and telephone wires as a reminder of the gallant bluecoats that triumphed. The bluebirds are still here long after those gallant men of the north and the south are but a memory. It makes one realize that despite man's disruption of the world about him, the natural world, given half a chance, will rebound and flourish once again. IN CASE YOUVE " " 01 4 r 00 1 h Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh BLUEBIRDS - -Once common nesters here on Long Island, you must now travel off the island to find them. On our trip through Pennsylvania and Virginia we saw many feeding along the roadside. '.111 3nri ' is under new ownership and is closed for renovations... but watch for the GRAND OPENING this spring. r o MILL ROAD, MATTITUCK 298 -8979 f db � � 'BEST VIEW Celebrating its 39th year on Peconic Bay. ONTHENORTHFORK" WINTER SEASON • h dD Saturday and Sunday Lunc an Inner MAIN ROAD, ROUTE 25, SOUTHOLD 765 -2691 rtAll major credit cards accepted.