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September 29, 1988 - Beach Life Doesn't Stop After SummerleMbar, iSuffdkjTimtgJ9tifa®toin Beach Life Doesn't Stop After Summer By Paul Stoutenburah Access to our beaches is becoming more and more restricted. It seems al- most every foot of waterfront now has become built upon and with it comes the "Keep Out" and "No Trespassing" signs. Thank goodness, some of our towns have provided public access so that we can find a place to get on the beaches. We decided to take an ocean walk last week and headed for Shinnecock. Southampton Town has probably one of the finest stretches of -sandy beach found anywhere in the country. Like other things many of us have taken for granted, we often do not appreciate the uniqueness of these vast spans of mov- ing sand. Not living with the roar of the ocean in our ears, a visit to the ocean is al- ways a treat. Perhaps that is why, years ago, when the opportunity to become a naturalist on the seashore at Fire Island became available, I jumped at it. It's probably why that same ocean beach still lures me today. There is an extra plus for the birder who goes for an ocean beach walk at this time of the year. If conditions are right, he or she might get a glimpse of the magnificent flights of hawks along the outer beaches. It takes a high -pres- sure area to the west bringing a good northwest wind to us. On these winds the hawks and other birds make their passage south. A Marsh Hawk and Swallows Unfortunately we chose a day that the southwest wind was blowing. We saw only a few hawks. Once a merlin flew over our heads and gave us a good look at this rather unusual hawk. It was a great thrill for both of us. Then, besides a few kestrels, we had a marsh hawk with its characteristic white rump working low over the dunes to our left. As we watched this dark- phased hawk worked back and forth in its westerly direction, stirring up a huge flock of tree swallows feeding on the abundant bay- berries indigenous to this sandy area. These tree swallows use the outer beaches to migrate through. On the right day it seems like a continuous stream as they feed on insects while in flight. Today the wind was not favorable and so they gathered together to feast and refuel for the next leg of their journey when more favorable winds would pre- vail. I believe tree swallows are the only swallows that can survive op_ something other than insects. This might account for the stragglers we see as late as November along the south shore. They can survive on bayberries. We could tell fall was upon us for the seaside goldenrod was starting to bloom. This is our last goldenrod to blossom and we'll find traces of it blooming Focus on Nature right up to frost time. It's a rugged and colorful plant, often found right under the dune line, taking the full fury of the ocean spray. It is the time of the year when the dune grasses are forming their seed heads. This one plant is the key to the barrier beach's success. Without its an- nual abundance of seeds that propagate into new plants for the next year and the prolific underground runners that extend the plant into new occasions, there would be no barrier beach. It is this beach grass or Ammophila (meaning "sand lover ') that captures the blowing sands that create the dunes that hold back the mighty ocean. Benefits of the Seashore Of course, other plants help, such as the salt spray rose whose rose hips are now ripening. These tasty but seedy or- ange -red hips make a good snack on an ocean walk. When collected and culled of their seeds they can be made into a tart but tasty jam. Beach plum is also a salt- spray - tolerant shrub that does well in the dune line. Here again the fruits make one of the seashore's best jams. The first plant to take the fury of the ocean spray and stinging, wind -blown sand is sea rocket. Its glory days are just about over. What you'll see now are mostly seed pods on an almost leafless plant. When tender and young the leaves make a snack food and often are gathered for salads later. Dusty miller, an immi- grant from the Far East, has made itself at home along the entire eastern seaboard and does its part in protecting the barrier beach. Everywhere we looked we saw old plant friends. The beach pea with its now -dry pods held the secret for next year's plants. Sea spurge, that prostrate plant of the dunes, still held on with its deep root system and flat foliage, letting the sea spray and wind -blown sand howl above it. Poison ivy does well in the dune area and now has turned to fall's many shades of red, yellow and brown. Its berry clusters are creamy white. Don't mistake them for bayberry! Virginia creeper, sometimes mistaken for poison ivy, follows the same color patterns but has a dark -blue berry that will be used for survival food by birds and animals when the winter winds blow. Back at the car we emptied our shoes and socks of sand and then headed west along Dune Road, slowing up here and there to enjoy a pair of mallards feeding or a view of the now- crimson Salicornia nestled close to the road. The great salt marsh that spread to the north of the road was flooded with the new moon's spring tide. It was here we saw eight or nine of the tall, thin- necked great white egrets standing like statues, busy stalk - ing minnows in the inundated marsh.. Their hunting technique is a masterpiece of slow motion. Our driving and stopping to observe - must have startled a great blue heron feeding close to the road. It flew up in fright, beating away on its huge, six -' foot wings. Atprw,spot we had.to slop the c1 and Asher ourse�s. SWCt All><re usL, Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh DUNES OF THE SOUTH SHORE — Without plants and particularly the dune grass, the barrier beach along our south shore would be a mere shifting sand bar. was a maze of tiny, white salt -marsh asters, much like a field of tiny daisies. Usually they are found only in scattered plantings; here it was like nothing we'd ever seen before. We marveled at its survival with its roots in the salt water and wondered how many people zoom- ing by in their busy day ever noticed them blooming there. Fall is truly a wonderful time of the year. I can only encourage you to enjoy as soon as possible this fall weather. Like most other things in life it will not last forever. P.S. You may have noticed last week the great black- backed gull on the buoy received the wrong title. Our apologies to the gull! PARTY TIME- At Our Bar FREE Buffet 4 -6 p.m., Monday through Thursday Enjoy dining in our waterfront dining room or outdoors on our deck overlooking our scenic marina and Gardiner's Bay. This Weekend's Dinner Special Chicken & Ribs $895 Plus our many other blackboard specials or our regular menu New restaurant hours Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday l 1a.m. to 9 p.m. ORIENT BY THE SEA MARINA AND RESTAURANT Main Road, Orient Point (just west of the Orient Ferry) t:!': :1�)a: Y1 anf TO 1':�,�..1 t]j::W •�, f -, . vi nn. :�'`. '.1 (� _.