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April 14, 1988 - Mating Game: A Sign of the SeasonPage 10A/The Suffolk Times /April 14, 1988 Mating Game: A Sign of the Season By PAUL STOUTENSURGH Spring is in the air and everywhere you look you can see evidence of it. As you wander about your property looking to see how winter left the plant beds, lawns, shrubs and trees, you can't help seeing the signs of spring. The colorful flowers, of course, are the most striking and for some they represent the only sign of spring. On the other hand there are more subtle changes the close ob- server sees: the slow greening of our lawns, the evidence of worms and their tailings on the ground, the swelling of buds on trees and bushes and, of course, the songs of birds that are the true her- alds of spring. Then there are the outside activities we see all about: the raking and cleaning up of nature's discarded limbs and bro- ken branches, and the wind -blown leaves that seem to always get back into our yards. In the woods this discarding of unwanted parts makes soil and humus that in turn nurtures the plants. Through the miracle of decay, all is sooner or later broken down and recycled into valuable nutrients. It's an idea man is slowly coming around to adopt. We're now thinking of recycling leaves, branches, garbage, tin cans, glass, metal and a host of other things and I'm sure in the future everything will have its day in the order of recycling. Down by the pond the swamp maple I brought in and planted some 30 years ago glows in its deep reddish - maroon blossoms. The willows that were just Focus on Mature sticks when stuck in the wet mud and now tower 40 feet above have taken on their yellow -green color of spring. The sap in the trees is being pumped from the multitude of roots up to the highest point in the trees. That's quite a remarkable feat when you come to think of it and it's here Mr. Squirrel cleverly nips the twigs so he may enjoy the slow oozing of the sap. This sap gathering was never more apparent to me than a few weeks ago when I looked around the base of an old cherry tree and saw a large pile of twigs. They were clearly all cut off by Mr. Squirrel and I'm sure he's been reaping the flow of sap ever since. A Range of Displays The red -wings and grackles are back and all in the process of courting. To each his own. It's something to see the grackle strut his stuff in front of the less attractive female. Feathers come un along his head, wings arch out and the tail spreads. You can almost hear him say, "See how handsome I am." If all goes according to plan, the pair will build a nest in evergreens along with other grackles. The dull- looking little house sparrows are also busy fighting amongst them- Summer is Coming Don't wait for hot weather to service your air conditioning. Call ARTHUR V. JUNGE INC. -MECHANICAL SYSTEMS . ) Heating / Air Conditioning • ! 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House sparrows use feathers in their nest and one or two sometimes stick out of the nesting box they've taken over. This is probably one reason we have so many sparrows around our place for they find chicken feathers quite readily around the barn. Even the big birds are paired off by now. The mallards are two by two and looking for a likely spot to nest. Sail- ing high over the fields we have a pair of red - tailed hawks that occasionally perch on our windmill to check over the landscape for a possible meal. More and more people tell me they see big hawks throughout our area and nine out of 10 times they probably are seeing red - tailed hawks. In the last year or so we had three nesting pairs within four -mile circle. Their courtship is something to see. It's somewhat like that of the osprey that's been back from his trip south for some time now. Hawks do aerial showoffs. I hope you have seen the dives and twists and other aerial maneuvers they go through when showing off in front of the females. It's a sight you won't soon forget and it's all to please the female and establish a territory. Of course, the real purpose of all courtship and rivalry in the natural world is for the best selection. It is by this elaborate selection process that only the best will pass on through the genes of that particular species. Whether it be the challenge of mountain goats, alley cats, the aerial display of a hawk, or the squabbling of rival sparrows, it all comes down to selection for the good of the species. As I write this my chickens are walk- ing across the lawn. Here, too, courtship and dominance reign. The dominant rooster struts around in con- trol of his hens. Off to the side are two hopeful roosters who try to move in whenever there is the slightest chance. This usually ends up in a mad dash by the dominant rooster, scattering the two hopefuls to the far outskirts of the flock. Once this pecking order of who's in charge of the flock is established, fancy dances by the king of the flock about his hens commence. Sometimes with success and other times with what appears to be "Don't bother me now" by an unimpressed hen. All these actions tell us spring is surely here... so let's enjoy it as it soon will pass. 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