September 06, 1990 - Fattening Up, Battening Down, for FallCIO The Suffolk Times • September 6, 1990
Fattening Up, Battening Down., for Fall
By Paul Stoutenburah
We were all sitting out on the lawn
under the trees enjoying the super -dry,
clear, cool air from up north when we
became conscious of something falling
on us. One piece went right into my
shirt pocket so I picked it out and found
it to be a piece of hickory nut. Evi-
dently the squirrels above were busy fat-
tening themselves up on nuts in antici-
pation of the coming winter.
Fall is harvest time. A time when the
fruits of the earth become ripe and are
available for gathering. Today few are
involved in this once busy time for now
the supermarkets take care of our needs,
no matter what time of year it is. Liv-
ing out here on the East End one can't
help feeling the season's change that's
taking place throughout the land. Pota-
toes are being dug, but nothing like
they used to be. In the place of many
farms are houses and blacktop; if not
houses, sod farms or nurseries that seem
to me to be a prerequisite to future de-
velopment.
One thing about sod farms is that it's
easy to see any wildlife out on them.
One farm not too far from our place al-
ways seems to attract at this time of the
year migrating shorebirds, such as
black - bellied plovers, killdeer and occa-
sionally upland plovers, and once in a
while, one of the rarer species we look
forward to finding. Of course, Canada
geese use these open spaces to rest and
feed.
Even though geese have become
common, I still look them over closely
in hopes of seeing a snow goose or blue
goose or even some bird with a special,
colorful leg band. Gulls also use these
fields for resting. It's a place where
birds can see all around in case there's a
fox or other predator on the prowl.
Pumpkin Time Is Here
Probably the most visible sign of fall
and the changing seasons is the farmers
who are putting out the bright orange
pumpkins in anticipation of the big
Focus on
Nature
holiday weekend. For the roadside stand
it is now or never and every salable
item is on display.
In my own back pasture the autumn
olive hangs heavy with great clusters of
ripening reddish fruit. It has already at-
tracted migrating catbirds, thrashers,
robins, etc. It's again the harvest
bounty that will help fatten the birds
before their long journey south. Along
with the hedgerow of autumn olive is
the multiflora rose that has already
formed its clusters of small rose hips.
These are less palatable at this time of
year and will be saved for later use as a
survival food for those who stay
through the winter.
One can usually tell where there is a
good supply of these berries for there'll
be a mockingbird sitting high above
protecting his personal supply. They,
more than any other bird, seem: to set
up winter territories where there's a
good food supply. It's this multiflora
rose that, probably more than any other
reason, has brought the mockingbird
from the south to our northern lands.
Without a plentiful supply of this
common, almost weedy rose I'm sure
we'd have many fewer mockingbirds in
the area.
And to think 30 years ago the multi -
flora rose was practically unknown. It
was even given away by the New York
State Department of Conservation as a
planting for wildlife. Few thought it
would ever spread as it has but nature
sows its seeds in many ways. Through
the droppings of flying birds the multi -
flora rose seems to have invaded every
square mile of land on Long Island. An-
other case of an introduced species tak-
ing over.
Marauding Flocks of Birds
The starlings, the blackbirds and the
JAMESPOnT
MANOn INN
3
x' MANOR LANE: JAMESPORT
722 -3382
Special Sunday Dinner 1- 5p.m .... ..........................$7.95
Granny Poo's Restaurant Guide 1990 Review
'If there is someone "special' in your life and you wart to take them to a very'special restaurant; try the Jameport Manor Inn.
You will be thoroughly delighted. It was formerly an old gothic mansion located off the Main Road in Jamesport. The interior is
cozy and warm, with its carved wooden beams and a warm glowing fireplace. Everything is good here. We decided to start with
crab cakes served with lobster sauce, and Coquilles St. Jaques (scallops in a light wine sauce.) They were exqu isite. For the entree
they had sold out of the prime ribs, which led us to believe it was a big hit We had the duck with raspberry sauce which was
crisp and moist. We also had the shrimp scampi served with rice, and peas mixed with pearl onions. All cooked to perfection.
Fordessertthe waitress rolled the dessert cartto the table and wechose cheese cakewith Heath crunchtopping, and strawberries
dipped in chocolate. Both will thrill your sweet tooth. The service is friendly; you will need reservations. AMEX.'
When on the South Fork, visit our other restaurant.
THE CA N A L Montauk Higheray 6 The Shinnecock Canal
RESTAURANT Hampton Bays, 728 -1717
�76 'Birdwa Br's Companion
or dw X 31 irder"
North Road, Southold, 765 -5872
Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Gifts • Binoculars • Books a Seed • Feeders • Houses
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
UPLAND PLOVER — Oftentimes we find migrating shorebirds resting
and feeding in our farm and sod fields. Black- bellied plovers and killdeer
are common but the more elusive upland plover, pictured above, is
more difficult to find.
grackles have started to flock. All sum-
mer long these birds have been multi-
plying and learning the skills of sur-
vival. Now they are grouping up for
their mass migrations. In numbers there
is strength and protection. This is why,
if you live near a grape grower, you'll
probably hear the booming of air guns
that help keep the marauding flocks of
hungry birds away. Some might think
these masses of birds that can wipe out
a grower's crop are something new, but
if you lived on the South Shore from
Speonk west along the bay, you'd know
that flocks of these birds were a com-
mon thing around every duck farm. I
don't know the exact figure but a good
portion of the duck food put out for the
famous Long Island ducks was eaten by
flocks of passing birds.
I can remember once being out on the
flats in Moriches at dawn and seeing
endless masses of birds rising out of the
phragmites where they had roosted dur-
ing the night. It looked like a great
cloud of smoke as they rose and headed
for the land where the duck farms were.
I estimated the flock was a quarter -mile
long. It was basically the same kind of
threat the grape growers have today.
Today, most of the duck farms have
gone, and like our potato farms have
given way to houses and blacktop. Per-
haps that might explain why we now
have so many of these pesky blackbirds
over here. After all, these birds or their
offspring want to eat just like you and I
and so they raid the fields of grapes and
sweet corn just as they invaded the duck
growers' bins of feed. It's a problem for
sure because the grape grower and I
heartily agree with them that they have
to do whatever is necessary to keep
birds away from their precious crop.
It's fall and fall means many things
to many creatures. To birds it's a time
to fatten up and prepare for the coming
of winter. To most of us it's one of the
invigorating times of the year: cool dry
air, leaves turning to gold, farm stands
loaded with harvest goods, a time truly
to enjoy.
Singles On Sunday
MATTITUCK —S ingles gather on
Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Half -Shell
Republic, Main Road. Everyone 30
and older is welcome.
NORTH ROAD (RTE. S)
0000 OItCHAAD
ORNAMENTAL
Perennials, Grasses, Herbs —� PLANTINGS
GREENHOUSE
Summer Hours July & August: Hp1�`s 4,77_241 0
Open Sundays only
10-3 p.m.
R. R. BRIDGE ALWISGINI LANe
SOUTHOL D MNW NOA 0 GREENpORr