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October 17, 1991 - A Day of Hawking on Fishers Island...C6, The Suffolk• Times .• GctobQr ,1.7,, ,1,991 A Da y of By Paul Stoutenburgh About this time of year when we have a high - pressure ridge moving in and the winds blowing out of the northwest, we have conditions ideal for bird migrations. Part of this great exodus out of the north is made up of hawks. Because of their large visual size and habit of traveling along ancient migration routes, hawking is an exciting adventure. I've just come from a whirlwind flight to Fishers Island where a good friend and I were dropped off at the north end of the runway so we could do some fall hawking. Just to clarify that statement for some, the hawking I refer to has to do with birds not the street vendor who shouts his wares. We left the airport in my son Peter's plane on a perfect day. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as they had all been swept out to sea by the cool, crisp air of fall. Once airborne it was amazing how far we could see. Both the north and south shores stood out in bold relief below us with the farm patches resem- bling some great quilt. The ocean to our south sparkled from the waves that wove a tapestry to the southeast. Far to the north we could see clearly the Connecticut shoreline with its rib- bon of silver that formed the Connecti- cut River. The small islands of Plum, Little Gull and Big Gull were soon left behind and in no time we touched down, ever so gently, on the runway at Fishers Island. This string of islands makes up one of the great migration routes for hawks and we were anxious to see this event that goes on each year at this time. Cornell Extension Celebrates 75 Years RIVERHEAD —The 75th annual meeting and recognition program for Cornell Cooperative Extension will take place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St. Suffolk County residents are wel- come to attend. This year's theme is "75 Years' Heritage and Vision." The program will include elections for the board of directors and Extension program committee positions, as well as recognition of volunteers, staff and community leaders. Entertainment and light refreshments will be provided. Reservations should be made by Oct. 18 by calling 727 -7850. Hawking on Fishers Island Focus on Nature Once on the ground we headed for a high mound at the extreme west end of the island. This is part of an old fortifi- cation left from the war years and now gives the perfect overview to see hawks heading south. Even before we got out of the plane Peter's sharp eyes picked up a kestrel hunting in the nearby grassy fields. All hawks hunt along their migration route whenever the proper habitat presents itself and the open area that surrounds the airport was ideal for them. Once on top we could see the entire airport area and the land formation that made a natural funnel for the hawks to fly down. Now it was just a matter of waiting. We left at 7:30 and it was about 8 by now. The cool northwest wind nipped at us but we were dressed for the occasion and paid little attention to it. Within minutes two kestrels flew by, their face patches, showing clearly in the early morning light, identified them. We would find out our binoculars were needed only half the time because most of the hawks came so close. The kestrels reminded me of when my son, who had just flown us in, was just a young boy and raised one of these small falcons. It stayed with us until it decided to go off on its own one day and we never saw it again. The wind started to pick up and so did the hawks. Now we were recording sharp- shinned hawks as often as kestrels. The short, rounded wings of the sharpies were easy to distinguish from the long, pointed wings of the kestrels. Each type of wing is designed for a specific type of hunting. The short, rounded wing gives the sharpie maneuverability in the low brush and woods where it hunts and the long wings of the kestrel are fashioned for open space and fast flying. Both are effi- cient predators. Tempo Increases As the tempo of the flights increased, other hawks showed up. The low - flying, graceful marsh hawk now swung low over the grassy areas, hoping to surprise a mouse or shrew who had let its guard down. Its white rump patch, long wings and low flight clearly identified it. As it came closer we saw it was a large, dark -brown female. We first Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility By appointment Robert M. Schrier, M.D. G. Michael Peters, M.D. Steven I. Ross, M.D. Gerard A. San Roman, M.D. Susan L. Sterlacci, M.D. WADING RIVER PROFESSIONAL CENTER Route 25A, Wading River, NY 11792 473 -4550 R' SHARP - SHINNED HAWK —These small woodland hawks, along with many others, pass through our area at this time of the year on their fall migration south. This one might snatch a small bird from your yard as it passes through. had four female marsh hawks and the "'A last one we saw was the smaller light- moving through together. Some grey male that's less often seen. joyfully played as they dove at each As the stn grew higher and higher the a` chill was burned off and it became quite within 10 feet of us. What a sight. And pleasant atop our little lookout. Now a p p how excited we were to have them come Cooper's hawk came through, a bit so close. In between we'd see remnants larger than the sharpie and with a R' SHARP - SHINNED HAWK —These small woodland hawks, along with many others, pass through our area at this time of the year on their fall migration south. This one might snatch a small bird from your yard as it passes through. had four female marsh hawks and the sometimes with three or four sharpies last one we saw was the smaller light- moving through together. Some grey male that's less often seen. joyfully played as they dove at each As the stn grew higher and higher the other. Evidently they too, enjoy the frolicking of youth. Some would come chill was burned off and it became quite within 10 feet of us. What a sight. And pleasant atop our little lookout. Now a p p how excited we were to have them come Cooper's hawk came through, a bit so close. In between we'd see remnants larger than the sharpie and with a of the great tree- swallow migrations rounded tail. We'd see only five of these that had already passed through. all day. Now the hawks were coming Then there were the Monarch butter - along almost faster than we could flies. The wind had kept them coralled count. A peregrine, the king of hawks, behind our,mound and out of the wind. zoomed through. There was no missing They were everywhere feeding on gold - him with his fast, direct flight and long, enrod. Long strings of cormorants pointed wings. This was the hawk en- passed by — 50, 100 in a flock. And dangered because of pesticides and, like like all migrations I've watched through the osprey, has made a strong come- the years there were the flickers (big back. woodpeckers) sprinkled through our day. Later we'd see another peregrine that Our day was over at noon. Peter's flew out to sea and spiraled higher and plane was right on time. We had four higher into the sky. Evidently it had hours of great hawking. We saw 52 plans for longer flights than island hop- sharp - shins, 56 kestrels, three peregrine ping for it soon disappeared out of falcons, five Cooper's, five harriers view. It must have found a thermal and (marsh hawks) and one merlin along was rising on it so that it could take off with 12 tree swallows, 30 flickers, one kildeer and tow unidentified shore birds. in greater leaps and bounds than the small hawks we were watching. By What could have been better than to taking advantage of the great heights have been flown out by my son on a above, it would save valuable energy perfect day to spend the morning hawk - that could be used to its later advantage. ing with one of my oldest and best friends and then to have seen hawks and Our tallies were adding up, hawks and hawks and hawks. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR GRADES? Would you like to study for LESS TIME with BETTER RESULTS? STUDY SKILLS ENHANCEMENT 10 Sessions/ Group or Individual junior High and High School Concentration Classes Starting 3rd week of October For more information call Brenda Cichanowicz 734 -5042 before 9 p.m.