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May 08, 1980 - A Day of Celebration, Participation on the N.F.A Day of Celebration, Participation on the N.F. To observe the importance pf the sun to all of us, we had planned to watch it rise at Cedar Beach on Sun Day, May 3. It's too bad more hadn't been bitten by the same urge, for it turned out to be a splendid sunrise and day. Barbara and I had gotten up in the dark and frankly, during those early hours there were times when we wondered what kind of fools we were. The day had ominous rolls of gray clouds, which to any sane person spelled a dreary day ahead, but we had committed our- selves and continued to prepare in our half -awake conditions. I stumbled out to feed the chickens, which weren't even up as yet. The only sign of life was the male goose who jealously guards his loved one sitting on a clutch of eggs in the henhouse. Head bent low, he shrieked warnings that would keep anyone, man or beast, a fair distance from his mate. In the kitchen Barbara was fixing things for warm drinks we would offer those hardy souls who would join us at this sunrise observance. Standing around waiting for the sun in those early hours can be chilly. As we headed along the road in back of Southold our car lights picked up a raccoon down in Bay View that was finishing up his scavenging of people's garbage cans. He was surprised and lumbered off in his awkward gait across Mahlon Dickerson's front yard. I wondered where he'd spend the daylight hours; under someone's house, perhaps in a pile of wood, or maybe he still enjoyed the comforts of the wild -- curled up in a hollow tree. When we arrived, we were glad to see other hearty souls had also made the commitment (some students biking all the way from Mattituck) and were standing about in the half -light of dawn. Patiently we stood around with our hands in our pockets sipping hot cider which Kay had thoughtfully brought along and which we warmed on our portable stove. A Living Museum Slowly the picture unfolded. A slight morning breeze just rippled the gray water as the East became lighter and lighter. Now the world was coming alive. Terns from the sand island colony off the fishing stations in Southold were making their forays out into the bay. It was good to see them back from their winter vacations down South. In the quiet a loon laughed across the bay and somehow, in its special way, communicated with two that flew overhead. Loons don't nest here and those in the air had found a mutual understand- ing and were headed to their ancestral nesting grounds -- probably somewhere deep in Canada. Now the gray clouds seemed to melt away as the dawn pushed up over Shelter Island. A magic was taking hold of the world about us. A pair of red - winged blackbirds argued over their territory in the marsh in back, as a beautiful snowy egret changed his hunting ground in the tall, wet grasses along the water's edge. How fortunate that this magnificent marsh has become a study area for the college. To those of us who watched the scene it was like going to a living museum. An osprey that had roosted in the lone platform left and went fishing in the tidal creek up in back. The crows, those callers of the wild, did their bit to waken the sleepy world. Overhead two great broken lines of cormorants headed north. They'll SECOND SECTION Tbt *UffiDth Tt'MO MAY 8, 1980 A Day of Celebration, Participation on the N.F. bserve the importance of the sun to to D.Overy nest on the rocks along the coast farther north and on the wind -swept cliffs of Nova Scotia. World Wakes Up The mighty sun was showing us its power. Life which owes its allegiance to it was responding. A rugged fishing boat came by to tend its nets somewhere up bay. Now the deep red tip of the sun showed itself over the treetops of Shelter Island. We all watched and felt the sun's radiant power spreading over the area. As the sun rose the deep orange -red turned slowly to a yellow. The world was waking up! To me, I had to see more, so I broke away from the group and walked out to the inlet. It was a grand place to be. Piping plovers ran before me and I wondered how they could survive under the car tracks that criss- crossed their nesting grounds on the beach. I'm sure those who drive the beach never even notice them -- for if they did they'd keep off this sacred ground. Where the beach swings to the southwest a large flock of redbreasted mergansers were congregating. Mating rituals were going on all over the water, as each male tried to outperform his rival. As I stood there and counted 72- 73 -74, more and more flew to the rendezvous area. They, too, were congregating for that pilgrimage to their nesting grounds in the north. My destination was the least terns' colony, and as I approached I could see that the good people in charge of the beach had already put the snowfence around the area. We've had disaster after disaster by cars, motorcycles and just plain vandal- ism, to this small rather rare tern's area and this protective enclosure might just save them. This dainty bird has not arrived as yet, but a pair of horned larks were already nesting there. I could see them running along the sand picking up seeds; perhaps their young were already hatched and fledged. It was a splendid way to start a busy day that later unfolded into another delightful Sun Day adventure at Peconic Dunes Park. The area was open to the public. There were all sorts of exhibits, walks through the area, live music, speakers, workshops and just good companionship. I think those who attended and made the effort gained a new and special apprecia- tion of that warm ball of yellow we all take for granted -- the sun. Its importance to everyone, now and even more so in our future, is just now, slowly but surely, being realized. Ironically the ancients realized its im- portance even more than we do today. Perhaps they lived closer to it than we who are caught up in our own man -made syndrome of objects and things. PAUL STOUTENBURGH Introducing 0 Le Car by Reneuk 30 40 MPG CITY MPG HYW. SUN DAY Photo by Peter Stoutenburgh 2510 Participate in Sun Day About 250 people participated in ac- tivities in the North Fork Sun Fest and Picnic sponsored by the North Fork Audubon Society and the North Fork Environmental Council at Peconic Dunes Park last Saturday. After a picnic lunch, Professor Ted Goldfarb of SUNY at Stony Brook gave a talk about energy planning. Winners of the poetry and photography contests were then announced. To end the day, some participants went to Custer Institute in Southold to observe sunspots in the afternoon and stars later at night. The contest winners: Poetry: Laurie Gullakson, Greenport High School; Maria Grissino, Southold High School. Photography: First place (tie) -- Danny Urist, Mattituck; Donald and Lorna Tuthill, Southold. First -place winners each received $20 gift certificates, donated by Vail's Photo in Greenport and Dave's Photo in Southold. Second place -- Whitney Booth and William' O'Donnell. Each received $10 gift certificates. Third place -- William O'Donnell. He was awarded two rolls of film. Remember 9 MOTHER'S DAY We Have Corsages, Cut Flowers, Dish Gardens, Centerpieces, Hanging Baskets & Gifts MATTITUCK GARDEN SHOP & FLORIST _ Main Road At Blinker Light Rn„R V� Mattituck, New York „ s au HOUR$: Daily 8:30 to 6:00 p.m. Sunday 8:30 to 4:00 p.m. FLOWERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS WE DELIVER 298 -5840