December 10, 1981 - Surviving Winter's PerilSECOND SECTION The *Uffolh MMC5
Surviving Winter's Peril
We have a great blue heron that travels
back and forth from Little Creek to Mud
Creek each day. Sometimes he strays to
other creeks about us, but scarcely a day
goes by that we don't see him. It's pretty
hard not to see a bird that stands three feet
tall and has a wing spread of almost five
feet. Yet, unless he's flying, most pass him
by as an old post out on the marsh; his
blue -grey blends in with the winter colors
perfectly.
Early this morning we had to go out just
before the sun slipped out from under a
winter's grey cloud. It almost seemed as if
the sun spotlighted this majestic bird as it
rested on the marsh edge. It looked like an
old man with a big winter coat drawn up
over his head, its long bill pointed out at
the cold grey water in front of it. It was
probably thawing out from the night's
cold.
Why a few of these great blue herons
stay around each winter baffles many of
us. Most have gone south by now and are
enjoying the warm weather of the southern
states. The ones that stay pay for their
mistakes. When the winter wind's blow
and the water freezes over, their food
supply will be cut off. When this happens,
they'll move to the headwaters of our
creeks where the groundwater oozes out
and keeps the area open for a few more
days before the intense cold freezes
everything. It's here, where the water is
open, that the killies still move about and
provide food for this great stalker.
A few years ago I wrote a story about a
great blue heron I literally watched freeze
to death. It was a difficult thing to see as
each day the great blue's strength grew
weaker and weaker. I knew the end was
near when I saw the tail of this great bird
droop down and touch the slush ice it stood
in. I took a series of photos of this beautiful
heron. The last one was a mere lump on
the ice. No one ever said the natural world
was one of fun and games. As a matter of
fact, the one word that describes it best is
survival.
Survival -- A Way of Life
Even the birds at my feeder are trying to
cut corners to a better world of survival.
The housefinches with their raspberry
color, the drab English sparrows, the
cheerful chickadees, nuthatches and tit-
mice, along with the always upright
woodpeckers, take their turns at the
feeder. Of course, there are the continual
squabbles that go on among the clans, but
they never lead to death. The weaker birds
always know enough to fly away and try
again another day. Some don't even
challenge, they just move in and take over.
The bossy starlings and bluejays are
notorious for this. We put out the usual bird
seed mix, but found that a great deal of it
was just scattered about and spilled on the
ground.
We live in the woods and don't get doves
that others are so fortunate to have at their
feeders. They'll work over the ground and
clean it up. Once in a while we'll get a
mourning dove, but mostly they stay out in
the fields or down by the pond. To
overcome this waste we found that sun-
flower kernels work out the best. The
small increase in cost over regular sun-
flower seeds is worth it.
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Probably the best bet for winter feeding
is suet. I cut it in slabs about one inch thick
and lay it against the bark of a tree. Using
half inch galvanized mesh wire, I wrap
around the suet and tree and tie it behind.
Now the raccoons and squirrels can't get
at it, but the birds can.
Suet and sunflower seed work best for
me. I envy those who can get a thistle
feeder started. I've tried but have had poor
luck. There are those who are lucky
enough to have goldfinches feeding all
winter long -- what a joy that must be -- I'll
keep trying.
Step Into Another World
All this seems a far cry from the
weekend jaunt my wife and I just returned
from. Every once in a while we go into the
city to take in a show and live like a king
and queen for a day. Last Saturday we did
just that. We drove in .early Saturday
morning when the traffic level was low and
whisked right through the menagerie of
houses, buildings and graffiti of the
outskirts with no more trouble than our
own highways during the summer season.
Then it was down through the Queens
Mid -Town Tunnel and uptown to our hotel.
We pulled up, the doorman took our car
and we became one of the elite. With the
maze of people that milled about the hotel
lobby, we soon left our country shoes
behind and were lost in the crowd. While
waiting in line I attended to one of my
favorite pastimes -- looking. What a
variety the human species comes in! And
to add to that variety each species had its
own finery attached. It was a show in
itself. My sightseeing ended all too soon
and in no time we were zooming up 30
floors in what seemed like a vacuum.
Down the carpeted hall and into our room
-- we were there.
During our short stay we had elegant
dining, along with a good show and, of
course, some Christmas shopping. We,
walked here and there all bundled up
because it was cold and windy. The
Christmas season was everywhere. The
stores along the way had their usual
colorful Christmas windows and Radio
City had its big tree already up, but not yet
lit. Down below the skaters seemed as
young and enthusiastic as I remembered
them many years ago when I first saw
them.
Once while I stood shivering in the windy
canyons of the city, waiting on a street
corner for the capital letters W -A -L -K to
show, I had a flashback to our little home
nestled in the woods by Mud Creek. As I
looked around, the only natural thing that I
could associate with was the silver grey
sky between the tall buildings. Oh yes,
there was a series of small trees in giant
cement pots with tiny white lights on them
and a group of pigeons gleaning the streets j
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DECEMBER 10,1981
DOWNY WOODPECKER - -To supplement their winter feeding,
woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches thoroughly enjoy suet. Unless
it's protected from raccoons, squirrels and other night marauders, the
suet won't last too long, however. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
for morsels of chestnuts dropped by some
passing shopper. To each his own, I
thought.
In some eyes I must be just like the
summer residents we have visit us each
year. Do they feel as strange as I did in this
big city?
Yet, like the summer resident, I was
thoroughly enjoying my trip. Perhaps life
is like a two-bladed sword for me when I go
to the city and for those from the city who
visit us out here each summer. The trick I
guess is to keep both places in good
condition so that each can be enjoyed by
the other. This is a momentus task and I'm
not sure it can be done without a price. Our
children will be the judges of this.
PAULSTOUTENBURGH
ENJOY YOUR
CHRISTMAS BUFFET
AT
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Bill Klein's
Restaurant and Lounge
at ►hr
� at Riverhead
CHRISTMAS BUFFET
Fresh Fruit Cup Fresh Onion Soup
Tossed Green Salad with Assorted Dressings
Assorted Salads and Relishes
.Toasted Cornish Hen With WiN -Tice
Sauerbraten With Yea Cabbage
�Bakea Virginia Ham
$'795 Fresh Whipped Potatoes and Yams
Cauliflower and Broccoli
Coffee and Dessert Extra
Children Under 12
$5.50 REGULAR MENU
AVAILABLE 0�
Reservations Recommended N
Call 369 -2222 �idoy
Bill Klein, Pete Werner and staff
wish you all a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year
- Exit 72,
I L. 1. Expressway & Rt. 25
N° ers
F or eons 20.3
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L Qarttes A �ePted
369
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