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June 10, 1982 - The Wrath of NatureSECOND SECTION The Amffolh Timeg The Wrath of Nature Heavy winds and rain can be deadly to the young of wildlife. This is especially true of birds. If the adults cannot keep the eggs and young warm and dry, they soon lose their body heat and die. Of course, nature plays no favorites -- whether it's the tiny humming bird or the mighty fish hawk. All suffer during these prolonged periods of foul weather. The osprey uses the same nesting sight and each year adds a new layer of sticks and debris. In doing so, the inner nest that holds the egg and young become quite matted down with constant use. Often when this occurs water from heavy rains will collect in the depression where the eggs and young lay. I'm particularly concerned what effect this last week's rain and wind will have on our osprey population because the young should be hatching out about now, making this their most vulnerable time. For the next few weeks or so, our survey will tell us just how bad these rains have affected them. A different phenomena takes place with the swans that built their nests in our creeks. They build high grass nests that sometimes reach four to five feet in diameter, with heights over a foot or more. Even this height does not save them for many times their nests are not high enough above the marsh to escape the flood tides that occur during the springtime. Twice a month extra "spring tides" rise far above the normal tide when the moon is high. This extra high rise of tide is boosted even further when we have a storm wind from the east. When all these factors are combined, the swan's nest is inundated and the eggs are chilled. I know many have seen this predicament happening right in front of them and felt as helpless as I, for there is really nothing we can do. We can only hope nature persists. All Birds Are Affected Of course, ospreys and swans are not the only birds that are affected by these spring storms. The friendly robin or the ground nesting towhee, along with just about any other species of bird, sooner or later runs into one of these devastating storms. Years ago I remember photographing a horned lark over in Westhampton. After many long hours of searching, I finally located this groundnester on one of the old abandoned golf driving ranges. Photographing the young was easy, but because it was late I postponed setting up a blind to get the adults feeding the young the next day. During the night a typical spring downpour flooded the field. The next day, to my sorrow, I found the young birds dead in the nest. The cold water had seeped in and both adults could do nothing to keep the young warm. It was discouraging, but all was not lost; the plaintive call of the horned larks still could be heard as the pair flitted about the field. I'm sure nature spurred them along to reproduce another batch. Hopefully, the weather gods would look on them more favorably the next time. Many times when the wind blows young fledged birds are blown to the ground and well- meaning people will pick them up hoping to help them. After all the neighborhood cat might get them or maybe after it got dark the raccoon or opossum or stray dog might be the culprit. These are legitimate concerns and I take my hat off to those who care. What do you do with this weak little bird? Actually, the best thing you could do is to leave it there or if concerned about predators move it off to a protected spot such as a limb of a tree or a nearby shrub. Left here, the young bird will soon start calling and the mother, not being too far away, will find it. Of course, if the bird is too young to be put on a limb or the mother bird has been killed, your only alternative is to try to raise it. Let me forewarn you this is a demanding job. Doctors Advice for Feeding Young Dr. William Zitek in Southold has given some good information on feeding disabled birds, but I'm sure he would echo my The performance - packed hydrostatic transmission workhorse that puts all "garden size" tractors to shame. ISLAND FORD & MUNICIPAL MACHINERY Terry Road, Smithtown 979 -6900 JUNE 10, 1982 HORNED LARK AND YOUNG - -Tree nesters as well as ground nesters like the Horned Lark and young above have a difficult time when rains and floods persist. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh thoughts that whenever possible leave them alone and only if in imminent danger should one take on the task of trying to feed small birds. His suggestions on feeding orphan baby birds are as follows: "A. Formula: 6 ounces homogenized milk; 1 egg yolk; Complete diet canned dog food. Roll dog food into pellets the size of a pea and dip into formula. B. Amount to Feed: 1 day to 1 week old: 1 pellet every 30 min. to 1 hour; 1 week old: 4 to 6 pellets every 1 to 2 hours. As they take more the feeding interval will increase. Notes: 1. Baby birds will "Gape" when you tap their nest box. Drop food into mouth; 2. As eating progresses and to develop self- feeding, sprinkle chick starter, bread crumbs, wild bird seed, fruits, celery on cage floor. Oyster shell or calcium grit should be added; 3. Can give additional liquid as a drop off your finger, a tooth pick or an eye dropper. They must be warm enough in order to )"-p digest their food. Temperature range will be from 95 deg. for few day old babies to 70 deg. for those several weeks old." As you can see, there is a lot to it; so unless you are willing to give considerable time and have considerable patience, keep away from trying to be Florence Nightingale of the bird world. One last bit of information. Once reared, the bird, no matter how fond you become of it, must be released. Keeping any protected bird in captivity -- and this is just about all birds -- is strictly against state law. So unless you want to be embarrassed by having a conservation officer knock on your door and perhaps issuing you a summons, never keep any wild bird in captivity. Birds are meant to be free and that's the way it should be. After all, isn't that why we help them in the beginning. So be the good Samaritan, but let your reward be the bird's freedom when it's well enough to take care of itself. PAULSTOUTENBURGH . Ns TICE T7�5�7�� udders and Co We can help You Contractors. maxirnize Why not lethe profit on ery lob you do. Ca us prove it? For the finest quality m LL US, For Ioq, ate rials...that'll Prices...that'll give maxi For on -tune deliver yOU the competitive yourprofits and where delivery _so you'll petitive edge You need there have your materials when Before y °u bid business with Your next job, let is good lf }ISLAND LUMBuERr &vSUP t doing You and your business PLY CO. CALL US Lumber Roofing Mason Supplies Sakrete Sheetrock Insulation Armstrong Ceilings Builder's Hardware Hinges 1Z411 . 2430 ALL ISLAND Pittsburgh Paints A lu minu m Products cts ne od Windows Paneling Siding EQUIPMENT THE ORIGINAL TRACTORS Molding Energy Savers Treated La�mberlving POWER BOX ­and Much More! WEST BABYLON, N. Y. 11704 (516) M -2605 FUSLLER R' KUBOTA Turf Equipment TRACTORS The performance - packed hydrostatic transmission workhorse that puts all "garden size" tractors to shame. ISLAND FORD & MUNICIPAL MACHINERY Terry Road, Smithtown 979 -6900 JUNE 10, 1982 HORNED LARK AND YOUNG - -Tree nesters as well as ground nesters like the Horned Lark and young above have a difficult time when rains and floods persist. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh thoughts that whenever possible leave them alone and only if in imminent danger should one take on the task of trying to feed small birds. His suggestions on feeding orphan baby birds are as follows: "A. Formula: 6 ounces homogenized milk; 1 egg yolk; Complete diet canned dog food. Roll dog food into pellets the size of a pea and dip into formula. B. Amount to Feed: 1 day to 1 week old: 1 pellet every 30 min. to 1 hour; 1 week old: 4 to 6 pellets every 1 to 2 hours. As they take more the feeding interval will increase. Notes: 1. Baby birds will "Gape" when you tap their nest box. Drop food into mouth; 2. As eating progresses and to develop self- feeding, sprinkle chick starter, bread crumbs, wild bird seed, fruits, celery on cage floor. Oyster shell or calcium grit should be added; 3. Can give additional liquid as a drop off your finger, a tooth pick or an eye dropper. They must be warm enough in order to )"-p digest their food. Temperature range will be from 95 deg. for few day old babies to 70 deg. for those several weeks old." As you can see, there is a lot to it; so unless you are willing to give considerable time and have considerable patience, keep away from trying to be Florence Nightingale of the bird world. One last bit of information. Once reared, the bird, no matter how fond you become of it, must be released. Keeping any protected bird in captivity -- and this is just about all birds -- is strictly against state law. So unless you want to be embarrassed by having a conservation officer knock on your door and perhaps issuing you a summons, never keep any wild bird in captivity. Birds are meant to be free and that's the way it should be. After all, isn't that why we help them in the beginning. So be the good Samaritan, but let your reward be the bird's freedom when it's well enough to take care of itself. PAULSTOUTENBURGH . Ns TICE T7�5�7�� udders and Co We can help You Contractors. maxirnize Why not lethe profit on ery lob you do. Ca us prove it? For the finest quality m LL US, For Ioq, ate rials...that'll Prices...that'll give maxi For on -tune deliver yOU the competitive yourprofits and where delivery _so you'll petitive edge You need there have your materials when Before y °u bid business with Your next job, let is good lf }ISLAND LUMBuERr &vSUP t doing You and your business PLY CO. CALL US Lumber Roofing Mason Supplies Sakrete Sheetrock Insulation Armstrong Ceilings Builder's Hardware Hinges 1Z411 . 2430 Loc ksets Pittsburgh Paints A lu minu m Products cts ne od Windows Paneling Siding hung Doors Power Tools Doors Flooring Sky Lights Texture. e.1 11 Molding Energy Savers Treated La�mberlving ­and Much More! "' ork 11901 IVERIES SECOND SECTION C74r - wrm.. 'Artlir l June 10, 1982 The Wrath of Nature Heavy winds and rain can be deadly to the young of wildlife. This is especially true of birds. If the adults cannot keep the eggs and young warm and dry, they soon lose their body heat and die. Of course, nature plays no favorites -- whether it's the tiny humming bird or the mighty fish hawk. All suffer during these prolonged periods of foul weather. The osprey uses the same nesting sight and each year adds a new layer of sticks and debris. In doing so, the inner nest that holds the egg and young become quite matted down with constant use. Often when this occurs water from heavy rains will collect in the depression where the eggs and young lay. I'm particularly concerned what effect this last week's rain and wind will have on our osprey population because the young should be hatching out about now, making this their most vulnerable time. For the next few weeks or so, our survey will tell us just how bad these rains have affected them. A different phenomena takes place with the swans that built their nests in our creeks, They build high grass nests that sometimes reach four to five feet in diameter, with heights over a foot or more. Even this height does not save them for many times their nests are not high enough above the marsh to escape the flood tides that occur during the springtime. Twice a month extra "spring tides" rise far above the normal tide when the moon is high. This extra high rise of tide is boosted even further when we have a storm wind from the east. When all these factors are combined, the swan's nest is inundated and the eggs are chilled. I know many have seen this predicament happening right in front of them and felt as helpless as I, for there is really nothing we can do. We can only hope nature persists. All Birds Are Affected Of course; ospreys and swans are not the only birds that are affected by these spring storms. The friendly robin or the ground nesting towhee, along with just about any other species of bird, sooner or later runs into one of these devastating storms. Years ago I remember photographing a horned lark over in Westhampton. After many long hours of searching, I finally located this groundnester on one of the old abandoned golf driving ranges. Photographing the young was easy, but because it was late I postponed setting up a blind to get the adults feeding the young the next day. During the night a typical spring downpour flooded the field. The next day, to my sorrow, I found the young birds dead in the nest. The cold water had seeped in and both adults could do nothing to keep the young warm. It was discouraging, but all was not lost; the plaintive call of the horned larks still could be heard as the pair flitted about the field. I'm sure nature spurred them along to reproduce another batch. Hopefully, the weather gods would look on them more favorably the next time. Many times when the wind blows young fledged birds are blown to the ground and well- meaning people will pick them up hoping to help them. After all the neighborhood cat might get them or maybe after it got dark the raccoon or opossum or stray dog might be the culprit. These are legitimate concerns and I take my hat off to those who care. What do you do with this weak little bird? Actually, the best thing you could do is to leave it there or if concerned about predators move it off to a protected spot such as a limb of a tree or a nearby shrub. Left here, the young bird will soon start calling and the mother, not being too far away, will find it. Of course, if the bird is too young to be put on a limb or the mother bird has been killed, your only alternative is to try to raise it. Let me forewarn you this is a demanding job. Doctors Advice for Feeding Young Dr. William Zitek in Southold has given some good information on feeding disabled birds, but I'm sure he would echo my The performance- packed hydrostatic transmission workhorse that puts all "garden size" tractors to shame. ISLAND FORD & MUNICIPAL MACHINERY Terry Road, Smithtown 979 -6900 HORNED LARK AND YOUNG - -Tree nesters as well as ground nesters like the Horned Lark and young above have a difficult time when rains and floods persist. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh thoughts that whenever possible leave them alone and only if in imminent danger should one take on the task of trying to feed small birds. His suggestions on feeding orphan baby birds are as follows: "A. Formula: 6 ounces homogenized milk; 1 egg yolk; Complete diet canned dog food. Roll dog food into pellets the size of a pea and dip into formula. B. Amount to Feed: 1 day to 1 week old: 1 pellet every 30 min. to 1 hour; 1 week old: 4 to 6 pellets every 1 to 2 hours. As they take more the feeding interval will increase. Notes: 1. Baby birds will "Gape" when you tap their nest box. Drop food into mouth; 2. As eating progresses and to develop self- feeding, sprinkle chick starter, bread crumbs, wild bird seed, fruits, celery on cage floor. Oyster shell or calcium grit should be added; 3. Can give additional liquid as a drop off your finger, a tooth pick or an eye dropper. They must be warm enough in order to digest their food. Temperature range will be from 95 deg. for few day old babies to 70 deg. for those several weeks old." As you can see, there is a lot to it; so unless you are willing to give considerable time and have considerable patience, keep away from trying to be Florence Nightingale of the bird world. One last bit of information. Once reared, the bird, no matter how fond you become of it, must be released. Keeping any protected bird in captivity -- and this is just about all birds -- is strictly against state law. So unless you want to be embarrassed by having a conservation officer knock on your door and perhaps issuing you a summons, never keep any wild bird in captivity. Birds are meant to be free and that's the way it should be. After all, isn't that why we help them in the beginning. So be the good Samaritan, but let your reward be the bird's freedom when it's well enough to take care of itself. PAULSTOUTENBURGH . NoTic B E To udders and Co We can help you maximize the nfrac fors: Why not let us prove or every fob you do. For the finest ue •�aLL For low 9 IitY materials.. Use For on. me del that'll give you the colt maximize Yourprofits t7me and where delivery,,, so you'll mpetitive edge You need them have your materials when Before You bid business with MIQ r next job, 1 good for You et us & S that doing is You andLy MB & S- y CO. CAI f Im business- Lumber Roofing Mason SuPPlies Sakrete Sheetrock Insulation 4""ron9 Ceilings Builder' Hinges s Hardware 7. 2 l ?430 ALL ISLAND ' ° v. ° Plywood Paints Plywood EQUIPMENT THE ORIGINAL TRACTORS Sal" - 5VAViU - RVdAl POWER BOX QWEST BABYLON, N. Y. 11704 "'and Much More, ( 516) 643 -2605 WSZLA:1 MKUBOTA Turf Equipment TRACTORS The performance- packed hydrostatic transmission workhorse that puts all "garden size" tractors to shame. ISLAND FORD & MUNICIPAL MACHINERY Terry Road, Smithtown 979 -6900 HORNED LARK AND YOUNG - -Tree nesters as well as ground nesters like the Horned Lark and young above have a difficult time when rains and floods persist. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh thoughts that whenever possible leave them alone and only if in imminent danger should one take on the task of trying to feed small birds. His suggestions on feeding orphan baby birds are as follows: "A. Formula: 6 ounces homogenized milk; 1 egg yolk; Complete diet canned dog food. Roll dog food into pellets the size of a pea and dip into formula. B. Amount to Feed: 1 day to 1 week old: 1 pellet every 30 min. to 1 hour; 1 week old: 4 to 6 pellets every 1 to 2 hours. As they take more the feeding interval will increase. Notes: 1. Baby birds will "Gape" when you tap their nest box. Drop food into mouth; 2. As eating progresses and to develop self- feeding, sprinkle chick starter, bread crumbs, wild bird seed, fruits, celery on cage floor. Oyster shell or calcium grit should be added; 3. Can give additional liquid as a drop off your finger, a tooth pick or an eye dropper. They must be warm enough in order to digest their food. Temperature range will be from 95 deg. for few day old babies to 70 deg. for those several weeks old." As you can see, there is a lot to it; so unless you are willing to give considerable time and have considerable patience, keep away from trying to be Florence Nightingale of the bird world. One last bit of information. Once reared, the bird, no matter how fond you become of it, must be released. Keeping any protected bird in captivity -- and this is just about all birds -- is strictly against state law. So unless you want to be embarrassed by having a conservation officer knock on your door and perhaps issuing you a summons, never keep any wild bird in captivity. Birds are meant to be free and that's the way it should be. After all, isn't that why we help them in the beginning. So be the good Samaritan, but let your reward be the bird's freedom when it's well enough to take care of itself. PAULSTOUTENBURGH . NoTic B E To udders and Co We can help you maximize the nfrac fors: Why not let us prove or every fob you do. For the finest ue •�aLL For low 9 IitY materials.. Use For on. me del that'll give you the colt maximize Yourprofits t7me and where delivery,,, so you'll mpetitive edge You need them have your materials when Before You bid business with MIQ r next job, 1 good for You et us & S that doing is You andLy MB & S- y CO. CAI f Im business- Lumber Roofing Mason SuPPlies Sakrete Sheetrock Insulation 4""ron9 Ceilings Builder' Hinges s Hardware 7. 2 l ?430 Loc ksets Plywood Paints Plywood Aluminum Produ cts Paneling Siding Prehung Doors Power Tools Doors Flooring SkY Lights Texture -111 Molding Energy Savers Closet Maid Shelving Treated Lumber "'and Much More, urK 77907 IVERIES