May 13, 1982 - Bird Atlas Is Enormous TaskPage 10A The ouff0th Time;
Bird Atlas Is Enormous Task
There are so many unknowns in the
natural world. Even the simple things we
think we know are not based on fact. In the
field of birds alone we know very little
about their distribution and nesting habits.
Sure, we know the robin builds its nest in
our local trees but does he build it
throughout the whole of New York State?
Is the chickadee that feeds outside our
window found only on Long Island?
These and other questions are trying to
be answered through a study started two
years ago by the Federation of New York
State Bird Clubs. It is an enormous
undertaking. In the survey, the state has
been divided into approximately 5,000
areas, each three -miles square, which will
be covered by one or more observers.
During the breeding time it is hoped the
birds that nest in that area will be counted
and catalogued. It's such a huge project it
will take at least five years to complete but
when finished we will have a more
accurate picture of just what birds breed
and where in our state.
Europe is far ahead of us when it comes
to the natural world. Perhaps they have
matured more because, like good wine,
they have had a longer time to age.
England and the Scandinavian countries
have already done surveys in bird popula-
tion throughout their land and the basic
knowledge of bird life is much more widely
distributed and understood than in our
country. Perhaps our trouble is that being
a new country we have been involved too
much in growing.
The breeding bird atlas in New York
State is now well underway. Gilbert
Raynor of Manorville, probably the best
all -round naturalist on the whole of Long
Island, is regional director. Having known
Gil for over 40 years I am involved in
gathering information for his census.
Some of the three -mile blocks contain
very little land because of how they fall
with reference to the water around us.
Others are solid land masses and require
much more time to cover. I decided to
cover one of the small land masses
assigned to me this past Sunday morning.
Barbara would be off to church and so
while most were still asleep I headed out. PAUL STOUTENBURGH
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Parking the car at the head of a road
overlooking the Sound, I got out to start my
survey, binoculars and pad, my only
necessities.
My plan was to work along the Sound
shore in hopes of finding bank swallows or
a kingfisher hole. Both of these birds nest
along our Sound bank; the kingfisher is
solitary, bank swallows in colonies. A
thorough search revealed none in this
particular area though I had seen them in
other parts of the Sound shore. They'll be
picked up in someone else's survey. From
the beach below I could spot bluejays,
house finches, catbirds and other land
birds calling on territory. By this time of
the season many of our birds have
established their nesting area. It's sort of
like staking out a claim in the olden days.
Once registered, it's yours and you defnd it
at all costs.
On the rocks off shore two cormorants
stood silhouetted against the grey water.
They don't nest here and so I didn't mark
them down. Clouds had filled the sky from
the beginning and sort of dampened the
day. Yet those birds, like all birds, could
not let the type of day interfere with their
food gathering. No matter what the
weather, their job of survival lies ahead
each day. They were probably resting
after their morning feeding.
Gulls also patrolled the beaches but
knowing that they too do not nest in the
area were left off my list. Further along a
female black duck swam from behind a
rock, trying to sneak away without my
seeing her. She surely must have a nest
somewhere along the shoreline in the deep
grasses or perhaps up in back along one of
the freshwater ponds that dot the area.
Now it was time to turn inland. My
footsteps became muffled in the tall wet
May 13,1982
DOUBLE - CRESTED CORMORANTS - -These birds, though seen in our
area, do not nest here. This photo was taken on one of their northern
breeding grounds in Nova Scotia. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
grass. A pair of chickadees played hard to
get above me in a tree. Surely this pair
must have a nesting cavity somewhere in
the vicinity. I wondered if they had made
their own cavity or if they found an old
abandoned woodpecker's nest or some
good Samaritan's bird box.
Often they'll pick -- and I do mean pick ,
a nesting site out of an old pithy dead tree.
It has to be soft enough so these little birds
can pick the pieces out rather than chip
them out as a woodpecker does in much
harder wood.
All along the dirt road that parallels the
Sound I found signs of birds nesting or
proclaiming their territories. Once I got a
glimpse of a Carolina wren but only for a
moment. The area was right for it and so
another bird was added to my list. From a
pond a great blue heron flew out. He does
not nest here and there are no records of
great blue herons nesting on Long Island.
He was nice to see but did not add to my
list. Perhaps it was a bird passing through,
for they do nest both north and south of us.
A pair of mallards caught my eye off
to the side. Surely they'd be added. Then a
real treat swam out from a clump of reeds
-- our most colorful duck -- a male wood
duck. Could it be we had a nesting pair
about? They nest in a hollow tree. Of
course, they don't dig out like a chickadee
or woodpecker does but find a suitable
hollow tree in the vicinity of water. Often
the hole is 10 -20 feet up in a tree. Can you
imagine the problem of the tiny young
reaching the ground? They leave the nest
shortly after hatching and merely topple
out. A bounce or two and they are up and
away, mother leading them to the water.
Two hours had passed and I'd seen some
of our spring warblers as they passed
through our area. But were they only
transients? The one I did record is the
redstart. This jittery colorful little black
and orange bird often builds in our woods.
It was a good day and a good start. I'd be
back on one or two more occasions this
year to add to my list and then each year
'till the end of 1984 when the five -year
survey will be completed. The survey will
be a benchmark in bird breeding popula-
tions. New York is the only state so far to
attempt such a job. As I said in the
beginning, it is a tremendous task -- lots of
work -- involving lots of people, but it's also
lots of fun. It's fun to be outdoors and
involved.