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June 01, 1995 - Idyllic Indian Island Park, Then and Now10A • The Suffolk Times • June 1, 1995 Idyllic Indian Island Park, Then and Now By Paul Stoutenburgh We'd been thinking about going to Indian Island County Park for some time and now that the warmer weather had arrived we said, "Let's go." It's only a short distance away. The only other time we visited this park was years ago when we took advantage of a snowfall and went cross- country skiing with friends along its closed to traffic roads and trails. Since the camper only need - Focus on ed food to be ready we would be off Nature within the hour. It wasn't long before we were paying our entrance fee at the camp office. Over 40 years ago I visited the area when it was part of one of Long Island's famous duck farms. Then it housed la- borers in makeshift houses and, of course, rows and rows of low buildings that housed the white Pekin ducks that Long Island is known for throughout the coun- try. I was there to photograph one of the last remaining night heron colonies that had taken up residence in the trees along the creek edge. In those early days the area around what is now called Indian Island County Park was surrounded by great salt marsh- es. They were the natural feeding grounds for the night herons and other wildlife. Today most of the marshes have been filled with dredge spoil and taken over by the tall and unproductive phragmites (plume grass). It was the era before we knew the value of our salt marshes and thought dredging and filling were part of progress. Is it any wonder we have so few fish in the bay and are cursed by pollution? We destroyed the great filtering action of the marshes and crippled their ability to create the nutrient base that supports the fish and shellfish that once teemed in our waters. In its place we have phragmites taking over most of the area right down to the water's edge. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh YELLOW- CROWNED NIGHT HERON —This rare visitor to our East End is occasionally seen in our marshes and creeks. Don't mistake it for our more common black- crowned night heron. Many Night Herons Then My purpose then was to photograph the thriving, nesting night herons that numbered in the hundreds in that area. To do this I'd have to use a network of lad- ders upon which I'd build a blind or hide in which to photograph. In those days human energy was overflow- ing and soon I'd have the ladders rigged and be ready to photograph high up in the trees. All about me were the white - washed stick nests of the night herons. It was an exciting time as I peeped through the opening of my blind to see those handsome, large wading birds. Some were incubating their large, bluish -green eggs, others were off feeding only to return and regurgitate their catch of small fish into the ravenous, jabbing mouths of their scrawny- looking young. It was interesting to see how the hungry young were thrusting their long bills into the mouths of their parents to retrieve the regurgitated meal. None of the young were trained in household cleanli- ness and excreted their fluid drop- pings all over their nest and the sur- rounding trees and ground. Needless to say, this along with some misplaced, decayed, regurgi- tated food gave the area its own potent, pungent smell. None of this bothered me as I clicked away at the fascinating and ever - changing nesting world before me. Then I spotted something unusual. A yellow- crowned night heron, a rather rare bird to our parts, was nesting a bit to my right and so, with a little maneuvering of my equip- ment atop the ladders and a new hole cut in the blind for my camera lens, I was all set to photograph my new find. This yellow- crowned night heron was even more col- orful than the common black - crowned night heron, and my new Kodachrome (speed 10) film was being used up fast. It's hard for most to think how engrossed and excited one can get taking pictures bf birds, but to me it is an exciting adventure. Here I was, amongst the birds, hidden in my blind — it was like looking through a keyhole into someone's inner room to see what they were doing without them knowing it. I spent two on- and -off days, perched atop my ladder photographing the herons. Hummingbird Nest Found As a bonus I discovered a humming- bird's nest nearby and photographed that little gem as well. I found it by having this tiny bit of fluff darting around and around me as I walked to my blind. I knew her agitation had to mean some- thing special so with a little patience and luck I found her tiny, lichen - covered nest only seven feet off the ground. It was placed on a limb of a tree so that it looked like a knot that belonged there. It had two pea -sized white eggs in it. Today as I write on one of the manu- factured metal tables in the campground here at Indian Island Park I see the un- derstory cleared away so that the area can accommodate the many who yearn for a touch of the outdoors. Sure, I'm saddened to see the night heron colony gone and the great marshes filled, but I'm also glad to see that some- one long ago had the foresight to hold this special place for the people of the county so that they could get a feel- ing for this unique area of creek, bay and woods that make up Indian Island Park. Barbara and I walked around the many roads and hik- ing trails that wander through this oak and pitch pine land. We were early visitors and the quiet of spring had painted its new mantle of green all about us. We saw in the woods a few catbirds, towhees, flickers, tit- mice, doves, a pair of king birds, a -red- bellied woodpecker and a sin- gle Baltimore oriole. Of course, there was an overabundance of what I call bandits of the woods: crows, grackles and the ever -pre- sent and aggressive starlings. Along the water's edge we saw our common gulls and the rare, endangered least terns feeding in the shal- lows, a spotted sandpiper being chased by a red - winged blackbird, snowy and great egrets feeding in a small bit of marsh, and a green heron flying to its nest. That evening on a sandy beach we once again watched the horseshoe crabs coming ashore on the high tide to lay their eggs. Out in the bay there were two boats fishing, along with a man `Today most of the marshes have been filled with dredge spoil and taken over by unproduc- tive phragmites.' 2 . Vaa * w..L nwwL 75 Years Ago May 28, 1920 On Assessors' Pay: The Southold Town Board met at the office of Supervisor Tuthill on May 25. A law having gone into effect that hereafter the Town Assessors are to be paid an annual salary, instead of per diem pay, a petition was presented by the assessors asking that their salary be fixed at $500 per year including all expenses. The Town Board voted to comply with the request. 50 Years Ago June 1, 1945 Fishers Island to Secede ?: A delegation of some 30 residents of Fishers Island last week paid a visit to the Hartford, Conn., State Legislature to try and arrange a secession/annexation from New York and Suffolk County to become a part of the Nutmeg State. The secessionists were accompanied by a group of conservative islanders who were satisfied to continue as an offshore adjunct of the Town of Southold. The move to secede was launched last winter by two Hartford men who claimed the island did business almost entirely in New England and would save money by paying their tax bills to Hartford instead of Albany. A petition was drafted and signed by about 75 Fishers Islanders, asking to be officially made into New Englan- ders. Strong protest followed from others among the island's population of 600. The Connecticut legislature's committee reserved action. 25 Years Ago May 29, 1970 All Aboard!: For the first time in 30 years, the Long Island Rail Road will initiate a parlor car service from Greenport to New York, serving continental breakfasts and morning city newspapers to passengers, currently expected to number about 100. The "North Fork - Shelter Island Express" will run every Monday morning. In an Oyster Shell: (By the editor) We had the pleasure of dining with famous photographer Alfred Eisen - staedt, who had come to Greenport straight from Washing- ton, D.C., where he had been photographing President Nixon and Vice President Agnew. Mr. Eisenstaedt was ecstatic in his praise of the beauty of this area. He photographed much of S.T. Preston's store and art gallery, waterfront views and individual homes here. On Friday, driving through Orient, he wanted to get out of the car at almost every house to photograph it. We left him there, in Village Lane, with two large bags of cameras, and for all we know he is photographing still. pulling his eel pots. Evidently there is still hope the bay holds something for them to catch. We only stayed overnight but it was good to see the area is being used by so many. Life is a trade -off, I'm afraid, and I believe even though the night heron colony and the marshes around Indian Island are mostly gone the area was put to good use, a credit to our park system and the foresight of those who had the courage to stand up for what they believed in. Join 4 -H Suffolk County 4 -H programs are open to kids ages five to 19. Kids can learn about food and nutrition; ani- mal science; human development and family studies; gardening; lead- ership development and more through hands -on projects. To find out more about joining a club or organizing one, call Cornell Coop- erative Extension at 727 -7850.