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September 28, 1995 - Swallows Give a Farewell Performance6A The Suffolk. Times • September 28, 1995 Swallows Give a Farewell Performance By Paul Stoutenburgh Wasn't that a delicious rain we had last Sunday? After two months of dry weather you could almost hear the trees, bushes and plants .saying, "Ah, doesn't that feel good ?" All we need now is one or two more soak- ings like that last one and we'll be well on our way to becoming normal again. It rained so hard and so fast that FQC the water couldn't sink in to the powdery, dry on earth. The result was a Nat flooding around our house that brought out by pa the shovel and hoe to Stoute11 deter the rising water. As I dug channels to direct the water off, I found dry, powdered earth coming up and floating on the water's surface. No matter, all went well and we didn't get a flooded cellar. As the Sunday rain diminished we had a few hours of cloudy weather. We were over at the cottage on the bay and saw what we thought was clearing to the north that prompted a walk along the bay. Not halfway down the beach Barbara said she felt raindrops. I thought it was just the splash from the waves. But sure enough, a little farther on it started to rain in earnest so we turned around and half ran and half walked back to the cottage. By then the wind had changed from its southwest quarter to the north- west. The cooler air and rain told us there was a change in the weather coming. We were lucky to get back to the cottage when we did before the wind - whipped rain came down. Tree Swallows in Action As we looked to the north we were amazed to see thousands of tree swallows now diving, darting and twirling in circles above the marsh. What had prompted them into this action in the wind and rain? They must have known what was coming, for soon the rain stopped but the wind kept blowing and the swallows kept milling about. I had to go out and become part of this unusual spectacle. By now all traces of rain had vanished, but the low gray clouds were everywhere except in the far west. There the clouds had lifted just above the horizon, making an opening that the red sun was trying to ooze through. The mixture of clouds and pressing sun gave the effect of red -or- ange coals in a great fur- nace. It was as if some- one had cracked the lid of a blackened stove to is ure ul burgh reveal a giant inferno. Here I was alone on the marsh with this spectacu- lar sunset and the wind blow- ing half a gale in my face, making the water literally run from my eyes. There I watched the churning swallows dip to within inches of the now - flooded marsh in what seemed to be a feeding frenzy. They worked their way into the driving wind, some fluttering almost to a standstill and then moving on. Some- thing must have been hatching out of the flood- ed marsh to bring them here for this reeding orgy. They beat their way upwind and when they reached the limit of the food supply, they'd wheel up and swing back to the rear to start their dipping and feeding again. It was a continuous circle of feeding birds. What a sight! And all the time the glow from the fiery sunset before me grew darker and darker. Soon I was having trouble seeing the birds. Where there were masses of birds milling I now could only make out a blurred haze of movement. Occasionally when some would swing up into the glow of the sunset, I'd be able to identify them but otherwise there was only this continu- al movement that I was conscious of in front of me. Then darkness took over and the birds were gone. The show had lasted for about half an hour. Could it be the swallows were feeding to get the energy they would need for a i'hotc by haul Siout�r ourgh TREE SWALLOWS —Our East End is a collecting point for migrating swallows. We often see them by the thousands milling about or just resting. Then when weather conditions are right, they are up and off on another leg of their migrating journey. bet's book Back 75 Years Ago Sept. 24, 1920 Suffolk County Population: Suffolk County has a total population of 110,241, according to an announce- ment by the Census Bureau. This is an increase of 14,104 over the census of 1910. The population in 1910 was 96,138. In 1900 it was 77,582. Riverhead's Town's 1920 population is 5,753 as compared with 5,345 in 1910. Shel- ter Island Town, including Dering Harbor village, has a population of 890, as compared with 1,064 in 1910. Southold Town, including Greenport Village, has a 1920 population of 10,147, as compared with 10,577 in 1920. The population of Greenport village is 3,122; in 1910 the population was 3,089. Town Board Meeting: The Southold Town Board met at the office of Supervisor Tuthill, Greenport, Saturday, Sept. 18, 1920. It was voted to transfer $1,800 from the bridge fund to the fund for building the new bridge over Tuthill's Creek on New Suffolk Avenue. 50 Years_ Ago Sept. 28, 1945 War - Saving Time Ends: During the long years of war when the country as a nation was geared to full wartime production, standard time was forgotten and war- mass migration? This is the time for them to head south. I'd seen tree swal- lows by the thousands move in unison before but I'd never seen such fanatical water's -edge feeding. The strong north- west wind would be ideal for them to hitchhike south on. I'll never know but there's one thing for sure, I'll never for- get the sight of that mass of birds feeding on the windy marsh with the fire -red sun- set as a backdrop. Twenty -four hours later. What a contrast today brings. A light breeze now blows from the northwest and the sun shines warm and bright and not a swallow in sight. It was time to enjoy the fall weather so we went down to the little catamaran that waited on the beach and pushed it off for a late - afternoon adventure. Sails were up and off we went through the high -tide saving time, with the clocks advanced one hour, was kept in operation. Now that peace has been declared and the war is over, standard time will be resumed. This means that at midnight on Saturday, Oct. 29, the clocks of the nation will be turned back one hour. Formerly this was a customary procedure in the fall, when daylight saving time ended. During the wartime years we have, however, been so accustomed to not making this change of time, that there is danger it will be forgotten. When you retire Saturday night do not forget to turn your clocks and watches back an hour so you will be sure to get to church on time. 25 Years Ago Sept. 25, 1970 New Bridge Due Soon: William Matsunaye Jr., chief engineer for the Suffolk County Dept. of Public Works, said this week that his office hoped to start con- struction of the new Grand Avenue Bridge in Mattituck "... before the cold weather sets in .. " The new structure, esti- mated to cost $360,000, will be built approximately 200 feet south and west of the present one. The old bridge, con- demned in the 1930s, presently cannot handle more than four tons, but it will be kept open to traffic pending comple- tion of the new one. waters of our bay. There was just enough wind to make sailing a truly peaceful event. We usually like more wind for the excitement but today we were just in the mood for loafing along. We set the sails and laid back to enjoy the splendor of a real fall day on the water. One of the great beauties of sailing is that there is no noise except the lapping of the water on the hull as you move along in that special, magical way. Across the bay we went. Every once in a while there'd be a gust of wind that would drive us ahead and we'd have to become a bit more aware of our sailing habits. But most of our sail was a lazy one. We decided to head up the creek that was my stomping grounds when I was young. How lush the salt marsh kept dur- ing the dry spell we just encountered. Now it was capped with a trace of fall color. A sort of honey brown was starting to show. We moved along like a ghost. There was no sound. No movement aboard. Just the steady motion through the still water. A great blue heron stopped feeding to stretch his neck and watch us. A sharp- tailed sparrow, that lives in the marsh, flew up in surprise as we skirted closely to the tall, green thatch grass now heavy with creamy seed heads. We hard- ly spoke, afraid to break the splendor of the moment. A cormorant popped up nearby, sur- prised to see us. In his long, pointed bill was a small, lively fish. The bird wrestled with it until finally, with his bill pointing skyward, he worked the fish into his mouth and down his long, rippling throat. At the head of the creek the wind had almost died away and we lay for a moment, frozen in the glassy waters about us. It was time to head home. Long shad- ows hid the woods nearby in darkness. Out on the bay we were once again picked up by the soft breeze that brought us back to our cottage on the beach. We had captured another of fall's great moments. If the world could have shared our sail, I'm sure there would be no problem too great to solve, for only peace and quiet had sailed with us.