December 12, 1996 - Snowy Sighting Made on South ShoreSA • The Suffolk Times • December 12, 1996
Snowy Siahtimna Made on South Shore
I'm not one for gossip, that is, unless it has to do with
birds; then I'm all ears. The gossip this week was that
there were one or two snowy owls over on Dune Road
in Westhampton. Even a remote chance of seeing these
amazing birds is worth the effort and so, last Monday
Barbara and I picked up my sister, who's always inter-
ested in the world around her, and headed south. South
on Long Island is a short hop and in no time we were
driving west along that notorious summer strip that
parallels both sides of Dune Road.
It's a far cry from when we were kids and you could
drive over there and pull off the
side of the road for a day's swim-
ming in the ocean. All it meant
was a walk across the dunes and On
you were there. Of course, prime
open space couldn't last with Nature
such an attraction as that
sparkling beach and so, today 99 by Paul
percent of the once rolling dune Stoutenburgh
area is paved over with homes
and jazzy beach clubs. For a while the bay side to the
north was left alone (the other side of the tracks, so to
speak) but as ocean frontage filled up, it too, fell to the
"progress" that seems destined to swallow up the choic-
est of our open spaces.
Of course, we all know the problems of building on
these shifting sands along the ocean beaches, for Mother
Nature can flex her muscles of wind, wave and tide and
play havoc with man's modern world. Some places
more than others. Today the Army Corps of Engineers is
rebuilding the washed -out areas and much of it has been
reelevated with sand dredged from off shore. Today it's
a vast, bare sand pile stretching along the ocean front
from Shinnecock Inlet east. It's this vast open area that
we were heading for, for this is where they had reported
the snowy owls were seen.
Houses Being Built
As we drove along this devastated area of sand, foun-
dations for new vacation homes were already being put
up. Some homes were near completion, but most at this
time were just a mass of tall pilings that had been driven
into the sand awaiting a home to be built on top. All
must be eight feet above high water to comply with
Federal Flood Insurance.
We wondered when this endless spending of public
funds would cease but soon our minds were cleared
when we saw something white out in a distance. It was
out on a narrow spit of land that had flowed out into the
bay when the ocean broke through the barrier beach, but
alas, the white only proved to be an old chunk of dis-
carded Styrofoam. The color was right but that was about
all. Our eyes searched and searched as we drove along,
but to no avail. We'd have to try again another day.
■ _raq_ ■ __i_ M__§,
75 Years Ago
And that time came on one of those
nicer days last week when you just had to
get out and do something. From now on
days like that, we knew, would be few and
far between. This time just Barbara and I
would go a- hunting. We turned onto Dune
Road and again headed west where the
owls were reported. Once again the tight
walls of buildings greeted us and cut off
our view of the ocean. Occasionally we
would see the bay on our right. Houses,
some big, some small, lined the roadway
along with huge motels and surf clubs with
their water - related names referring to the
beach and ocean.
Finally we came to the reconstructed
area. A few homes were still there, half
buried in the sand. With our binoculars
out, we searched the vast, empty area of
sand ahead of us. Nothing. On we went.
Now only one or two isolated homes
were left sitting ahead on their spider -like
pilings. More searching. Then Barbara's
eyes saw something white way off; no —
it was the same piece of Styrofoam we had
seen last week, but then, "Look to the left.
What's that ?" Sure enough, there was
what we were looking for! Our winter vis-
itor from the tundra of the far north. The
owl was sort of crunched down as if
asleep, which he probably was. Even
though snowy owls hunt mostly during the
day, evidently this one had had a good
meal and rested half asleep.
North on that open tundra there's a small
animal something like our vole that's called
a lemming. Its life cycle in numbers goes
up and down. When there's an abundance
of lemmings, we see very few of these
beautiful white owls, but when the lem-
mings' numbers are low, the owls leave and
head south for better hunting grounds.
As I'm writing this, the wind is howling out of the
northeast and the rain that started last night has turned to
sleet and snow. Our first snowfall of the year. It only
lasted a short time, yet it reminded me of the kind of
weather this hardy bird lives with all the time. Its white
color is its camouflage in the snowy, wintry north.
Down here where we have little snow, the bird stands
out, making it easy to find.
Having gotten our scope out to bring our prize up
closer, we decided to move on in hopes of seeing anoth-
er one. Once again Barbara's eyes picked out something
white: "Back up." This time our new owl was much
closer and with our glasses we could see its yellow eyes
Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
SNOWY OWL —It looks like this is going to be a good season
for spotting snowy owls, for already two have been reported
over on Dune Road in Westhampton.
Dec. 9, 1921
Greenport News: Nathan Goldin, a well -known
Greenport merchant, has purchased from the First National
Bank the property known as the Lyon Building, at the corner
of Main and Front streets. It is Mr. Goldin's intentions to make
extensive repairs and alterations, but not before a year at least.
Tile room in the Post Office building, formerly occupied
by the Greenport Chamber of Commerce, has been rented by
the Abraham & Strauss Agency and will be used as an office
and showroom.
John Yetter, a former Greenport boy, will open a men's fur-
nishing store in the Brandi building at the corner of Front and
First streets, on Dec. 10. Mr. Yetter will carry a complete line
of men's wear and also sporting goods.
50 Years Ago
Dec. 13, 1946
Deer and Seal Battle in Harbor: On Friday of last
week the crew and about 20 passengers on the ferryboat Islander
of the Shelter Island and Greenport Ferry Company experienced
a thrill which they will long remember. After casting off the
tines, Captains Walter Treadway and Mark Griffing witnessed
one of the most unusual sights that they have ever experienced
during the years that they have operated the ferries.
Shortly after leaving Greenport, Capt. Treadway and his
passengers sighted a big four -point buck deer off the star-
plainly. With cameras hung around my neck I was out of
the pickup in hopes of photographing our new find.
The owl was sitting on an old washed -up piling that
gave it a good view of the surrounding bay and dunes.
When I got within 150 yards of the bird I started taking
pictures. How handsome and regal it looked through my
viewfinder. Often it would stare right at me with those
glowing yellow eyes. Other times its head would swiv-
el about and it would look the other way. It was then I'd
take five giant steps, stop, focus and click my camera. I
did this until I got too close and the owl became un-
comfortable with my presence and flew off. I followed
it using the same approach.
I was in my glory, focusing on one of nature's most
magnificent owls. This time when it
flew, it circled out over the bay where a
board bow. It seemed that the deer was fighting with a huge
400 -pound dog seal. Capt. Treadway blew the whistle on the
boat and the deer responded with a challenging bellow and
started to race the ferry across the bay to Shelter Island. The
buck won the race easily only to find himself trapped in the
ferry slip. In his struggles to escape the buck caught one of
his feet in the piling and was unable to extricate himself.
As the Islander entered the slip Capt. Griffing grabbed a
boat hook and after considerable difficulty succeeded in free-
ing the deer's foot. Immediately upon being released the ani-
mal at once started to swim back toward Greenport. It waded
ashore near the Standard Oil plant at the foot of Fourth Street.
25 Years Ago
Dec. 9, 1971
Brecknock Easement OK'd: Southold Town will
have a second scenic easement for land to be kept green for-
ever — or thereabouts — with the negotiation of an agree-
ment with developer Gus Schad on 19 acres of his 146 acres
of Brecknock Hall property.
The terms of the agreement still have to be worked out
between Supervisor Albert Martocchia and Mr. Schad, but
loosely they provide for a higher density population for the
37 acres of land zoned multiple dwelling in the new ordi-
nances in exchange for the 19.271 acres of land to remain
green. There will be 6.7 units permitted in the area zoned
multiple dwelling.
flock of black ducks were feeding. The
sight of the snowy owl was too much for
them and in unison they took off and
wheeled out of reach. After all, ducks,
gulls and other northern birds have often
been found on the snowy's dinner menu.
Back at the car I was glad to get in from
the now- biting wind. We had seen our
owls and were satisfied with our day.
Driving home I could daydream of those
wonderful owls nesting in their frigid
world. I could just imagine the female
crouched down in her nest during a
spring snowstorm, such as we had today,
howling about her.
What a magnificent niche nature has put
the snowy owl in and how lucky we are
to see it occasionally when it visits us
here in the winter. So remember, if you
see something white off in a distance,
whether it be over on Dune Road or in an
open field, something that might look
like an old Clorox bottle or a piece of
Styrofoam, stop and look again — it
might just be a snowy owl.
Thursday means
The Suffolk Times