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May 09, 1996 - Spring Focus: All Things Feathered10A • The Suffolk Times • May 9, 1996 SP ring Focus: All Things Feathered One of the first chores when returning from a trip is catching up on telephone messages. One message was from a lady who had an unusual bird in her backyard and from the description she gave it sounded so unreal it got my immediate attention. She said it only came oc- casionally and when it did, it didn't stay very long. I sug- gested she call me the next time it appeared and I'd head right over. Sure enough, twice my telephone tape had a message saying, "The bird is here. Come right away." Unfortunately, I was out each time but persistence paid off and on the third call I was home and went right over. More luck was with me. The bird was still there when I arrived as my caller ushered me up onto the patio where her husband was patiently feeding the bird below. I couldn't believe my eyes. There, in all its glory, was the most beautiful pheasant of all, the Lady Amherst, a native of the high Himalayas. Words couldn't do justice to this strange escapee from someone's collection. It had a long, silver -gray, — pheasant -like tail and a barred, silvery -gray head with red crest. Then there were the iridescent, blackish -green body feathers that covered the golden - yellow and red feathers underneath. Surely, it's not a native bird by any stretch of the imagination. It's remarkable how this bird could have survived through the past winter, or did it just escape? the female in her subdued colors drinking from our bird bath. How I hope they'll build their hanging nest in our trees once more. These were good signs, but I wanted to see more of the springtime unfolding and so made arrangements to meet friends over in Moriches, where there's a county park on the west side of the Terrell River. It was good to see old friends again and we were soon out of our cars and onto the well -used path that leads south. We came to an overgrown field where the Moriches Bay Audubon Society has set up a bluebird trail. They've erected a . dozen or more bluebird boxes in hopes of bringing back our once - common state bird. We were pleased to see one box had a pair of bluebirds trying to hold off a pair of ag- gressive tree swallows who had the same idea of occupying the box. Hopefully there will be enough bird boxes for all. It was exciting to see this bluer- than - blue -sky bird trying to make a comeback. Among the young locust trees that were trying to take over this deserted farm field was a king- bird. Now there's a bird no feathered friend wants to tangle with. Its name tells the story: "King" of all he surveys. Dark above and light below, he stakes out his territory at the top of a tree where no one dares to chal- lenge him. Then my friends heard a blue- winged war- bler. Sorry to say its high - pitched song was out of my range. This warbler you'll find along hedgerows and open fields, not in treetops or deep woods. I remember photographing this ground nester in a field by Gil Raynor's home in Manorville. He was one of Long Island's top naturalists and died of a tick bite, so please, take ticks seriously. When you go afield tuck light - colored pants in your socks, spray with appropriate tick spray and when you get home have a complete body check. But let's get back to a more pleasant subject — our blue - winged warbler. The nest, as I said, was on the ground and off to the side were wild strawberries blos- soming. A more perfect nesting site would be hard to find for a photograph. Next we saw a green- backed heron fly by. This bird frequents our pond back home and enjoys the many goldfish that are there. These herons can be a real prob- lem for someone with a small goldfish pool, for they are persistent and extremely good fishermen. Focus on Nature by Paul Stoutenburgh Home to Welcome Spring We had planned our return home from the south to coincide with the coming of spring and this weekend, with its warm weather and blossoming flowers and trees, surely paid off. To take advantage of every moment of this "wondrous time" I have been watching our back woods for signs of returning spring birds. It's still a little early but I was able to spot a few. The best bird, which was high on my list of glorious birds pass- ing through at this time of the year, was the scarlet tan- ager. Scarlet is the color but that adjective doesn't do this jewel of the woods justice. In the sunlight, atop a budding tree, this bird glows like the red taillight of your car. It's so bright and with its contrasting black wings there are few birds who can outshine him. With a bit more searching I found a black- and -white warbler that has a mottled zebra -like coat of black and white. It is usually seen running up and down branches and trees much like our white - breasted nuthatch. Then in my searching I heard the familiar call of the crested flycatcher. It builds its nest in a tree cavity and I have even had it nest in a bird box where instead of a hole I left the top half off the front. Amongst the white blos- soms of the sour cherry I found our Baltimore oriole with its striking orange- and -black coloring. Later I'd see In Warbler Woods We left the county preserve on the Terrell River and headed to the Yaphank Woods or, as we all call it, Warbler Woods. We were still early for warblers but we did see a parula warbler busy hunting insects in the tree tops. The most abundant warblers were the yellow i wsyw * M. vm nwwVm 75 Years Ago May 6, 1921 More to Marry: Governor Miller has signed the Wheelock bill, increasing the marriage license fee from $1 to $2. Advertisement: What a Suit Owes You — It owes you that well- set -up, smartly styled look. It owes you com- plete satisfaction ... Why take a chance of not getting these things when in Kirschbaum clothes you are sure of them — or else of having you money paid back. Prices are 25 to 45 dollars. Lipman Bros., Greenport. Spring Springs Early: According to the diary of some of our people, all nature is about one month ahead. Rosebuds are already visible, which usually appear about June 1. Some lilac bushes are already in full bloom and other flowers are well advanced. 50 Years Ago May 10, 1946 Coast Guard Buildings For Sale: The U.S. Treasury Department, under the surplus property act, has advertised for sale the buildings at the U.S. Coast Guard sta- tion at Rocky Point, East Marion. The buildings listed for sale consist of the frame building with tower, which was formerly used as the station; three other frame buildings; the 75 -foot steel flag tower; and the 560 - gallon tank and hand pumps. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh CRESTED FLYCATCHER —One of our early arrivals from the south is this rather noisy flycatch- er. It builds its nest in crevices of broken -off limbs and trees. If you don't see them, you'll be sure to hear them. rumps (once called Myrtle warblers). Evidently, like other small birds, they like to travel in groups softly calling to each other as they feed amongst the branches. It is nest - building time for we saw a tufted titmouse with a beak full of building material. It will build its hidden nest in a tree cavity and, of course, we saw robins with beaks full of mud getting ready to put the finishing touches on their nests. One other common nester we caught up with was the blue jay. It was carrying sticks to its nest. You'll notice these usually loud fellows quiet down during the nesting season. Often they'll build in a tree or shrub right along- side your house and you'll never know they're there unless you see them silently sneaking into the shrubbery. The highlight of our trip came as we listened to wood frogs calling and watched a pair of wood ducks swim- ming silently toward us. Only a ripple on the water gave them away. This peace and quiet was shattered when five knobbed -tired dirt bikes came roaring along the trail. Our eyes rolled as we looked at each other. Their ground- gripping tracks were soon the only thing left as they disappeared over the hill. It had broken the spell. We soon headed back to our cars. Sealed bids for the buildings will be received until May 15. Park To Be Closed: In Riverhead the family of the late Judge Timothy Griffing has announced that Grangebel Park on Peconic Avenue will be closed to the public for an indefinite period. Failure of the public to realize that the park was private property, damage to buildings and roads and a complete loss of privacy to those who live within the park forced the decision to close the park for the time being. 25 Years Ago May 6, 1971 Meter Foes Missing: The Greenport Village Board of Trustees held a public hearing Monday night and ran into an embarrassing missing - persons mystery: Where are all those Greenport residents who everyone thought are against parking meters? It had been supposed that the measure, introduced by Trustee Richard Manwaring, to get the meters out of all public areas except Main and Front streets, would be gener- ally popular. There have been many complaints about them since the installation in 1953. However, the complainers did not show up at the public hearing on the bill. "I was embarrassed at having suggested taking them out. Nobody spoke against them," Trustee Manwaring said the next day. Instead, 15 or 16 businessmen were there to defend the meters. Scenes... From page 1A According to Ms. Kirsch, the Smith- sonian Institution selected Paint Magic Studios to paint the 50 -by -45 -foot trompe Poeil cover for the Star Span- gled Banner (flag of 1812) "because the flag itself is too frail to display for more than a few minutes a day." Mr. Bartolini also painted three other large murals in the Smithsonian representing highlights from American history. When Mr. Bartolini and Ms. Kirsch talk about their craft, the creative en- ergy in the room is almost tangible. As they work in the Legion Hall, the buzz of jazz music, splashes of color made from jugs of dye and cans of paint, and the freedom of movement that space can inspire provide the perfect backdrop for theatrical magic to begin. The Central Park performance sched- ule is as follows: "Alzira," July 10; "Attila," July 17; "Macbeth," July 31; "I Masnadieri," Aug. 7. Each per- formance is free of charge and begins at 7 p.m. For more information, contact the New York Grand Opera at 212 -245- 8837.