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April 13, 2000 - Birds on the bayF _. j 6q • TPA -Pu f f0,30yes, • �gril . , aQO� Birds on the bay Waterfowl make their presence We've had some nice days lately and last Saturday was an even better one, for the wind had dropped off; at least that's what it felt like here at the house. We did our morning chores and then decided to take the boat for its first outing. We Focus put it in a week ON or so ago and it was waiting NATURE down at the dock by Paul for us. Of course, $t0utenburgh we had to get the battery and gas, life jackets and paddles, and with all that loaded into the pickup, we headed down to the dock a short distance away. When we got there the tide was low and the water was crystal- clear. Evidently the cold winter weather had restricted the algae bloom that usually tints our waters, leaving it as clear as tap water. We could look down and see the little mud snails that covered the bottom. They were doing their vacuum cleaning, eating the detritus on the bot- tom. They do their part in helping to clean our creeks and bays. When we got everything squared away, we started the motor and slowly went out the creek entrance. We stirred up a small flock of bufflehead ducks that were feeding in the creek. Most have already headed north but these last few had stayed around in the creek, gleaning the bottom for shell- fish, killies, snails, etc. These attractive little "butterballs" have special nesting habits in that they nest in the cavities of trees much like our colorful wood ducks. After a rapid running takeoff, and with speedy little wings beating as fast as they could, the buffleheads were soon out of sight and we were left in the creek with nothing but a few seagulls resting on the banks. As we made our way out, I looked over at the old osprey platform that I must have originally put up at least 20 ■ ... rr I ... ■ — V% years ago. It was one of the first plat- forms I ever put up. Eventually there'd be 30 or more strung along our shores from Jamesport to Greenport. Since then this one has gone down but other "keepers of the watch" have taken up the task of maintaining it. TWo ospreys sat on it, I'm sure the same ones that were there last year for it's known they mate for life. Hopefully they'll bring off young this year. As we got out to the mouth of the creek, up went the zippers on our coats and the gloves came out. Where had that warmth that was wrapped around us back at home gone? No matter, we were dressed warmly and we headed out into a little chop that threw spray up and gave us an inkling of how cold the water still was. We went across the bay and scared up a few mer- gansers. These were the red - breasted mergan- sers that are in prime plumage right now. The male is a handsome bird, the female drab and smaller. By now we'd passed the area where I had hoped to see a piping plover but, sorry to say, we saw none. It's still too early for them. The middle of April is more like their time of arrival, but occasionally we get the early bird, particularly if the weather has been good. We passed the beaches that were free of people, and to think in just a few months they'll be spotted known at season's start with people of every size and every age and dress. There were no boats. in the bay ex- cept one sailboat braving the cool southwest wind that was by now chill- ing us. We leisurely moved along the shore for quite some time until we came to two people sitting on a jetty. As we approached, we could see they had a shiny red canoe pulled up on the beach. They were having lunch. It was good to see them enjoying the splen- like big bobbers on some giant's fish- ing line. Later in the season this cove beach will be home to a colony of leas? terns. This section of beach is off limits and is patrolled by the Nature Conservancy. Further along we jumped a few ducks, black ducks that were resting up in the marsh. They are easily rec- ognized in flight by their black bodies and whitish underparts of their wings. Soon they will be nesting, some locally, some far to the north. We don't have many ducks that do nest here. There are the mal- lards, of course, but they are almost domesti- cated by now. Those and the black ducks are about the only two ducks we find nesting locally. Then there are the geese. We saw the geese paired up in one of the little creeks we were in. They'll find an inconspicu- ous spot above the Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh high tide mark to It seems every creek has its own nesting swan. They are very territorial and build their down - drive out any competition to their area. Yet with all their faults there's a cer- lined nest. The tain majestic wonder about our mute swan. female does most of the incubating as the male stands guard not too far away. On Gardiners Island I've often come across a nest. Long before you see the nest, the female will flatten out, neck pressed down so she, being a big bird, becomes almost invisible. Her eggs, like those of all waterfowl, hatch all at one time. The young stay in their down -lined nest but a short time. Within a day the parents have them off and feeding in the nearby marsh or waterway. By the time we were back in "our" creek, the sun had lost itself in a cloud and the marsh had taken on a much more somber look. It was a marsh that was about to come alive again. During its winter sleep, its once -green splendor had turned brown and collapsed in decay. This decay, like a giant compost pile, will break down the now -dead marsh and release its nutrients with each changing tide. The planktonic world of plant and animal life will flourish in this soup of life. Here we see the beginning of the food chain. We again passed the osprey platform out on the marsh but now there was only one osprey standing guard. The other was probably out fishing. Flounders have moved into the creek and eels are out of the mud. As the seasons move along, alewives, bunkers, weakfish and others will make up the menu of this fish hawk. Whatever it feeds on, it deserves every catch. To plunge down into the now -cold waters and then only be successful a quarter of the time tells me Mr. and Mrs. Osprey do not have an easy life. Our first outing of the season once again reminded us that "our world" was just starting to awaken from win- ter's sleep. Soon the green shoots of the marsh will appear and once again the world will be bathed in green below and blue above. ir..iG 11 D 1VrVV1% )D14 41% 75 years ago April 3, 1975 Meeting of Town Board: The Southold Town Board met at the office of Supervisor Tuthill in Greenport on Saturday, March 28. Howard Neagle, representative of the Milliken Electric Street Signal, or "Talking Lamp," appeared before the board. It was voted to purchase two of these lamps at a cost of $268 each. One is to be placed at the crossroads at the Presbyterian church, Mattituck, and the other at the head of Main Street, Greenport, where it joins with the North Road. As the Town Clerk's office has been sold and it is to be moved away, the board voted to lease the two west front rooms of the Albertson House, Southold (the old grade - school room), for a term of two years, at $240 per year, from May 1, 1925. That log cabin: East Marion news —Many have gone from East Marion to view the log cabin at Pine Neck, Southold, and pronounce it well worth seeing. "It's wonder- ful, nothing like it on the East End of Long Island," they say. Southold news —The log house of Mr. Williams at Pine Neck is gradually approaching completion, though it will hardly be finished before summer. It is one of the places toward which all autos gravitate on Sunday for sightseeing, and truly 'tis a sight to see, though no two people tell the same story about it. 50 yearn ago April 7, 1950 Water authority act signed: Suffolk County's new Water Authority Act, which was unanimously passed in the dor of the day with their canoe. We scanned every inch of beach, in the inlets, around coves and then back down again without seeing a piping plover. Perhaps next time. Now our return trip was much more pleasant for the wind was at our back. On this trip we went into "the cove" where during the summer there will be 25 or more mostly sailboats moored. Now only white buoys could be seen that looked Assembly and Senate on Feb. 20 and 21, has been signed by Governor Thomas Dewey. The new act thus becomes the law under which the Suffolk County Water Authority will operate in its immediate and long -range programs for the conservation and orderly development of Suffolk's water resources. Classified: Southold —Large farmhouse on 300 -foot road frontage, together with garage and guest cottage. Price, $5,750. Bungalow directly on Long Island Sound, all conve- niences, furnished. $2,850. 25 years ago April 10, 1975 Funds for youth center ?: It is just possible that a long - talked-of youth center may come to pass if Southold Town receives federal funds through the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Several groups have stepped forward to suggest that this would be the best use of �outhold's share of the $1,100,000 that will go to Suffolk County and individual townships and villages if their com- bined application is approved. Helen Posposil of the Southold Senior Citizens Club reported to the Town Board that she had appeared at the public hearing on use of Community Development funds to ask that Southold's share go toward a combined youth and senior citizen center ... "What we need is one flexible community area where there are healthy activities available for all," she said. "The kids in this town have absolutely no place to go most of the year. Some place like a `Y' would be a godsend." •: RA i604k _Times. --April }3, 12000 Birds on the bay Waterfowl make their presence known We've had some nice days lately and last Saturday was an even better one, for the wind had dropped off, at least that's what it felt like here at the house. We did our morning chores and then decided to take the boat for its first outing. We Focus put it in a week ON or so ago and it was waiting NATURE down at the dock by Paul for us. Of course, Stoutenburgh we had to get the battery and gas, life jackets and paddles, and with all that loaded into the pickup, we headed down to the dock a short distance away. When we got there the tide was low and the water was crystal- clear. Evidently the cold winter weather had restricted the algae bloom that usually tints our waters, leaving it as clear as tap water. We could look down and see the little mud snails that covered the bottom. They were doing their vacuum cleaning, eating the detritus on the bot- tom. They do their part in helping to clean our creeks and bays. When we got everything squared away, we started the motor and slowly went out the creek entrance. We stirred up a small flock of bufflehead ducks that were feeding in the creek. Most have already headed north but these last few had stayed around in the creek, gleaning the bottom for shell- fish, killies, snails, etc. These attractive little "butterballs" have special nesting habits in that they nest in the cavities of trees much like our colorful wood ducks. After a rapid running takeoff, and with speedy little wings beating as fast as they could, the buffleheads were soon out of sight and we were left in the creek with nothing but a few seagulls resting on the banks. As we made our way out, I looked over at the old osprey platform that I must have originally put up at least 20 at season's start It seems every creek has its own nesting swan They are very territorital and drive out any competition to their area. Yet with all their faults there's a cer- tain majestic wonder about our mute swan. years ago. It was one of the first plat- forms I ever put up. Eventually there'd be 30 or more strung along our shores from Jamesport to Greenport. Since then this one has gone down but other "keepers of the watch" have taken up the task of maintaining it. Two ospreys sat on it, I'm sure the same ones that were there last year for it's known they mate for life. Hopefully they'll bring off young this year. As we got out to the mouth of the creek, up went the zippers on our coats and the gloves came out. Where had that warmth that was wrapped around us back at home gone? No matter, we were dressed warmly and we headed out into a little chop that threw spray up and gave us an inkling of how cold the water still was. We went across the bay and scared up a few mer- gansers. These were the red - breasted mergan- sers that are in prime plumage right now. The male is a handsome bird, the female drab and smaller. By now we'd passed the area where I had hoped to see a piping plover but, sorry to say, we saw none. It's still too early for them. The middle of April is more like their time of arrival, but occasionally we get the early bird, particularly if the weather has been good. We passed the beaches that were free of people, and to think in just a few months they'll be spottec with people of every size and every age and dress. There were no boats, in the bay ex- cept one sailboat braving the cool southwest wind that was by now chill- ing us. We leisurely moved along the shore for quite some time until we came to two people sitting on a jetty. As we approached, we could see they had a shiny red canoe pulled up on the beach. They were having lunch. It was _good to see them enjoying the splen- or of the day with their canoe. We scanned every inch of beach, in he inlets, around coves and then back down again without seeing a piping plover. Perhaps next time. Now our return trip was much more pleasant for the wind was at our back. On this trip we went into "the cove" where during the summer there will be 25 or more mostly sailboats moored. Now only white buoys could be seen that looked like big bobbers on some giant's fish- ing line. Later in the season this cove beach will be home to a colony of least terns. This section of beach is off limits and is patrolled by the Nature Conservancy. Further along we jumped a few ducks, black ducks that were resting up in the marsh. They are easily rec- ognized in flight by their black bodies and whitish underparts of their wings. Soon they will be nesting, some locally, some far to the north. We don't have many ducks that do nest here. There are the mal- lards, of course, but they are almost domesti- cated by now. Those and the black ducks are about the only two ducks we find i nen tnere are the geese. We saw the geese paired up in one of the little creeks we were in. They'll find an inconspicu- ous spot above the high tide mark to build their down - lined nest. The female does most of the incubating as the male stands guard not too far away. On Gardiners Island I've often come across a nest. Long before you see the nest, the female will flatten out, neck pressed down so she, being a big bird, becomes almost invisible. Her eggs, like those of all waterfowl, hatch all at one time. The young stay in their down -lined nest but a short time. Within a day the parents have them off and feeding in the nearby marsh or waterway. By the time we were back in "our" creek, the sun had lost itself in a cloud and the marsh had taken on a much more somber look. It was a marsh that was about to come alive again. During its winter sleep, its once -green splendor had turned brown and collapsed in decay. This decay, like a giant compost pile, will break down the now -dead marsh and release its nutrients with each changing tide. The planktonic world of plant and animal life will flourish in this soup of life. Here we see the beginning of the food chain. We again passed the osprey platforrr out on the marsh but now there was only one osprey standing guard. The other was probably out fishing. Flounders have moved into the creek and eels are out of the mud. As the seasons move along, alewives, bunkers, weakfish and others will make up the menu of this fish hawk. Whatever it feeds on, it deserves every catch. To plunge down into the now -cold waters and then only be successful a quarter of the time tells me Mr. and Mrs. Osprey do not have an easy life. Our first outing of the season once again reminded us that "our world" was just starting to awaken from win- ter's sleep. Soon the green shoots of the marsh will appear and once again the world will be bathed in green below and blue above. •: RA i604k _Times. --April }3, 12000 Birds on the bay Waterfowl make their presence known We've had some nice days lately and last Saturday was an even better one, for the wind had dropped off, at least that's what it felt like here at the house. We did our morning chores and then decided to take the boat for its first outing. We Focus put it in a week ON or so ago and it was waiting NATURE down at the dock by Paul for us. Of course, Stoutenburgh we had to get the battery and gas, life jackets and paddles, and with all that loaded into the pickup, we headed down to the dock a short distance away. When we got there the tide was low and the water was crystal- clear. Evidently the cold winter weather had restricted the algae bloom that usually tints our waters, leaving it as clear as tap water. We could look down and see the little mud snails that covered the bottom. They were doing their vacuum cleaning, eating the detritus on the bot- tom. They do their part in helping to clean our creeks and bays. When we got everything squared away, we started the motor and slowly went out the creek entrance. We stirred up a small flock of bufflehead ducks that were feeding in the creek. Most have already headed north but these last few had stayed around in the creek, gleaning the bottom for shell- fish, killies, snails, etc. These attractive little "butterballs" have special nesting habits in that they nest in the cavities of trees much like our colorful wood ducks. After a rapid running takeoff, and with speedy little wings beating as fast as they could, the buffleheads were soon out of sight and we were left in the creek with nothing but a few seagulls resting on the banks. As we made our way out, I looked over at the old osprey platform that I must have originally put up at least 20 at season's start It seems every creek has its own nesting swan They are very territorital and drive out any competition to their area. Yet with all their faults there's a cer- tain majestic wonder about our mute swan. years ago. It was one of the first plat- forms I ever put up. Eventually there'd be 30 or more strung along our shores from Jamesport to Greenport. Since then this one has gone down but other "keepers of the watch" have taken up the task of maintaining it. Two ospreys sat on it, I'm sure the same ones that were there last year for it's known they mate for life. Hopefully they'll bring off young this year. As we got out to the mouth of the creek, up went the zippers on our coats and the gloves came out. Where had that warmth that was wrapped around us back at home gone? No matter, we were dressed warmly and we headed out into a little chop that threw spray up and gave us an inkling of how cold the water still was. We went across the bay and scared up a few mer- gansers. These were the red - breasted mergan- sers that are in prime plumage right now. The male is a handsome bird, the female drab and smaller. By now we'd passed the area where I had hoped to see a piping plover but, sorry to say, we saw none. It's still too early for them. The middle of April is more like their time of arrival, but occasionally we get the early bird, particularly if the weather has been good. We passed the beaches that were free of people, and to think in just a few months they'll be spottec with people of every size and every age and dress. There were no boats, in the bay ex- cept one sailboat braving the cool southwest wind that was by now chill- ing us. We leisurely moved along the shore for quite some time until we came to two people sitting on a jetty. As we approached, we could see they had a shiny red canoe pulled up on the beach. They were having lunch. It was _good to see them enjoying the splen- or of the day with their canoe. We scanned every inch of beach, in he inlets, around coves and then back down again without seeing a piping plover. Perhaps next time. Now our return trip was much more pleasant for the wind was at our back. On this trip we went into "the cove" where during the summer there will be 25 or more mostly sailboats moored. Now only white buoys could be seen that looked like big bobbers on some giant's fish- ing line. Later in the season this cove beach will be home to a colony of least terns. This section of beach is off limits and is patrolled by the Nature Conservancy. Further along we jumped a few ducks, black ducks that were resting up in the marsh. They are easily rec- ognized in flight by their black bodies and whitish underparts of their wings. Soon they will be nesting, some locally, some far to the north. We don't have many ducks that do nest here. There are the mal- lards, of course, but they are almost domesti- cated by now. Those and the black ducks are about the only two ducks we find i nen tnere are the geese. We saw the geese paired up in one of the little creeks we were in. They'll find an inconspicu- ous spot above the high tide mark to build their down - lined nest. The female does most of the incubating as the male stands guard not too far away. On Gardiners Island I've often come across a nest. Long before you see the nest, the female will flatten out, neck pressed down so she, being a big bird, becomes almost invisible. Her eggs, like those of all waterfowl, hatch all at one time. The young stay in their down -lined nest but a short time. Within a day the parents have them off and feeding in the nearby marsh or waterway. By the time we were back in "our" creek, the sun had lost itself in a cloud and the marsh had taken on a much more somber look. It was a marsh that was about to come alive again. During its winter sleep, its once -green splendor had turned brown and collapsed in decay. This decay, like a giant compost pile, will break down the now -dead marsh and release its nutrients with each changing tide. The planktonic world of plant and animal life will flourish in this soup of life. Here we see the beginning of the food chain. We again passed the osprey platforrr out on the marsh but now there was only one osprey standing guard. The other was probably out fishing. Flounders have moved into the creek and eels are out of the mud. As the seasons move along, alewives, bunkers, weakfish and others will make up the menu of this fish hawk. Whatever it feeds on, it deserves every catch. To plunge down into the now -cold waters and then only be successful a quarter of the time tells me Mr. and Mrs. Osprey do not have an easy life. Our first outing of the season once again reminded us that "our world" was just starting to awaken from win- ter's sleep. Soon the green shoots of the marsh will appear and once again the world will be bathed in green below and blue above. •: RA i604k _Times. --April }3, 12000 Birds on the bay Waterfowl make their presence known We've had some nice days lately and last Saturday was an even better one, for the wind had dropped off, at least that's what it felt like here at the house. We did our morning chores and then decided to take the boat for its first outing. We Focus put it in a week ON or so ago and it was waiting NATURE down at the dock by Paul for us. Of course, Stoutenburgh we had to get the battery and gas, life jackets and paddles, and with all that loaded into the pickup, we headed down to the dock a short distance away. When we got there the tide was low and the water was crystal- clear. Evidently the cold winter weather had restricted the algae bloom that usually tints our waters, leaving it as clear as tap water. We could look down and see the little mud snails that covered the bottom. They were doing their vacuum cleaning, eating the detritus on the bot- tom. They do their part in helping to clean our creeks and bays. When we got everything squared away, we started the motor and slowly went out the creek entrance. We stirred up a small flock of bufflehead ducks that were feeding in the creek. Most have already headed north but these last few had stayed around in the creek, gleaning the bottom for shell- fish, killies, snails, etc. These attractive little "butterballs" have special nesting habits in that they nest in the cavities of trees much like our colorful wood ducks. After a rapid running takeoff, and with speedy little wings beating as fast as they could, the buffleheads were soon out of sight and we were left in the creek with nothing but a few seagulls resting on the banks. As we made our way out, I looked over at the old osprey platform that I must have originally put up at least 20 at season's start It seems every creek has its own nesting swan They are very territorital and drive out any competition to their area. Yet with all their faults there's a cer- tain majestic wonder about our mute swan. years ago. It was one of the first plat- forms I ever put up. Eventually there'd be 30 or more strung along our shores from Jamesport to Greenport. Since then this one has gone down but other "keepers of the watch" have taken up the task of maintaining it. Two ospreys sat on it, I'm sure the same ones that were there last year for it's known they mate for life. Hopefully they'll bring off young this year. As we got out to the mouth of the creek, up went the zippers on our coats and the gloves came out. Where had that warmth that was wrapped around us back at home gone? No matter, we were dressed warmly and we headed out into a little chop that threw spray up and gave us an inkling of how cold the water still was. We went across the bay and scared up a few mer- gansers. These were the red - breasted mergan- sers that are in prime plumage right now. The male is a handsome bird, the female drab and smaller. By now we'd passed the area where I had hoped to see a piping plover but, sorry to say, we saw none. It's still too early for them. The middle of April is more like their time of arrival, but occasionally we get the early bird, particularly if the weather has been good. We passed the beaches that were free of people, and to think in just a few months they'll be spottec with people of every size and every age and dress. There were no boats, in the bay ex- cept one sailboat braving the cool southwest wind that was by now chill- ing us. We leisurely moved along the shore for quite some time until we came to two people sitting on a jetty. As we approached, we could see they had a shiny red canoe pulled up on the beach. They were having lunch. It was _good to see them enjoying the splen- or of the day with their canoe. We scanned every inch of beach, in he inlets, around coves and then back down again without seeing a piping plover. Perhaps next time. Now our return trip was much more pleasant for the wind was at our back. On this trip we went into "the cove" where during the summer there will be 25 or more mostly sailboats moored. Now only white buoys could be seen that looked like big bobbers on some giant's fish- ing line. Later in the season this cove beach will be home to a colony of least terns. This section of beach is off limits and is patrolled by the Nature Conservancy. Further along we jumped a few ducks, black ducks that were resting up in the marsh. They are easily rec- ognized in flight by their black bodies and whitish underparts of their wings. Soon they will be nesting, some locally, some far to the north. We don't have many ducks that do nest here. There are the mal- lards, of course, but they are almost domesti- cated by now. Those and the black ducks are about the only two ducks we find i nen tnere are the geese. We saw the geese paired up in one of the little creeks we were in. They'll find an inconspicu- ous spot above the high tide mark to build their down - lined nest. The female does most of the incubating as the male stands guard not too far away. On Gardiners Island I've often come across a nest. Long before you see the nest, the female will flatten out, neck pressed down so she, being a big bird, becomes almost invisible. Her eggs, like those of all waterfowl, hatch all at one time. The young stay in their down -lined nest but a short time. Within a day the parents have them off and feeding in the nearby marsh or waterway. By the time we were back in "our" creek, the sun had lost itself in a cloud and the marsh had taken on a much more somber look. It was a marsh that was about to come alive again. During its winter sleep, its once -green splendor had turned brown and collapsed in decay. This decay, like a giant compost pile, will break down the now -dead marsh and release its nutrients with each changing tide. The planktonic world of plant and animal life will flourish in this soup of life. Here we see the beginning of the food chain. We again passed the osprey platforrr out on the marsh but now there was only one osprey standing guard. The other was probably out fishing. Flounders have moved into the creek and eels are out of the mud. As the seasons move along, alewives, bunkers, weakfish and others will make up the menu of this fish hawk. Whatever it feeds on, it deserves every catch. To plunge down into the now -cold waters and then only be successful a quarter of the time tells me Mr. and Mrs. Osprey do not have an easy life. Our first outing of the season once again reminded us that "our world" was just starting to awaken from win- ter's sleep. Soon the green shoots of the marsh will appear and once again the world will be bathed in green below and blue above.