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April 30, 1992 - Big Lessons From Tiny Creatures4A •The Suffolk Times • April 3p, 1,992 Big Lessons From Tiny Creatures By Paul Stoutenburgh There's always something exciting going on in the world around you once you become involved in the great out- doors. Let me tell you of but two inter- esting events that occurred in the Focus past few weeks. First, there was a on Nature Iate - night telephone call from a local bowling alley saying someone had just arrived after hitting an owl with his car. Could I help? In no time I drove to the bowling alley and inquired, "Is there someone here who hit an owl with his car ?" After quite a few odd looks and "What did you say ?" and "Hit a what ?" I finally found a young man and the story slowly unraveled. It seems someone was coming to the bowling alley and his headlights picked up something flying across the road to- ward his car. He was sure he hit it but being so close to his destination, he kept going. Once there, he checked the front of the car and found the owl slumped on the grill. He said it looked pretty good so he put it in a box where I later was taken to see it. Sure enough, there was our commonest owl — the little Screech Owl, the one we hear calling on quiet evenings around our homes throughout most of the year. It was in its red color phase. The other phase is grey but remember, it is exactly the same owl except for this color variation. As I put my flashlight into the box to look at the bundled slump of feathers in the corner, I was immediately taken by its big yellow eyes. It looked in fairly good shape ex- cept for the last section of the wing, which was turned at a grotesque angle. I was pleased that the young man was sensitive enough to try to do something for this unfortunate creature. Too many in today's busy world can't or won't take time to help the unfortunate. But in this case action was taken and he called around until he found someone to help. We took the owl home and the very next morning took it to the vet where Put our pages to work for you Immes /Review C assiiieds SERVICES Rototilling (gardens, flowerbeds, lawn areas) wood - chipper /shredder/ chainsaw work, and light moving. Lawn Services South and North Forks. 727 -3325 SCREECH OWL —This is one of our smallest owls. he'd be rehabilitated and hopefully let go back into the wild. Screech Owls live on mice, insects and occasionally small birds and, believe it or not, an occa- sional fish. Yes, a good friend of mine, Tim, called me just a week or so ago and told me of seeing an owl snatch a goldfish out of the pond alongside his house. I knew in Africa that there was a type of owl that lives almost exclusively on fish but did not know our little Screech Owl sometimes resorts to an occasional fish meal. Doing a little re- search I found that others also had re- ported this unusual phenomenon. Then there is the incident of the spring peepers (tiny frogs). Most people have probably heard these joyful callers of spring in their neighborhood. If you have it's because there's a pond or standing water nearby. Often they'll start their call in mid - March; some re- port occasional calls in February. It all depends on the weather. When the tem- Photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh perature gets around 50 degrees is when they start to call. Our son's family stopped over one evening when the peepers were calling down in our pond. Having two grand- children who are always ready to see anything new, we decided to I was go down and see if we immediately could find some peepers taken by to show them. I've often the owl's been involved with these tiny big yellow little frogs and eyes' will always Y jump at the chance to see them again, especially if I could bring some back to the wondrous eyes of grandchildren. And so, equipped with flashlights, boots, nets and a small fish bowl, Roger Let's book Back 78 Years Ago May 2, 1914 The Brown -Tail Moth: L.C. Griffith of Lynbrook arrived in Greenport this week with four or five men and will search Greenport, East Marion, Orient and Shelter Island for nests of the brown -tail moth. The men found six nests in East Hampton last week. Hunters' County: According to official figures, Suf- folk County issued more hunting licenses than any other county in the state last year. Tlrahern Coming Back: Long Island theatregoers will be pleased that the Trahern Stock Company will begin its annual season on May 25. The company that has been entertaining Long Islanders in an unexcelled fashion in the past will be better than ever according to present plans and the plays will include some of the biggest Broadway suc- cesses in recent years. An orchestra of exceptional ability will accompany the troupe. The players will appear on Wednesdays in Riverhead and Thursdays in Greenport. 50 Years Ago April 30, 1942 Permanent Dimout Ordered: Dimming of lights through a 15- mile -wide belt along the coastline of New York, Long Island, New Jersey and Delaware, including the and I headed for the pond. It was a grand night with the stars filling the sky with all their splendor. There wasn't a bit of wind but a chill ran through the air that made me glad I wasn't a "peeper" swimming about the pond call- ing for a mate. But I guess if you were calling for a mate, the temperature would be the last thing you'd be think- ing about. As we approached the pond it seemed as if the whole area was alive with callers. The sound was deafening. Then, as if someone gave the signal, they all stopped. There wasn't a "peep." We stood there in the cold waiting for some- thing to happen. Then slowly one, two, three and the chorus started up again. We had intruded into their ecstasy. Our flashlights didn't seem to slow them down as we searched here and there, sometimes with the sounds seem- ing to come from right below us but we could find nothing. How could this be? We'd try another part of the pond and again they stopped calling, only to start up slowly again 'til the full crescendo of all were calling. Then Roger spotted one! The big pouch under the tiny frog's throat was fully inflated with song — the joy of life that has been coming down through the ages to the ponds throughout the lands. Here the males will lure the females, mate and the eggs . will be laid so their clan will continue. Then they will disappear back into the woods and fields to spend the rest of the year. Many, many eggs will be laid and many will feed the dwellers of the pond but through the vastness of numbers some will survive to carry on. We caught only two peepers that night but brought them back triumphantly to the glowing light up on the hill where eager eyes and "Oooh, let me touch them!" was our reward. What more could one ask from our great outdoors than to see and help a crippled bird and then to hunt spring peepers? Let's hope many of you will have such adventures for what is life without its rewards, no matter how big or small? obscuring of all lights above the 15th floor in New York buildings, was ordered on Monday by Major General Irving Phillipson. General Phillipson's regulations warned that should these measures prove- ineffective, complete black- outs might be ordered for all communities which fail to comply. Display the Flag: Suffolk County residents were called upon Monday by the Board of Supervisors to display the Stars and Stripes "from their homes and places of busi- ness on every clear day" for the duration of the war. The resolution was offered by Supervisor Arthur Kreutzer of Huntington and seconded by Supervisor S. Wentworth Hor- ton of Southold, the latter remarking, "There has not been flag- waving enough in this war." 25 Years Ago - May 5, 1967 Ground - Breaking Ceremonies: Sunday, May 14, will be a memorable day for the parishioners of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Shelter Island, when ground- breaking ceremonies for a new parish hall will be held at 9 a.m. The Venerable Paul Wancura, Archdeacon of Suffolk, will deliver the sermon. Through the hard work and gen- erosity of parishioners and friends, a great need for facili- ties to expand and carry on the work of the church is becoming a reality.