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October 22, 1992 - Celebrating A Lifetime's Focus on Nature6A • The Suffolk Times • October 22, 1992 Celebratin g A Lifetime's Focus'on Nature us easy phonetic word phrases that help identify these hidden songsters. As fall arrives we find the white- throated spar- row with his song of "Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody" or "Ah, poor Canada, Canada, Canada" or per- haps during the summer some of you might have heard the "teacher, teacher, teacher" of the ovenbird that builds an ovenlike nest giving the bird its name. I receive many telephone calls asking, "What bird would I have heard last night at midnight," or "There's a snake in my cellar. Is it poisonous ?" or "What could be making a noise in my chim- ney /fireplace ?" And then there are al- ways the questions of "Where do gulls nest ?" or "What little duck is it that I see in my creek ?" etc. With a copy of "A Nature Journal" these types of ques- tions and many more could be an- swered. To add to the pleasure of this book Dennis has also included over 200 of his beautiful watercolor sketches that give us a rare insight into his artistic ability few have realized. By Paul Stoutenburgh Back in the 1960s when "Focus on Nature" was first born and before pho- tographs were used, Dennis Puleston drew sketches each week to accompany my articles. I first saw this remarkable man back in the '50s when he was atop a tree photographing young great horned owls. Since that time he and I. have traveled together over much of the East End, including Gardiners Island Focus on Nature counting ospreys, birding and enjoying each other's company. Much of what I've learned and write about in "Focus" comes from times like those spent to- gether in the field. Dennis's introduction from England to America came as a young man when he and a friend set sail to circumnavi- gate the globe in a 31 -foot yawl. In a storm they were forced ashore off Cape Hatteras, where he took his first steps on the beaches of what was later to be- come his homeland. Always attached to the sea, Dennis continued his sailing adventures throughout the Caribbean and then on to the South Pacific, finally reaching China at the start of the Sino- Japanese War. He barely escaped this entanglement but with a length of salami and some black bread he was able to return to England via the Trans - Siberian railroad, thus realizing his am- bition to travel around the world. He armer c214i ke's Farmstand Main Road, Peconic SPROUT STUMPS $ 1.00 each Potatoes Onions 10 lbs. $125 3 lbs. $1 20 lbs. $200 10 lbs. $2 50 lbs. $450 25 lbs. $350 Boiling'Onions Arugula Cucumbers Eggplant Hot Peppers Fall Squash Winter Beets Cabbage - Coriander 3 for $1 Ill CARROTS l URNjPQ all items when available Photo by Raymond U. celetro ARTIST AT WORK— Dennis Puleston, author of "A Nature Journal: A Naturalist's Year on Long Island," published by W. W. Norton. was then commissioned to write his ad- ventures in a book called "The Bluewa- ter Vagabond." Dennis became involved in World War II where he helped to perfect the famous amphibian landing crafts which he accompanied to the Solomon Islands, New Guinea and Burma. It was there he was injured by Japanese shellfire and if that wasn't enough, he went on to Iwo Jima, Okinawa and finally Normandy. For his extraordinary service to this country he was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Truman. In 1945 he took up residency in Brookhaven, where he now lives since retiring from Brookhaven National Laboratory. In be- tween his busy schedule, which in- cluded being the first Chairman of the Environmental Defense Fund, he acts as naturalist on nature cruise ships having completed over 170, 30 of which were to the Antarctic. Authors Book at 86 Always active observing the natural world throughout his life, he has now at the age of 86 put together "A Nature Journal" which includes hundreds of fascinating bits and pieces of the world around us here on the East End. I hope many of you will take advantage of this book as it is written by one of the great naturalists of our area. Starting in January the book takes you through the year with down -to -earth anecdotes and tales which we can all re- late to. Dennis's easy prose runs through the book like a sparkling stream, a delight to read. One can al- most catch his boyhood English accent as he tells of the winter ducks that fre- quent our bays, Sound and ocean, of the purple sandpipers that visit our winter jetties. To those interested in visiting some of the outside world Dennis tells where many of his subjects can be found. For example, "Snow Buntings often feed out on the open beach, their extraordinary acute eyesight picking out the wind- scattered seeds among the grains of sand. As they feed their sweet twittering calls are heard, giving the im- pression of complete contentment and good cheer in spite of the harsh condi- tions." Examples of the subtle changes in the world about us are brought to the read- er's attention by bits taken about the European starling in February, "Toward the end of the month, you'll notice an abrupt change in the starling's appear- ance. The bird's bill changes color from black to bright yellow seemingly almost overnight, and the light spots at the tips of its body feathers disappear. No Birds Are Hated I doubt if any bird is truly hated by Dennis for he seems to find something good in the most lowly, even the En- glish sparrow. With all the faults this 1850s immigrant bird from Europe has, Dennis still ends up his review with "but as a very resourceful colonist, it deserves some grudging admiration, and free of city's grime, the male is quite a smart- looking bird." For those who enjoy the riddle of "What bird is that I hear ?" Dennis gives RATTANS 1040 Horton Lane, Southold GRINDING" 765 -4940 At the conclusion of his book the feel- ings that run through his writings are summed up. "We are all, to some ex- tent, aware of this flow of life and many of us take delight in observing the de- tails of the grand pattern: the first glean- ing of a grass blade, the tentative notes of the start of a robin's song. The rich pink tip of a budding apple blossom, the first touch of orange in the fall of a maple leaf, a dusting of white frost in a hollow on the lawn — these all move us generally from one phase to the next." And so it is with this book that Dennis takes you through the seasons. Needless to say, to Long Islanders he is one of the great senior naturalists of our time. a� OCTOBER VIEW— Hermit thrush and tupelo fruits, watercolor by Dennis Puleston. MATTITUCK SANITATION EAST END ECOLOGY LTD. 800 WICKHAM AVE. MATTITUCK, N.Y. John DiVello & Sons RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL GARBOLOGISTS Container Service 1 yd. through 8 yd. Roll -Off Service 15 yd. through 30 yd. 298 -8888 Serving Riverhead & Southold Township BY GARDEN WAY ChlpperNac • Automatically vacuums, shreds & bags yard wastel • Chips brush up to 1' thick. • Reduces 6 bags to 1. Mulch your garden or shrubsl • Converts to blower in seconds. • Optional vacuum hose kit available. Y OUR PRICE $440$389 reg. RATTANS 1040 Horton Lane, Southold GRINDING" 765 -4940 At the conclusion of his book the feel- ings that run through his writings are summed up. "We are all, to some ex- tent, aware of this flow of life and many of us take delight in observing the de- tails of the grand pattern: the first glean- ing of a grass blade, the tentative notes of the start of a robin's song. The rich pink tip of a budding apple blossom, the first touch of orange in the fall of a maple leaf, a dusting of white frost in a hollow on the lawn — these all move us generally from one phase to the next." And so it is with this book that Dennis takes you through the seasons. Needless to say, to Long Islanders he is one of the great senior naturalists of our time. a� OCTOBER VIEW— Hermit thrush and tupelo fruits, watercolor by Dennis Puleston. MATTITUCK SANITATION EAST END ECOLOGY LTD. 800 WICKHAM AVE. MATTITUCK, N.Y. John DiVello & Sons RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL GARBOLOGISTS Container Service 1 yd. through 8 yd. Roll -Off Service 15 yd. through 30 yd. 298 -8888 Serving Riverhead & Southold Township