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March 12, 1992 - An Upstate Who's Who of Owls, Etc.6A • The Suffolk Times • March 12, 1992 An Upstate Who's Who of O Etc,, By Paul Stoutenburgh Last December there was a report of a very rare owl in upstate New York and many an enthusiast traveled the thruway to see this visitor from the Far North but we were just never able to get there. Last week we made some hurried Focus phone calls and found the hawk on Nature owl was still there, so we decided to make a dash up and try to get a glimpse of it. Our host for the day was Gerry Lemmo, an accomplished wildlife pho- tographer, who later dazzled us with his magnificent photographs of everything from tiny butterflies to the huge bull moose. The area he took us to was prime owl and hawk habitat with wide -open vistas of dairy farms with their corn stubble and turned -over fields. If ever there was an area that attracted owls and hawks, this was it. We searched for two days and did not see the legendary hawk owl but we made up for it in the overabundance of other owls and hawks. Here on Long Island we see an occasional red -tailed hawk; there we'd see five or six soaring about at one time. Here we'd see a rough - legged hawk once or twice a year. Up there we saw 30 or 40 of them in one day, flying or perched in trees awaiting some unfortunate mouse to show himself. The rough - legged hawk is a winter hawk and of late has not been as common on our East End as in the past, so it was quite a thrill to see it in its various color plumages. Then there was the occasional kestrel perched high on a telephone wire awaiting its share of mice below. This colorful little falcon is the most common hawk we see here in both winter and summer. Three Snowy Owls Perhaps the mild weather we'd been having was the reason we couldn't find our hawk owl. But then how would you account for the three snowy owls we saw hunting during the day in those open fields? They are certainly associated with cold and winter and we get them down here on the island on occasion. One sat bn the top of a telephone pole and glared at us with his big yellow eyes. While we watched, another ardent birder came along and we chatted to- gether under the scrutiny of this magnif- icent white visitor from the tundra land of the north. Our newly arrived friend had a homemade mouse that he tethered on a piece of nylon fishing line in hopes of luring the owl down for a closer look. It had been so ripped apart by previous owls that I'm afraid it couldn't fool the snowy and so the anticipated show failed but it did prove owls could be lured in by these clever devices. As it was late in the afternoon and the sun had already set, we headed to a field Gerry promised would yield short-eared owls. We occasionally see these on our open East End but we were delighted by what we were about to see. First one, a Thursday Means The Suffolk Times then two, and in the coming darkness we counted seven short -eared owls flying about at one time. Gerry told me he had seen 24 at one time in this same field a month or so before. I could hardly believe it. They flew like giants bats with relatively slow wing beats, their short heads and long wing silhouettes identified them clearly. Mice, Mice and More Mice It was hard to believe an area could produce enough mice for so many hawks and owls and to think they had been hunting here since the first cold of November. There must have been an explosion of mice in order to provide that kind of food. It's when the mice forage in the open that they become the prey of the predator hawks and owls. We thanked Gerry for a great experi- ence and headed south to the Catskills where we'd relax for a few days in our friends' cabin before returning home to Long Island. We traveled the back roads because we were in no hurry. As we ap- proached the cabin we swung off Route 30 and headed up a partially hard surface road that told us we were near our destination. After a mile or so we again swung off but this time the road was unsurfaced. It snaked along the brook that we'd become familiar with in the past and then it dove into a deep hem- lock lane with sheer moss - covered rock on one side and the brook on the other. In this semishaded area the snow still clung and the remnants of icy shapes in the brook gave the whole scene a fairy- land appearance. It was so appealing that I slowed the car down to just a crawl. I believe we were the fast car on the road that day. Then, just above the spot where we stop to get spring water, a pair of grouse came into view. The bulky car must have surprised them for they stood there in curious amazement. They were but 20 feet away. After staring at us for a short time they continued their walk across the road with their curious, almost unperceivable switching tails. Later when we were out for a walk we would see their "in line" footprints in the snow. We watched them spellbound as they wandered unconcerned up the steep Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh WILD TURKEYS —Once considered rare, turkeys are now common in many places along the eastern seaboard. bank, stopping now and then to peck at some morsel along the way. There was much exposed ground free from snow that they traveled on when- ever possible and with their brown bodies flecked with white they seemed to blend in with the surroundings, mak- ing it almost impossible to see them. Soon it will be "drumming time" when the male puts on his show of noise and splendor to attract a mate. He'll find a special spot, usually on a log where he will be seen easily, and here he'll per- form. But for now it was still the game of survival and finding food was their major concern. Later that same day we would have another exciting sight but this one with our binoculars. Toward evening we watched 24 turkeys scratching about down by the brook bed and then as if someone had said "It's time for bed" they marched off in single file up the ■ 0%1690% 1 wwL nA..L 78 Years Ago March 14, 1914 New Postmaster: President Wilson has nominated Robert W. Rackett of Bay Avenue to be postmaster at Greenport. The position pays $2,400. For several months there has been quite a contest for this plum. Mr. Rackett is a young man of strict integrity who should fill the position satisfactorily. Our Home Ladies: Next time you got to the theatre or to the "movies" just notice, if you please, how many of our home ladies have beautiful hair — glossy, lustrous and well dressed. Then, if you will, pick out five or ten of those whose hair seems to be particularly pretty and ask them what they use on it, we feel sure that at least more than half of them will say "Harmony Hair Beautifier." It is fast becoming the rage with both men and women who are par- ticular about the appearance of their hair. 50 Years Ago March 12, 1942 Troops in Greenport: A detachment of U.S. Infantry troops arrived at Greenport on Wednesday and are utilizing Fire Station No. one at Third and South streets as their headquarters. Greenport has always been noted for its hospitality to visitors and it is hoped the soldiers will be welcomed by the community. brook and off into the woods. Turkeys have made a remarkable recovery, not only in New York State but in most of the states along our eastern seaboard. Perhaps our mild winters and lack of snowfall have helped them also. Now if our spring is not too wet we'll have a bumper crop of these handsome birds that at one time in our history almost became the national symbol instead of the eagle. And so a week of hawking, owling and then some relaxing in the cabin closed our winter week. Once more we were grateful to the great outdoors for supplying us with entertainment and beauty. We have such a rich heritage of natural history all about us whether it be at our feeders, out our windows or the hawks and owls that fly in the great north country. It's all there for us to share. The cost is little but the enjoy- ment great. Nightly Blackout: The Suffolk County Civil Defense Council advised all town defense councils to take immediate measures "to reduce and eliminate" all lights along the eastern Long Island coastline. The recommenda- tion for a nightly blackout is to protect coastwise shipping. Shore lights form fine backgrounds for silhouetting ships up to 45 miles from shore. With enemy submarines operat- ing off the Atlantic seaboard, the necessity of immediate action is self- evident. 25 Years Ago March 17, 1967 Racial Problems Discussed: Racial tension was in the air in Greenport as it is today in every city and town of this country, as about 100 residents of the Green- port School District attended the monthly meeting of the Board of Education on Monday. The large attendance was due to the exaggerated rumors of friction and fighting between the white and negro students at the school. Super- vising principal A. Calvin Peterson explained that there were unfortunately two rival groups, one of white boys, the other of negroes. This resulted in two fights. He stated he had held conferences with the leaders of the rival groups and that tension had subsided. Rumors about students car- rying knives, ice picks and guns to school are vastly exag- gerated.