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September 09, 1993 - Special Sights as the World Wakes Up6A • The Suffolk Times • September 9, 1993 Special Sights as the World Wakes Up By Paul Stoutenburah The world has not awakened yet. Only a noisy cricket chirps in the kitchen as I fumble to dress. I walk with bare feet out on the deck. Looking to the east I see a soft, almost pinkish - orange tint to the sky. Dew has painted all about me with its tiny droplets of col- lected moisture. As I look out across the bay there is not a light shining in a house anywhere. What a contrast from last night when we sat out here under the stars in a ringed necklace of lights that shone around the bay edge. Far across the bay we could even see the blinking red eye of the buoy off the point. North winds had cleared the air so it was crystal clear. None of the moist air of the southwest summer wind today. Fall is moving in and with it the change of prevailing winds. Now, as I sit, a bit of blue can be seen in the sky above. Even a few fluffs of `The sun starts to take its dominant place in the sky, where it will rule all day.' clouds can be seen but they remain a grey mass for the sun has not yet come up to paint them the white we see later in the day. Not even a gull is seen as yet. They haven't risen from their night's rest out on the sheltered bay. Now to the east it becomes brighter and brighter ... pink, low on the horizon. The sky above is trying to turn to its blue of the day. A light zephyr has started to move in. Our Focus on Nature boat anchored off the beach acts as a weather vane, pointing into the slightest breeze, always testing the line that holds her firm at anchor. Three gulls fly by. Two shorebirds swoop in from nowhere to light; their breakfast lies hidden in the sands at the moving water's edge. Barely visible, they run along the beach, poking here and there for hunger is driving them on. Most likely, at this time of the year, they've been flying all night, migrating from their northern nesting grounds in the barren tundra. Their destination is somewhere in the wet edges of the Caribbean. Song Sparrow Visits A song sparrow lets me know she is still around with her ever - changing pleasant song. She, too, is hungry and works her way through the wet grasses, seeking out tiny seeds of the ripening plants that have already been scattered by the wind. A little farther up the beach I now see a gull wading along the wa- ter's edge. It is hungry and food is the name of the game of survival. Three mourning doves fly by. They are off to an open field up back where the rye has been harvested. Some of the kernels will have been missed and they'll be there to reap the harvest. Pinkish -white dominates the horizon. As I look up a swallow with its swept - back wings and forked tail starts the journey into its all -day pursuit of flying insects. Its quick change of direction tells me it has picked up something. The LATHAM'S FARM STAND White Corn & Bicolor Corn Raspberries • Blueberries Melons • Peppers * Peaches! Other assorted vegetables. Excellent quality OPEN 7 DAYS • MAIN ROAD, ON SCENIC ORIENT HARBOR Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh SHOREBIRD —All along our beaches we should be seeing shorebirds as they make a brief visit to our area on their long migration from the near Arctic to the Caribbean and south. insect that thought it had just another summer's day ahead is gone. It's 6:20 a.m. and a red ball is oozing over the eastern horizon. How fast it moves! I start to feel its presence as it slips above the edge of the far -off trees across the bay. Its appearance creates a huge, wide V of brightness that dis- solves in the sky above. Yellows are now trying to block out the early - morning pinks. Two crows arrive at the beach, letting everyone know they are in command. Perhaps the sunbathers of yesterday left a morsel or two for their early- morning meal. By now familiar landmarks can be seen. Gone are just the black outlines of the land. Low along the beach edge houses are being painted in yellow tints. Boats that were but riding ghosts upon an endless blanket of darkness now show themselves in their various tints of white. The clouds that once were fluffs of grey have now taken on a creamy white. WOMEN'S PLUS SIZE FASHIONS SUMMER SALE 30% - 60% OFF Selected Items • Swimsuits • Dresses • Sportswear • Lingerie • Gift Items Open Monday - Saturday 10 -5 p.m. • Credit Cards Accepted at our NEW LOCATION in COLONIAL CORNERS, SOUTHOLD (next to Mulllen Motors) I The sun, once seen, now slides behind a low- hanging cloud for a short period as it is ever moving up, up, up. Its brilliance shines from in back, making a silver - yellow edge to the dark cloud. Now it pokes its orange -domed head out and its path leads from the beach edge before me across the bay to its maker. The sky turns blue above. The yellow - orange of the sun starts to take its dominant place in the sky, where it will rule all day. My friend, the song sparrow, who has been foraging in the sand and grasses, now hops up to see me on the deck. We are but a few feet apart. Evidently there are some crumbs left over from last night's dinner. The bird looks wet and forlorn for it has been feeding amongst the grasses that were laden with dew. When it looks up and realizes my presence it flits away in alarm. I'm not supposed to be around at this time of the day. From in back an osprey calls with its harsh - pitched "Chirp chirp chirp." Another hangs in midair over the bay, pumping its wings as it focuses on a fish below. Soon it will plummet and hope- fully hit its mark of menhaden. The day has started for most wild things. It has barely started for most people. A few lights have come on in the homes, showing some must be up to go to work. They will see only the light of another nice day not knowing that before "their beautiful day" there was an awakening that only few have seen. By now an hour has passed. From the cool of the beginning to the now golden ball of the warm sun I have watched one of our beautiful, warm, late- summer days unfold. I hear stirring inside the cabin and dishes rattling in the kitchen. Breakfast will soon be ready. Of course, we'll eat right here on the deck where the day has started with its golden path across the bay. SHHH Eastern Suffolk Self Help for Hard of HearingPeople meets the second Monday of each month at Riverhead Free Library at 1 p.m. For information call 477 -2572. a is yi ; d� j �. ON I'M '- z a r y Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh SHOREBIRD —All along our beaches we should be seeing shorebirds as they make a brief visit to our area on their long migration from the near Arctic to the Caribbean and south. insect that thought it had just another summer's day ahead is gone. It's 6:20 a.m. and a red ball is oozing over the eastern horizon. How fast it moves! I start to feel its presence as it slips above the edge of the far -off trees across the bay. Its appearance creates a huge, wide V of brightness that dis- solves in the sky above. Yellows are now trying to block out the early - morning pinks. Two crows arrive at the beach, letting everyone know they are in command. Perhaps the sunbathers of yesterday left a morsel or two for their early- morning meal. By now familiar landmarks can be seen. Gone are just the black outlines of the land. Low along the beach edge houses are being painted in yellow tints. Boats that were but riding ghosts upon an endless blanket of darkness now show themselves in their various tints of white. The clouds that once were fluffs of grey have now taken on a creamy white. WOMEN'S PLUS SIZE FASHIONS SUMMER SALE 30% - 60% OFF Selected Items • Swimsuits • Dresses • Sportswear • Lingerie • Gift Items Open Monday - Saturday 10 -5 p.m. • Credit Cards Accepted at our NEW LOCATION in COLONIAL CORNERS, SOUTHOLD (next to Mulllen Motors) I The sun, once seen, now slides behind a low- hanging cloud for a short period as it is ever moving up, up, up. Its brilliance shines from in back, making a silver - yellow edge to the dark cloud. Now it pokes its orange -domed head out and its path leads from the beach edge before me across the bay to its maker. The sky turns blue above. The yellow - orange of the sun starts to take its dominant place in the sky, where it will rule all day. My friend, the song sparrow, who has been foraging in the sand and grasses, now hops up to see me on the deck. We are but a few feet apart. Evidently there are some crumbs left over from last night's dinner. The bird looks wet and forlorn for it has been feeding amongst the grasses that were laden with dew. When it looks up and realizes my presence it flits away in alarm. I'm not supposed to be around at this time of the day. From in back an osprey calls with its harsh - pitched "Chirp chirp chirp." Another hangs in midair over the bay, pumping its wings as it focuses on a fish below. Soon it will plummet and hope- fully hit its mark of menhaden. The day has started for most wild things. It has barely started for most people. A few lights have come on in the homes, showing some must be up to go to work. They will see only the light of another nice day not knowing that before "their beautiful day" there was an awakening that only few have seen. By now an hour has passed. From the cool of the beginning to the now golden ball of the warm sun I have watched one of our beautiful, warm, late- summer days unfold. I hear stirring inside the cabin and dishes rattling in the kitchen. Breakfast will soon be ready. Of course, we'll eat right here on the deck where the day has started with its golden path across the bay. SHHH Eastern Suffolk Self Help for Hard of HearingPeople meets the second Monday of each month at Riverhead Free Library at 1 p.m. For information call 477 -2572.