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September 08, 1994 - Goodbye, Swallows; Hello, Autumn4A • The Suffolk Times • September 8, 1994 Goodbye, Swallows; Hello, Autumn By Paul Stoutenburgh Sept. 1 — my windmill points to the northwest. That tells me where the wind is coming from. I step outside the door and I feel a coolness in the air that I've not felt since last spring. I look for the Kleenex box to wipe my watery eyes and dripping nose — it's hay fever time. I look at the temperature and it's 52 de- grees. Another two degrees and Focus on the plant world will start to slow Mature down. I look at the clock and it seems we've lost almost an hour of day- light. All the signs tell me that fall is just around the corner. Yet with all these indicators telling me there's a change coming, I'm still hold- ing out for at least two good months of delightful weather. Some say it's the best time of the year, not too hot, not too cold. There's still time for swimming but I have to admit there's a change in the bay's temperature. It takes longer to get in. Quite a difference from the bathtub temperature of midsummer. It's time for fathers and grandfathers to take their children and grandchildren snapper fishing, too. I see the bridges over our creeks lined with young and old trying their luck at catching a mess of those silvery, wiggly baby blues. Snappers are probably the first fish most people start with. It's their introduction to the art of fishing and it's so easy. Two Kinds of Bait There are two ways to catch snappers as far as bait goes, live and artificial. You can buy frozen spearing or you can get them yourself by dragging a small seine net and catching the spearing live. They'll keep best in a plastic bucket but sooner or later they'll all die. That won't matter. Snappers will take them anyway. The other bait or lure you can now buy is the combination red - and -white float attached to a small hook and lure. It all comes as one unit and works just as well as the live bait. It's funny how people are. Through the years many of our bridges here on the East End have been rebuilt by the county or state and at each one a small group of us asked when they were building the bridges to, please, put a pedestrian walk separat- ed from the traffic area. But when some of the local people heard about this suggestion they objected because it would encourage bridge use and possibly more cars parked along the road. Well, we failed on all but one. Yet the cars are still parked along- side the road because people want to fish off the bridge. I only hope the passing cars will slow down so no one gets hurt. The one bridge we were able to convince the engineers to put a foot path on the side was at Mill Creek and, YOU know, I don't think Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh we have any more peo- TREE SWALLOWS —You have probably seen these migrating tree swallows on wires or ple fishing off that trees or in flying masses as they feed and rest. Soon they will be gone to a warmer climate bridge than we had where insects abound. before. To think all the other bridges could have done just the same at just a little bit more expense but with a whole lot more safety and enjoy- ment built in ... but then that's the way the world is today. All for me and the heck with the next guy. On our way to a meeting the other night we had to stop and get out of the car to see one of the rare sights that occur during this time of the year. It was a settling of tree swallows for the night in one of the big, tall -grass areas (phrag- mites) nearby. Tree swallows are a bird that was common here on Long Island years ago and is still found to some extent nesting in boxes usually set out for bluebirds. Now we see them in their fall migration. They follow the shoreline down the coast, skip across to Fishers Island, then by Big and Little Gull, then to Plum Island and eventually mass up in great flocks on our East End. ■ w699 i w..L nwwL 82 Years Ago Sept. 7, 1912 Railroad Station Packed: Monday was a busy day at the railroad station. About 800 summer visitors returned to their city homes that day. Six hundred were from Shelter Island. Labor Day Blues: Probably one of the most disap- pointed Labor Day parties that were withheld from their pleasure, owing to that storm, were eight old maids, who had been saving their pennies for some months for an auto- mobile trip to the South Side of the Island, whence they were going to quest men who were not woman haters. 50 Years Ago Sept. 8, 1944 Search for a Son: A frail mother with two daugh- ters had traveled from Texas to New York for a farewell visit with her son in the service who was soon to go over- seas. She came to a public telephone to tell him of her arrival. But each time she tried to reach him at his naval sta- tion on Long Island, she received the report, "No one here by that name." Noticing how distressed the woman was becoming, one of the operators offered to help her. She called the naval station and was transferred from one extension to another, always Sometimes they are seen on telephone wires by the thousands or in trees that actually bend under the weight of their tiny bodies. But these scenes of abun- dance are usually during the day when they are out feeding and resting. Just recently we saw them feeding by the thousands over the back marsh and out over the bay as far as you could see. Eventually, though, they collect in the evening to find a place to roost. This particular night it was in the phragmites and we just happened to be there at the right time. The sky was pep- pered by the swirling mass of birds. As Barbara said, they looked like a huge mass of bees when they swarmed. Round and round, then up and down, collecting and dispersing, until finally they started to settle. Down they'd go, losing themselves in the tall phragmites. Soon, like the last bit of water poured receiving the report, "Not known." But she was persistent and finally reached the commanding officer, who was sym- pathetic and kept on trying until he located the boy, who talked to with his mother and an hour later was at her side. Blackout Test: Greenport Village participated in the test blackout held on Tuesday evening this week which included the three counties of Suffolk, Nassau and Westch- ester, and also New York City. In the village, the blackout was the most successful of any of the practice blackouts in the past. The extinguishing of lights in both business places and private homes was nearly one hundred percent perfect. 25 Years Ago Sept. 12, 1969 Village Board Opposes Sign: The Greenport Village Board of Trustees went on the record as opposed to the erection of an A &P revolving sign on Village property, and to amend the Village Zoning Board the Village Zoning ordinances as to size and height of signs that will be permit- ted in the Village. Conservatives Favor Peconic County: The Southold Town Conservative Party made public this week its platform for the 1969 campaign. The platform, while similar to that of the Southold Democrats, adds a plank favoring earliest possible formation of Peconic County. out of a bucket, they all completely dis- appeared into the waving grasses below. The sky that a few minutes before was filled with beating wings was now clear. They were at rest for the night. The fall weather opens a whole new world for those who want to enjoy it. A day trip to Montauk. A walk along the ocean beach at Smith Point. A trip upstate to savor the crispness found in the mountain air. A late sail in the fall when few boats are on the bay or a sim- ple walk around your own place that seems so much easier now than during the hot summer days. Or how about a stroll through Greenport with its colorful shops and waterfront. Or perhaps just getting outside with that old jacket that you'd forgotten about that feels kinda nice now with the crispness of our changing world, one that, if you have eyes to see, is always there. Merlot Classic At Lenz Winery PECONIC — Nearly 50 producers of merlot from around the world will be on hand at the fourth annual Merlot Classic hosted by Lenz Winery on Saturday, Sept. 24. The stand -up tasting will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. under a tent in the winery's courtyard. Hors d'oeuvres by Aldo's of Greenport will accompany the wines, many of which will come from the Long Island wine region. Tickets are $30 and include a com- memorative tasting glass. Credit card orders may be placed at (800) 974 -9899 or 734 -6010. Or pick up tickets at the winery's tasting room. Some tickets may be available at the door. Lyme Support The Lyme Borrelia Outreach Foundation, which offers support to Lyme disease sufferers, will meet Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Riverhead Free Library. For details, call Stephen Nostrom at 298 -9606.