Loading...
April 28, 1983 - Heavy Spring Rains Take Their Toll on WildlifeApril 28, 1983 The Suffolk Times Page 17 Heavy Spring Rains Take Their Toll on Wildlife By PAULSTOUTENBURGH Not another rainy day! What happened to our spring? Flowers and trees are opening even though the rain still comes down. Once nature is on the move, it's impossible to stop it. It's too bad a lot of people don't understand that basic principle for if they did they would try to live with the natural processes rather than continually fight them. But that's another story. Last year when we had such tremendous rains, it raised havoc with ffoQ�� c�v� Wa4l��a all our osprey population, plus lots of other natural disasters that went along unnoticed. After all, how does a bird keep his young or eggs dry and warm when the heavens open up and deluge it with the six inches of rain they had. My concern is for this year's nesting time. We're still in the early season of young birds and animals, but once the cycle is started, it's hard to stop. That reminds me of Barbara's spinster aunt who commented when my wife was about six months pregnant, "Do you think she'll go through with it ?" Once the forces are set in motion, there is no stopping it. Right now in our creek the swans are already setting on their nests. With their large bodies rain can pretty well be discounted as being a problem, but what they have to contend with are the super high tides that literally flood their nests and thereby flood them out. I'm sure there are those of you who have your own pet swan and your concern for it builds up when the tides rise as they have recently. Geese do pretty well in keeping the heavy rains from getting to their eggs and cooling them down. Their big body, like the swan, and their feather -lined nest keep the eggs pretty well covered and warm. Seeing they nest more upland than the swans, they usually have a higher survival rate. We're getting more and more geese nesting here on the island. Years ago, it would be a rarity to find a nesting goose, but today they are common year round and hidden away in most untrodden spots. I wonder if they'll follow the mallard ducks that have become so tame and neighborly in some areas they're becoming a problem. The Island Geese I've often come across a goose nest when I've been out birding or just exploring. All along the Peconic River and throughout the Cranberry Bog in Riverhead they nest and, of course, in the more hidden areas along our shores. Probably the highest concentration of nesting geese are on Plum Island and Gardiners Island, where they become quite common. Heavy rains can do in many species that the average person fails to see. A ground nester is probably the most vulnerable. Birds like the horned lark that nest early and on the ground are prime targets. Years ago when I was photographing the horned lark, I returned a week later after a heavy rain to see how they were doing and found the young dead. Rains had taken their toll. One thing about nature's disasters is that many species have the ability to- bounce back with another brood and thereby raise their young even though the odds were against them. So far most have probably been able to live out the rains. The real problem GOSLINGS -- Because geese are early nesters, their keep warm from the cold and wet of early spring. nest is lined with down so the eggs and young can Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh comes when these downpours come in May and June, for it is then that the heaviest nesting takes place. All this probably would seem trivial to those in the great flood areas to the south, where flood waters literally cover hundreds of thousands of acres. Only when you see the devastation on TV news does one see the immensity of the problem. Where do the rabbits, the raccoons, the snakes, the turtles, the mice and the insects go when such a catastrophe takes over? Birds can fly and get away, but others -- well, it's just too hard to contemplate. For those who study the problem of flooding there are answers -- answers most of us do not want to hear for it involves us. Man has so altered his land that flood waters have no place to go. Swamps, meandering rivers and natural catch basins have been drained, altered or filled. Forests have been cleared, taking away the sponge effect that was there to absorb these waters. Super highways and roads stop natural drainage or in many cases enhance the path of flood waters. Houses have been built on the land and blacktop spreads over the countryside, making it impossible for water to be absorbed. Some farming methods ignore soil erosion practice, strip the topsoil and spread its run -off into our roads and creeks. All these, along with a thousand other less obvious causes, result in flooding like we've never experienced before. Even our own local areas are showing the effects of man's manipulation on his land. Perhaps some day we'll understand Craftsmen Solicited RIVERHEAD - -Art Complex -East in Riverhead is inviting Long Island crafts- men to submit crafts for a juried exhibition. Delivery dates are May 1 through May 4 to 40 West Main Street, Riverhead, from 1 to 5 p.m. The exhibi- tion will be open May 14 -29. Entry fee for submitting work is $10 for each entry. Limit three entries per craftsman. Art Complex -East will refund $5 for unaccepted work. that when we alter the land on one hand, there's usually a negative effect on the other. That is not to say man should retreat from his so-called progress, but it means that when man acts upon the land, he should contemplate the results and weigh their advantages against possible disadvantages. This is where true planning and foresight comes in. No longer can we afford to think we're doing right and no longer can we afford to do as we darn well please. You'll Never Buy A 1983 Mazda Truck Cheaper!! 157K SUNDOWNER SHORT BED Limited Offer 4388 POE - Stock Units- Camper Conversion Caps $ 5 yr. - 50,000 mile Warr. available (slgt add charge) Now Available: Automatics NO WAITING — IMMEDIATE DELIVERY OVER 100 TRUCKS IN STOCK! BUY FROM AMERICA'S LARGEST Installation Additional. "' Only with Truck Purchase Cold Sprina 800 W. Jericho Tpke. Truck Division HUNTINGTON, N.Y. 6920 April 28,1983 The News-Review Page 15 Heavy Spring Rains Take Their Toll on Wildlife By PAUL STOUTENBURGH Not another rainy day! What happened to our spring? Flowers and trees are opening even though the rain still comes down. Once nature is on the move, it's impossible to stop it. It's too bad a lot of people don't understand that basic principle for if they did they would try to live with the natural processes rather than continually fight them. But that's another story. Last year when we had such tremendous rains, it raised havoc with ffoQ�� o� all our osprey population, plus lots of other natural disasters that went along unnoticed. After all, how does a bird keep his young or eggs dry and warm when the heavens open up and deluge it with the six inches of rain they had. My concern is for this year's nesting time. We're still in the early season of young birds and animals, but once the cycle is started, it's hard to stop. That reminds me of Barbara's spinster aunt who commented when my wife was about six months pregnant, "Do you think she'll go through with it ?" Once the forces are set in motion, there is no stopping it. Right now in our creek the swans are already setting on their nests. With their large bodies rain can pretty well be discounted as being a problem, but what they have to contend with are the super high tides that literally flood their nests and thereby flood them out. I'm sure there are those of you who have your own pet swan and your concern for it builds up when the tides rise as they have recently. Geese do pretty well in keeping the heavy rains from getting to their eggs and cooling them down. Their big body, like the swan, and their feather -lined nest keep the eggs pretty well covered and warm. Seeing they nest more upland than the swans, they usually have a higher survival rate. We're getting more and more geese nesting here on the island. Years ago, it would be a rarity to find a nesting goose, but today they are common year round and hidden away in most untrodden spots. I wonder if they'll follow the mallard ducks that have become so tame and neighborly in some areas they're becoming a problem. The Island Geese I've often come across a goose nest when I've been out birding or just exploring. All along the Peconic River and throughout the Cranberry Bog in Riverhead they nest and, of course, in the more hidden areas along our shores. Probably the highest concentration of nesting geese are on Plum Island and Gardiners Island, where they become quite common. Heavy rains can do in many species that the average person fails to see. A ground nester is probably the most vulnerable. Birds like the horned lark that nest early and on the ground are prime targets. Years ago when I was photographing the horned lark, I returned a week later after a heavy rain to see how they were doing and found the young dead. Rains had taken their toll. One thing about nature's disasters is that many species have the ability to bounce back with another brood and thereby raise their young even though the odds were against them. So far most have probably been able to live out the rains. The real problem t A GOSLINGS -- Because geese are early nesters, their keep warm from the cold and wet of early spring. nest is lined with down so the eggs and young can Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh comes when these downpours come in May and June, for it is then that the heaviest nesting takes place. All this probably would seem trivial to those in the great flood areas to the south, where flood waters literally cover hundreds of thousands of acres. Only when you see the devastation on TV news does one see the immensity of the problem. Where do the rabbits, the raccoons, the snakes, the turtles, the mice and the insects go when such a catastrophe takes over? Birds can fly and get away, but others -- well, it's just too hard to contemplate. For those who study the problem of flooding there are answers -- answers most of us do not want to hear for it involves us. Man has so altered his land that flood waters have no place to go. Swamps, meandering rivers and natural catch basins have been drained, altered or filled. Forests have been cleared, taking away the sponge effect that was there to absorb these waters. Super highways and roads stop natural drainage or in many cases enhance the path of flood waters. Houses have been built on the land and blacktop spreads over the countryside, making it impossible for water to be absorbed. Some farming methods ignore soil erosion practice, strip the topsoil and spread its run -off into our roads and creeks. All these, along with a thousand other less obvious causes, result in flooding like we've never experienced before. Even our own local areas are showing the effects of man's manipulation on his land. Perhaps some day we'll understand Craftsmen Solicited RIVERHEAD- -Art Complex -East in Riverhead is inviting Long Island crafts- men to submit crafts for a juried exhibition. Delivery dates are May 1 through May 4 to 40 West Main Street, Riverhead, from 1 to 5 p.m. The exhibi- tion will be open May 14 -29. Entry fee for submitting work is $10 for each entry. Limit three entries per craftsman. Art Complex -East will refund $5 for unaccepted work. that when we alter the land on one hand, there's usually a negative effect on the other. That is not to say man should retreat from his so-called progress, but it means that when man acts upon the land, he should contemplate the results and weigh their advantages against possible disadvantages. This is where true planning and foresight comes in. No longer can we afford to think we're doing right and no longer can we afford to do as we darn well please. You'll Never Buy A 1983 Mazda Truck Cheaper!! "$5� SUNDOWNER SHORT BED Limited Offer 4388 POE - Stock Units Camper Conversion Caps 199% Now Available: Automatics 5 yr. - 50,000 mile filable charge) NO WAITING — IMMEDIATE DELIVERY OVER 100 TRUCKS IN STOCK! BUY FROM AMERICA'S LARGEST " Installation Additional. * Only with Truck Purchase Cold SpIng Impods 800 W. Jericho Tpke. Truck Division Ln^n HUNTINGTON, N.Y. 692 -6M