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April 05, 2007 - Spring's wake-up callI OA • The Suffolk Times • April 5, 2007 Our most common freshwater turtles, painted turtles, are, like all turtles, cold - blooded creatures and hibernate in the mud of of As the weather warms up they come out of the cold water to warm up in the sun. I leave an old log for them to sun on. S"Dring's w kemu Spring is a never - ending game fol- lowing the sun northward and watch- ing the world come alive piece by piece. The lowly skunk cabbage_ of the freshwater swamps has alrea - somed with its large seed head 1" OC U S that it's been pro- tecting against Q N the cold and N AT U R frozen land by some mysterious by Pa ability to melt its way through the Stoutenbur icy grip of winter. And if that isn't one of nature's hi en talents, then how about the skunk cabbage's abil- ity to attract an insect during winter's cold to pollinate the blossom, thereby assuring the future of this large-leafed dweller of the marsh. . By now most have seen "their': first osprey. First one, then the other made its arrival this week in our area. It seemed to me it must have been their first meeting, for they continuall,. circled over the back pasture, all the time calling loudly to each other. Every once in a while one would land on my wind- mill, while the other circled and kept calling. When ospreys leave in the fall they don't stay together through the winter range, but each goes its separate way. When spring comes they again come together, rebuild their old nest and, if they're lucky, raise one or possibly two E rarely three or four, young; it all de -, pends on the abundance of fish. U When food is scarce and there's not gh enough to go around, the more power- ful young will kill the others or push them out of the nest. Sounds cruel but it is just those so -called "cruel" actions that have kept the osprey from becom ing extinct through the ages. When yoi: see your osprey, remember it's a sign fish are back in our creeks and bays. No fish — no osnrevs. len you see your prey, remember it's a fn fish are back in our reeks and Our little pond that some bU years ago was used to irrigate crops today acts as a mecca for birds of all sorts. From the rattling call of the perched kingfisher patiently waiting for a gold- fish to make its appearance, to the small green heron that for 10 years has used the pond as part of its source of food, to the great blue heron who, . with its slow and deliberate giant steps, pursues its evening meal, to the regu- lars that drink and bathe at the water's edge, the pond is a welcoming oasis. Just as warmer waters bring the fish that provide the osprey with food, so it is that the warmer waters awaken the painted turtles of our pond. I saw them sunning themselves on a log for the first time today. They must sleep or that log with one eye open, for as I qui etly walked past them, they all slipped back into the cold water. Around the perimeter of the pond, in no great design, are willow trees. They are the first to leaf out in their light green. They will be the last to lose their eene come fall. I can remember starting these willows years ago when I pushed live branches into the wet mud. They rooted and now have grown to be V : l��x� ti n l� '"%Y:V Our most common freshwater turtles, painted turtles, are, like all turtles, cold - blooded creatures and hibernate in the mud of of As the weather warms up they come out of the cold water to warm up in the sun. I leave an old log for them to sun on. S"Dring's w kemu Spring is a never - ending game fol- lowing the sun northward and watch- ing the world come alive piece by piece. The lowly skunk cabbage_ of the freshwater swamps has alrea - somed with its large seed head 1" OC U S that it's been pro- tecting against Q N the cold and N AT U R frozen land by some mysterious by Pa ability to melt its way through the Stoutenbur icy grip of winter. And if that isn't one of nature's hi en talents, then how about the skunk cabbage's abil- ity to attract an insect during winter's cold to pollinate the blossom, thereby assuring the future of this large-leafed dweller of the marsh. . By now most have seen "their': first osprey. First one, then the other made its arrival this week in our area. It seemed to me it must have been their first meeting, for they continuall,. circled over the back pasture, all the time calling loudly to each other. Every once in a while one would land on my wind- mill, while the other circled and kept calling. When ospreys leave in the fall they don't stay together through the winter range, but each goes its separate way. When spring comes they again come together, rebuild their old nest and, if they're lucky, raise one or possibly two E rarely three or four, young; it all de -, pends on the abundance of fish. U When food is scarce and there's not gh enough to go around, the more power- ful young will kill the others or push them out of the nest. Sounds cruel but it is just those so -called "cruel" actions that have kept the osprey from becom ing extinct through the ages. When yoi: see your osprey, remember it's a sign fish are back in our creeks and bays. No fish — no osnrevs. len you see your prey, remember it's a fn fish are back in our reeks and Our little pond that some bU years ago was used to irrigate crops today acts as a mecca for birds of all sorts. From the rattling call of the perched kingfisher patiently waiting for a gold- fish to make its appearance, to the small green heron that for 10 years has used the pond as part of its source of food, to the great blue heron who, . with its slow and deliberate giant steps, pursues its evening meal, to the regu- lars that drink and bathe at the water's edge, the pond is a welcoming oasis. Just as warmer waters bring the fish that provide the osprey with food, so it is that the warmer waters awaken the painted turtles of our pond. I saw them sunning themselves on a log for the first time today. They must sleep or that log with one eye open, for as I qui etly walked past them, they all slipped back into the cold water. Around the perimeter of the pond, in no great design, are willow trees. They are the first to leaf out in their light green. They will be the last to lose their eene come fall. I can remember starting these willows years ago when I pushed live branches into the wet mud. They rooted and now have grown to be iffolk Times photos by Paul Stc ponds throughout the call 20- to 30 -f6ot trees. One year an orio e built its nest in'one of them — reason enough to plant a tree. The crows are at their harassing rou- tine of calling loudly and'darting in and around their archenemy, the resident great horned owl. Most great horned owls have had their young by now. As juveniles they carry a thick coat of light brown down, a sort of thermal jacket to protect them from the cold, as they are often left alone while the parents are off hunting. I just came in from closing up the chickens. I usually do it around dusk, but today my grandson's ballgame got the attention and so the late close -up. There's something special at dusk when the world starts to get ready to sleep. Dampness creeps in and the warmth of the day disappears and even a jacket feels good. It's a magical time of day. It's when the call of the newly arrived robin is most beautiful. Be one of the lucky ones tonight and step outside just be- ore dark and see if you can hear this pecial moment the robin has to offer. And why is it the robin's evenine song is one of L11C P 1-"L ­ • < ---- -- the robin is a member of the thrush family, which is known for its songs. Those of you who have spent time in the deep woods of the Adirondacks, the Catskills or, yes, even in the deep por- tions of our Long Island pine barrens have heard similar songs coming from the hermit thrush and wood thrush, other members of this musical family. My last entry has to do'with harle- quin ducks, those handsomely colored ducks of the wild and turbulent wa- ters that they seem to enjoy. They are usually seen around rocks, and the highest concentration of rocks around here are on the Sound in Southold at harlequins through the years, intro- duced me to these rarely seen winter ducks. Barbara and I needed to exer- cise so we used them as an excuse. We went to Horton's Point and down the long stairs to the bottom, then to the right and then to the left — but no har- lequin ducks. I must say, on the return, those long steps slowed me down, but the walk amongst the rocks and stones proved most invigorating. It would do for my day's exercise. So to you, Pep — we tried our best to make out your harlequins but only came up with mergansers, oldsquaws and a pair of mallards. cabbage is one of nature's first signs of spring. It has the ability when neces- sary to melt the surrounding ice or snow so it can put out its large green leaves before the surrounding trees shade it. Below: For the past 10 years this small r green heron has yV' used our pond to stalk goldfish for ' its young. We see it flying back and forth to its nest in the same woodlot year after year. Suffolk Times photos b Paul Stoutenhurnh