May 29, 2008 - May's wonderous warblersMay 29, 2008 • The Suffolk Times ay S
ffwondrous warl
ers
Suffolk Times photos by Paul and Barbara Stoutenburgh
its black- and -white warbler flew into our picture window while on its annual migration north. We picked
up and photographed it, and it wasn't long before it was on its way again, apparently unharmed. A
For a few short weeks in May there is an explo-
sion of small birds that pass through our area on
their annual migration north. These colorful jewels
challenge those who know them, for they are usual-
ly found high in the treetops and are almost always
on the move. Even then, it takes a skilled observer
to spot them with the best of binoculars. Who are
these invaders that dazzle us each spring with their
delicate colors? They are called the warblers.
There was a time when you could pick a day in
May and go out and count 20 or more of these little
warblers in a short time. Sorry to say, each year we
are seeing fewer and fewer of these bits of joy. The
reason is man has altered the
FOCUS environment that they rely on
for food and shelter. Today
ON I'm lucky if I see five or six
of these colorful birds dur-
N A T U R E ing' an early- morning walk in
by Paul the magical month of May:
Stoutenburgh Perhaps I might see a black-
and-white warbler, a yellow
warbler or a chestnut -sided
warbler on my walk; but nothing is guaranteed.
Warblers aren't the only ones that pass through
our area in the month of May. I had six telephone
calls from excited readers telling me about the
strange and beautiful bird that was eating seeds
from their feeder. What they were seeing were
rose - breasted grosbeaks. We were included in that
lucky group, having two gorgeous males at one
time at our feeder.
You'd have to go a long way to beat the extraor-
dinary color of the rose - breasted grosbeak. The
thing you notice first is the flashy raspberry- colorec
vest the male is wearing. Then your eye is caught bi
the bright black- and -white body colors that put hin
in a class all his own.
Usually I see these spring visitors about every
other year. Why so many sightings this year, I do
not know. What I do know is that we welcome
this visitor anytime. I have found its nest here
on the North Fork only once, as it's more likely
to be found nesting farther north. The female
is grayish -brown in color, a perfect camouflage
color for nesting.
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Suffolk Times photos by Paul and Barbara Stoutenburgh
its black- and -white warbler flew into our picture window while on its annual migration north. We picked
up and photographed it, and it wasn't long before it was on its way again, apparently unharmed. A
For a few short weeks in May there is an explo-
sion of small birds that pass through our area on
their annual migration north. These colorful jewels
challenge those who know them, for they are usual-
ly found high in the treetops and are almost always
on the move. Even then, it takes a skilled observer
to spot them with the best of binoculars. Who are
these invaders that dazzle us each spring with their
delicate colors? They are called the warblers.
There was a time when you could pick a day in
May and go out and count 20 or more of these little
warblers in a short time. Sorry to say, each year we
are seeing fewer and fewer of these bits of joy. The
reason is man has altered the
FOCUS environment that they rely on
for food and shelter. Today
ON I'm lucky if I see five or six
of these colorful birds dur-
N A T U R E ing' an early- morning walk in
by Paul the magical month of May:
Stoutenburgh Perhaps I might see a black-
and-white warbler, a yellow
warbler or a chestnut -sided
warbler on my walk; but nothing is guaranteed.
Warblers aren't the only ones that pass through
our area in the month of May. I had six telephone
calls from excited readers telling me about the
strange and beautiful bird that was eating seeds
from their feeder. What they were seeing were
rose - breasted grosbeaks. We were included in that
lucky group, having two gorgeous males at one
time at our feeder.
You'd have to go a long way to beat the extraor-
dinary color of the rose - breasted grosbeak. The
thing you notice first is the flashy raspberry- colorec
vest the male is wearing. Then your eye is caught bi
the bright black- and -white body colors that put hin
in a class all his own.
Usually I see these spring visitors about every
other year. Why so many sightings this year, I do
not know. What I do know is that we welcome
this visitor anytime. I have found its nest here
on the North Fork only once, as it's more likely
to be found nesting farther north. The female
is grayish -brown in color, a perfect camouflage
color for nesting.
'The other bit of news concerning the world
around us was when Barbara and I decided to
spend a night in Montauk and do some birding.
There's always something to see out there, particu-
larly if you drive out to the point, which we did.
Bright and early in the morning we pulled into the
parking lot and walked down to the water's edge
by the lighthouse to check the area for sea ducks,
which are usually found there, but to my surprise
there wasn't a duck in sight.
Then, almost under our nose swam 15 or so
common eider; some were in their striking breed-
This yellow warbler was photographed on its n
in a swamp in Mattituck. This is an easy v
bier to identify, for it is all yellow, as its na
implies.
1 i a
M
received six telephone calls about identifying
this brilliantly colored rose - breasted grosbeak.
The birds showed up at a number of local bird
feeders on their migration north.
mg attire. IN ever have 1 had such a front -row seat
to the eiders' world. Years ago when we were on
a cruise to Russia and the Scandinavian countries,
where we saw many of these eiders, I purchased a
rough -cut decoy of an eider, and it sits on my shell
among my other decoys.
These sea ducks are associated with the far
North, where they nest, and it's their eiderdown
the natives collect for market. This down is known
worldwide for its insulating qualities. Natives of
Hudson Bay -and Greenland, Iceland and other
islands have made a business enterprise collecting
the down from nests of these birds, always making
sure there is enough left to keep the eggs warm.
While in Finland I
bought this colorful
eider decoy signed by
a local craftsman.
The eider is a common
duck throughout the
�MI
A few of the warblers heading north on mign
stop-and nest; so it was with this chestnut -s
warbler I photographed nesting In Noyack. %
got my attention was its mate, chattering in
tress while trying to protect the nest from a i
.
L.
This yellow warbler was photographed on its n
in a swamp in Mattituck. This is an easy v
bier to identify, for it is all yellow, as its na
implies.
1 i a
M
received six telephone calls about identifying
this brilliantly colored rose - breasted grosbeak.
The birds showed up at a number of local bird
feeders on their migration north.
mg attire. IN ever have 1 had such a front -row seat
to the eiders' world. Years ago when we were on
a cruise to Russia and the Scandinavian countries,
where we saw many of these eiders, I purchased a
rough -cut decoy of an eider, and it sits on my shell
among my other decoys.
These sea ducks are associated with the far
North, where they nest, and it's their eiderdown
the natives collect for market. This down is known
worldwide for its insulating qualities. Natives of
Hudson Bay -and Greenland, Iceland and other
islands have made a business enterprise collecting
the down from nests of these birds, always making
sure there is enough left to keep the eggs warm.
While in Finland I
bought this colorful
eider decoy signed by
a local craftsman.
The eider is a common
duck throughout the
�MI
A few of the warblers heading north on mign
stop-and nest; so it was with this chestnut -s
warbler I photographed nesting In Noyack. %
got my attention was its mate, chattering in
tress while trying to protect the nest from a i