July 16, 2009 - South Shore sights in the sunshineSUFFOLKTIMES.COM I JULY 16, 2009
South Shore
siRhts'1*n the sunshine
When the sun finally came out after what
eemed like months of rain and just plain miser-
able weather, we decided to take a ride and see
ow the world had survived all the rain.
The first thing we noticed was that some
things go on no matter what the weather;
nature never stops. A perfect example was a
chickadee that had hatched its young in a box
we had nailed to the side of the house. It was re
markable how much feeding went on no mattes
what the weather.
And while we were checking over our chicka-
dees' activities, we couldn't help but notice our
two goldfish in the pond after their long winter's
sleep. They were starting to move about as if the3
were enjoying their world of water.
By now the bare branches on all our trees and
bushes have opened,up their buds into leaves
and we are in a lush world of green.
It is surprising how a couple of bright, sunny
days can change everyone's attitude, including
our own. Now with the sun out we were in a dif-
ferent mood as we headed for the South Shore vi
the North and South ferries.
While on the ferry we saw the dark, streamline
body of a cormorant flying low over the water. It
is surprising how efficient these skilled divers car
be at catching fish. They have now established
themselves on, Gardiners Island, where more that
600 pairs can be found nesting.
It is a pleasant ferry ride from Greenport to
Shelter Island. We never tire of checking the
docks to see some new schooner or some mil-
lion- dollar yacht tied up there. There is so much
history attached to that maritime community
— early explorers, shipbuilding, fishing trawlers.
just to mention a tew.
Once across Moth ferries we wound through the
back roads of Sag Harbor and eventually trav-
eled that long stretch of pine barrens into East
Hampton. I remember once, while traveling this
same route, seeing a ruffed grouse that had been
killed on the road. I stopped to examine it for T
thought it might be
FOCUS ON NATURE the last one I'd ever
see here on Long
Island. According
to Department of
Environmental
Conservation infor-
mation, the ruffed
grouse populations
PAUL STOUTENBURGH . on Long Island are
very spotty and the
•hunting seasons have been closed to protect the
remaining populations.
It was &shame to see this beautiful bird that
had succumbed to the busy highway. Grouse are
a true symbol of Long Island's wilderness past.
Listed as a game bird, grouse are smaller than
a chicken, with brown -leaf coloring that makes
them almost impossible to see on the forest floor.
Should you be walking through grouse country
in the woods, they might explode from under
your feet in a flurry of beating wings, leaving you
scratching your head as to what just went on.
The ruffed grouse is probably best known for the
male's courtship behavior of drumming its wings
to attract a mate.
Leaving East Hampton, we headed east
through Amagansett on that long stretch of pines
and dunes and then we were on our wav to Mon-
tauk. We began to notice patches of daisies grow-
ing along the roadsides. It reminded us of when
our kids used to pick daisies and string them into
a crown or halo. "She loves me. She loves me not.'
It still works today for those who believe.
Years ago we knew of secret places along this
highway where you could pick cranberries. All
you had to do was remember the number on the
telephone pole and then, just a little off the road,
there they'd be.
The time we remember most was the time oui
golden retriever Hickory went with us. When we
returned to the car she was covered with tiny
ticks. Ticks are still around, especially at this
time of the year, so beware and check yourself
every day.
Then there was another "secret spot" in back
of Goff Point in Montauk where we'd pick beach
plums. Driving home you could almost taste
those berries that Barbara's magical touch would
transform into the finest beach plum jelly ever.
These memories go back to 1951, when we spent
a weekend tenting there. Beach plums were all
around us, so before we left we filled a bucket
with some. But they came with a price — it was so
hot we often had to dip into the water to cool off,
but it was well worth it. There's something extra
special about the taste of homemade beach plum
jelly from berries you picked yourself.
I'm sure many of you have these same sorts
of memories. We still .go back to walk the same
beaches where we camped, visit the boats that
come in after a day's fishing and look forward to
the sound of the surf after a long day, but now we
do it in a comfortable motel room instead of in a
tent as we did so manv times vears aeo.
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