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December 03, 2009 - a who's who at the water's edge10A I DECEMBER 3, 2009 1 SUFFOLKTIMES.COM BARBARA AND PAUL STOUTNBURGH PHOTOS Left: This tricolored heron could often be seen running as it fed on its prey of fish and crustaceans. Right These willets, feasting at the waters edge, are easily identified by the black and white stripes visible under their wings when they fly. A who's who at the water's edge Some early morning business had had just passed through. When this us off and running and, as always, happens, migrating birds dori t fly but we were keeping our eyes out for come to land and spend their time anything of interest as we drove feeding. Sure enough, we found birds along. We've gotten so good at this all along the water's edge feeding on "finding the good spots" that it worms, eggs and a whole cupboard almost doesn't pay to spend more of high- protein food to make them time looking, since we have so many ready for the arduous flight south, good ones right near where they will spend our place in Florida. So FOCUS ON NATURE the winter. it was the morning we found one of our fa A by The sand we walked on was pockmarked vorite spots alive with ,, with fiddler crab holes. birds busy feeding. ti{ None of the crabs Out in the bay we showed themselves could see a school f, for the simple reason of mullet moving in they knew they could one great big mass PAULSFOUTENBURGH become someone's It reminded me of breakfast. Proof of that the schools of bunkers we see back were two willets, large shorebirds home doing the same thing. At home, with long bills, that called loudly as bluefish feed on the bunkers and the they flew in to join the feast. They fishermen here tell us the dolphins were easily identified by the strik- chase the mullet and feed on them. ing black and white markings under Both fish are filter feeders. their wings, which showed up clearly While we watched two fishermen as they flew in to land among the along the beach trying to snag the feeding piping plovers. mullet, we saw only ladyfish being We were glad to get this close to the caught. Ladyfish are cousins of the willets, as wed spent a lot of time this tarpon, and sometimes called the past year trying to photograph a pair poor man's tarpon. They're used for we assumed were nesting along the bait whole or cut up in chunks. Kids marsh past TWman's Beach in Orient, love to fish for ladyfish; the fish get feeding out on the mud flats. excited when caught and leap into We also saw 10 to 15 sanderlings. the air. They are easy to catch and One usually thinks of these small give kids a good day's fishing. shorebirds in flocks that fly as one, We knew there would be a good swooping and banking all in tight showing of migrating birds along the formation. Now there's a sight to see! beach because the tail end of a storm As we checked over the birds feeding h Holiday S6 ,, 20 % -40% OFIj ~ (Selected Items) Gift Baskets & Platters Gourmet Chocolates & Nuts a a (rig /sugar -free) Sitylt � "I OI POW Jr Jewelry Repair 0 * Exquisite Handbags& Scarves Gifts Unlimited �Ianderafied jewelry 11160 Main Rd., Matfituck 298 -1700 ®_ • Vext to Hess Gas Station) The ladyfish is fun for kids to catch, as it flies out of the water when hooked. When small it is used whole as bait but when big- ger it's cut into pieces. at the water's edge, we also saw a yel- lowlegs, a shorebird a bit smaller than the willet. Off in the distance we could hear the faint call of an osprey and I won- dered if it could be one of ours from the North Fork. Ospreys can be found as far south as central South America. They will spend the winter months fishing in the warm waters there until that mysterious urge sends them back north to meet with their mates. Then, as we searched the shoreline for any late arrivals, in flew the bird of the day: a male tricolored heron in full dress. It used to be known as the Louisiana heron. It landed close by and immediately went to work hunt- ing for small fish and crustaceans in the shallows. It was reasonably easy to photograph this wader, as it stalked the nearby water's edge. We only occasionally see this heron up north and when it does show up bird- ers are always there to check it out. When frightened, the tricolored heron doesn't always move, but holds its head high, showing the long white line on the underside of its neck— a good camouflage in the marsh grass- es. We've seen this type of camouflage before when biking the road around Shark Valley in Florida. We biked past a statued bittem with its head held high, its striped body camouflaging it in the tall grass. We rode back to photograph the bird, but couldn't find it, as its camouflage so perfectly dissolved it into its surroundings. �1t[ao atlIIL Prospective parents and students welcome. Please plan to stay forthe whole program, Tours, presentations and overview of program followed by Q & A with teachers and students. Formoreinformation and WRSVPpleasecnN Cheryl Built at (631) 537 -7068 en 100. IS I Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton, NY www.hayground.org DECEMBER 3, 2009 1 SUFFOLKTIMES.COM A who's who at the water's edge Some early morning business,had off and running and, as always, e were keeping our eyes out for rything of interest as we drove ong. We've gotten so good at this finding the good spots" that it most doesn't pay to spend more me looking, since we have so man good ones right near our place in Florida. So it was the morning we found one of our fa- vorite spots alive with birds busy feeding. Out in the bay we could see a school had just passed through. When this happens, migrating birds don't fly bul come to land and spend their time feeding. Sure enough, we found birds all along the water's edge feeding on worms, eggs and a whole cupboard of high - protein food to make them ready for the arduous flight south, where they will spend S ON NATU of mullet moving in one great big mass. PAUL ST It reminded me of the schools of bunkers we see back home doing the same thing. At hom( bluefish feed on the bunkers and the fishermen here tell us the dolphins chase the mullet and feed on them. Both fish are filter feeders. While we watched two fishermen along the beach trying to snag the mullet, we saw only ladyfish being caught. Ladyfish are cousins of the tarpon, and sometimes called the poor marls tarpon. They're used for bait whole or cut up in chunks. Kids love to fish for ladyfish; the fish get excited when caught and leap into the air. They are easy to catch and give kids a good day's fishing. We knew there would be a good showing of migrating birds along the the winter. The sand we walked on was pockmarked with fiddler crab holes. None of the crabs showed themselves for the simple reason they knew they could become someone's iiiWm�breakfast. Proof of that were two willets, large shorebirds with long bills, that called loudly as they flew in to join the feast. They were easily identified by the strik- ing black and white markings under their wings, which showed up clearly as they flew in to land among the feeding piping plovers. We were glad to get this close to the willets, as we'd spent a lot of time this past year trying to photograph a pair we assumed were nesting along the marsh past Truman's Beach in Orient, feeding out on the mud flats. We also saw 10 to 15 sanderlings. One usually thinks of these small shorebirds in flocks that fly as one, swooping and banking all in tight formation. Now there's a sight to see! As we checked over the birds feeding The ladyfish is fun for kids to catch, as flies out of the water when hooked. Whi smah it is used whole as bait but when bl ter it's cut into pieces. -- - -� Yv4LC1, euge, we also saw a yel- lowlegs, a shorebird a bit smaller than the willet. Off in the distance we could hear the faint call of an osprey and I won- dered if it could be one of ours from the North Fork. Ospreys can be found as far south as central South America. They will spend the winter months fishing in the warm waters there until that mysterious urge sends them Then, as we searched the shoreline for any late arrivals, in flew the bird of the day: a male tricolored heron in full dress. It used to be known as the Louisiana heron. It landed close by and immediately went to work hunt- ing for small fish and crustaceans in the shallows. It was reasonably easy to photograph this wader, as it stalked the nearby water's edge. We )nly occasionally see this heron up north and when it does show up bird - 'rs are always there to check it out. a °tl eron doesn't always move, but holds s head high, showing the long white ne on the underside of its neck — a c)od camouflage in the marsh grass- y. We've seen this type of camouflage efore when biking the road around hark Valley in Florida. We biked past statued bittern with its head held igh, its striped body camouflaging in the tall grass. We rode back to hotograph the bird, but couldn't nd it, as its camouflage so perfectly issolved it into its surroundings. U a V m W �S T o-0 v v J � a C Z _T 'ru Q ru a v m � v 00 Q) Q) Q) ro 3 Q) s ra ao c v .3 v v s r L ao v u N L V c b s 0 v a 0 42 b uo c .E C Lv c r v +1 N c v v t -0 3 C i 0 3 o 4a c � v� o O H CL �_ L n.