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February 26, 2009 - Searching for cattle & cranesell 0 nearchiing for We are on one of those long, sandy islands that he west of mainland Flor- ida.There is a bridge to the mainland. When the wind is just right and we cross over the bridge, we often have a pelican or a gull flying right alongside us Somehow they know how to take advantage of the turbulence created by the bridge and they seem to float right alongside our car. Often I feel like I could reach out and touch one of them. In the evening we enjoy the bridge when it is all lit up in carnival fashion; add the moving cars with their red and white lights as they travel back and forth and the bridge becomes a spec- tacle to see. These events coupled with the everyday openings and closings of the bridge to let the inland boat traffic pass through give FOCUS us a never-ending view of our O N changing world. NATURE We often leave our beach home by Paul for one reason Stoutenburgh or another and have to travel over the bridge. Just the other day we headed east in hopes of seeing some of the Florida countryside. We almost got lost at one point because of all the construction, but we eventually found ourselves in cattle country. We were sorry to see great chunks of farmland being bought up for housing developments At one time this area was cattle country. We could see rem- nants of those days with an occasional old rusty piece of farm machinery left lying in the fields. This area reminds us of what we've seen on Lang Island; farmland losing out to development. We looked over every field in hopes of seeing some bird life. As we threaded our way through the back country, we started to see more and more of the cattle that Florida was once well known for. On we went, slowing down at every open field in hopes of seeing some of the bird life that was mentioned in the little birding pamphlet "Florida Hotspots" It suggested that in this area we might find Eastern meadowlarks, sandhill cranes, red - winged blackbirds, loggerhead shrikes, burrowing owls and maybe some raptors (hawks). We finally came to a field with cattle grazing where, much to our de- light, we spotted four sandhill cranes. "Pull over! Stop! Cameras ready!" Barbara and I started clicking away February 26, 2009 • The Suffolk Times • 9A Cattle & cranes kawx p 41 v, Y Su((ol;c Times photo by Barbara Stouto"tmgh We were fascinated by the trumpet- ing cries and antics of the sandhill cranes, seen here calling, bills point- ed upward. Their calls can be heard for miles around. at these magnificent cranes even be- fore getting out of the car. They paid little attention to us, so finally we felt at ease and moved about. We must have spent an hour or so there, mesmerized by their antics, their raucous calls and the clacking of their bills They made our day. Even- tually their calls aroused two others, FScholar-in-Residence ple Israel of Riverhead William Siemers, Rabbi Weekend Join usfor Shabbat services, 7 -28, 2009 Friday dinner, Saturday lancheon. Paid reservations required for dinner after the Judaism and the 6.00pm. Friday services and for lunch after the 9:00 Supernatural aon. Saturday services. For reservations, please cal[ Do You Believe in Angels? Miracles? W, by March 12. Presrntcd io .—.,y of Rabbi Abraham Eckstein Ira .v R —heue, MD Rabbi Emeritus, Little Neck Jewish Center a A COnservatgu e9a /aanan Nngregatian. We tvekatne gLesls 490 Northville Ri a al Ostrander Ave. P.O. Box 1531, 531, Riverhead, NV 119Dt — .TemplelstaelRiverhead.org (631) 727 -3191 Much of Florida's vast cattle country, where sandhill cranes can be found, has been bought up for development. Sandhill crane numbers diminish as their habitat diminishes. If you find a field of cattle, you might be visited by some sandhill cranes sooner or later. Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh some distance away, that soon came We ate dinner and shortly thereafter flying in. They gave us a great close- went to bed. About 12 o'clock Barbara up show of cranes in flight. woke me because of a strange sound The sandhill crane is a magnificent she heard. We lay there straining our bird. The adults stand over four feet ears to pick up the mysterious call high, and with a wingspan reaching 6 again. There it was. There was some - 1/2 feet across they are an impressive thing weird about it. It was a call we'd sight. This tall, gray bird has a lifespan have to track down in the morning. in the wild of 20 to 25 years. The sexes After a hearty breakfast at dawn, look alike. Once paired, the cranes Barbara squared away the camper mate for life. while I headed out to see if I could The only other bird in North America find the mysterious caller. Bits and that somewhat rivals the sandhill crane pieces of the call could be heard in looks is the common great blue heron every few minutes I did some of my we see around our creeks It stands a best stalking as I headed in the direc- foot shorter than the sandhill crane and tion of the sound. Soon it was so loud lacks the red top notch on its head.The I expected I might see some alien voice of the great blue heron is a low, creature any minute. guttural sound whereas the call of the Then I finally saw the reason for sandhill crane is loud and primitive and all the ruckus It was a baby sandhill can be heard a mile or more away. crane, a colt standing below its proud My first experience with sandhill parents It was a fuzzy, reddish -brown cranes was when we were camping bit of fluff that had probably hatched out West. We had read how thousands during the night. Lying on my stom- of cranes stop at the Platte River in ach with my binoculars focused on Nebraska on their annual migration. the baby crane's parents, I watched as Some say up to 450,000. Sorry to say, they jumped up and down with their we arrived too late to witness the spec- heads thrown back going through their tacle of their passing through. After bill- clacking ritual, probably telling the exploring every possible place they world of their new arrival. might have been, we had to "give up What a thrill! I'll never forget that the chase" and continue our trip. We call or the antics of the proud parents looked over our list of camps, picked I did a reverse maneuver and headed out one and headed for it. It was the back to the camper, where Barbara worst campsite you could imagine but was eagerly waiting to hear about my it was only for overnight, so we took it early- morning adventure. 00 FT, F ­ 1, , rT, y February 26, 2009 • The Suffolk Times • 9A Searching' for cattle chi cranes Much of Florida's �, wlll vast cattle country, where sandhill cranes can be found, has U been bought p for development. Sandhill crane nNMyiu �t numbers diminish .u,, i ',A n Ua�/ dl �N��rj� ii n '� �n a ,a . ,gym f i ixA ,p p u w "' � '�, � �� w� � „��� + � as their habitat diminishes. If 1r ;y �ti �� "� � ��4 � i�" iH r Mri, you find a field of M' IN Mb: �i fir+ nM+lwWw G r iF�y � � cattle, you might ti ,6 �, N " �, f, gym, °� tf 9 �'�rr���'��� ri �� �� %� be visited by som �� '�;O�pyrn .Aµ ��� "�Wm?��� p ��yu ' m m "``' '•� sandhill cranes sooner or later. Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburah We are on one of those long, sandy islands that lie west of mainland Flor- ida. There is a bridge to the mainland. When the wind is just right and we cross over the bridge, we often have a pelican or a gull flying right alongside us. Somehow they know how to take advantage of the turbulence created by the bridge and they seem to float right alongside our car. Often I feel like I could reach out and touch one of them. In the evening we enjoy the bridge when it is all lit up in carnival fashion; add the moving cars with their red and white lights as they travel back and forth and the bridge becomes a spec - tacle to see. These events coupled with the everyday openings and closings of the bridge to let the inland boat traffic pass mrougn give Focus us a never - ending view of our ON changing world. NATURE We often leave our beach home by Paul for one reason Stoutenburgh or another and have to travel over the bridge. Just the other day we headed east in hopes of seeing some of the Florida countryside. We almost got lost at one point because of all the construction, but we eventually found ourselves in cattle country. We were sorry to see great chunks of farmland being bought up for housing developments. At one time this area was cattle country. We could see rem- pants of those days with an occasiona old rusty piece of farm machinery left lying in the fields. This area reminds us of what we've seen on Long Island; farmland losing out to development. We looked- over every field in hopes of seeing some bird life. As we. threaded our way through the back country, we started to see more and more of the cattle that.Florida was once well known for. On we went, slowing down at every .open field in hopes of seeing some of the bird life that was mentioned in the little birding pamphlet "Florida Hotspots." It suggested that in this area we might find Eastern meadowlarks, sandhill cranes, red- winged blackbirds, loggerhead shrikes, burrowing owls and maybe some raptors (hawks). We. finally came to afield with cattle grazing where, much to our de- light, we spotted four sandhill cranes. "Pull over! Stop! Cameras ready!" Barbara and I started clicking away at these magnificent cranes even be- fore getting out of the car. They paid little attention to us, so finally we felt at ease and moved about. We must have spent an hour or so there, mesmerized by their antics, their raucous calls and the clacking of their bills. They made our day. Even- tually their calls aroused two others, Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh We were fascinated by the trumpet- ing cries and antics of the sandhill cranes, seen here calling, bills point- ed upward. Their calls can be heard for miles around. ome istance away, that soon came flying in. They gave us a great close - up show of cranes in flight. The sandhill crane is a magnificent bird. The adults stand over four feet high, and with a wingspan reaching 6 1/2 feet across they are an impressive sight. This tall, gray. bird has a lifespa in the wild of 20 to 25 years. The sexes look alike. Once paired, the cranes mate for life. The only other bird in North America that somewhat rivals the sandhill crane in looks is the common great blue heron we see around our creeks. It stands a foot shorter than the sandhill crane and lacks the red top notch on its head. The voice of the great blue heron is a low, guttural sound whereas the call of the sandhill crane is loud and primitive and can be heard a mile or more away. My first experience with sandhill cranes was when we were camping out West. We had read how thousands of cranes stop at the Platte River in Nebraska on their annual migration. Some say up to 450,000. Sorry to say, we arrived too late to witness the spec tacle of their passing through. After exploring every possible place they might have been, we had to "give up the chase" and continue our trip. We looked over our list of camps, picked out one and headed for it. It was the worst campsite you could imagine but it was only for overnight, so we took it. We ate dinner ands orfFy-Triereatter Went to bed. About 12 o'clock Barbara woke me because of a strange sound she heard. We lay there straining our ears to pick up the mysterious call again. There it was. There was some- thing weird about it. It was a call we'd have to track down in the morning. After a hearty breakfast at dawn, Barbara squared away the camper while I headed out to see if I could find the mysterious caller. Bits and pieces of the call could be heard every few minutes. I did some of my best stalking as I headed in the direc- tion of the sound. Soon it was so loud I expected I might see some alien creature any minute. Then I finally saw the reason for all the ruckus. It was a baby sandhill crane, a colt standing below its proud parents. It was a fuzzy, reddish -brown bit of fluff that had probably hatched during the night. Lying on my stom- ach with my binoculars focused on the baby crane's parents, I watched as they jumped up and down with their. heads thrown back going through their bill- clacking ritual, probably telling the world of their new arrival. What a thrill! I'll never forget that call or the antics of the proud parents. I did a reverse maneuver and headed back to the camper, where Barbara was eagerly waiting to hear about my earlv- mornine adventure.