January 29, 2009 - This preserve is for the birdsJanuary 29, 2009 • The Suffolk Times • 11A
S001k Times photos by Barbara Stoutenburgh
Pelicans are seen in Florida quite regularly in the wintertime. The white pelicans are not as big as the brown pelicans, nor do they feed in the same way. The
brown pelican dives for its food, while the white pelican sifts through the water's surface with its pouched bill.
This preserve is for the birds
We recently picked up a small
pamphlet on "Binding Hot Spots" in
Florida, and in it we found a new place
near us called the Robinson Preserve.
This area was set up at one time for a
development of 400 homes with a golf
course and clubhouse.
After exploring many alternatives,
the owner of the property, William
Robinson, had second thoughts about
the development He consulted with the
DEC, local agriculturists and others, and
the more he heard about the property's
becoming a nature preserve instead of a
development, the more he liked it.
Today we have one of the finest pre-
serves for the public right in our area.
What a relief that must have been for
those who were going to be affected if
the area had be-
FOCUS come a housing
development.
ON We had visited
NATURE this area last
year and at that
by Paul time we were
Stoutenburgh only able to go
a short distance
before a sign told us to stop — no
entry. This year it is different; the
area has been turned into a 487 -acre
preserve with an asphalt trail winding
through it that is used by people of all
ages for biking, jogging, walking and,
yes, birding.
My son had come down from the cold
and snowy North to do some birding, so
naturally Barbara and I were anxious
to show him this new preserve, seeing it
was now complete. It didn't take us long
to get things together and we were oft
Knowing some of the birds would be
out of range of my binoculars, I brought
along my 20 -power spotting scope.
Roseate spoonbill
As we headed into the newly com-
pleted trail, it opened out onto some
mud flats, making it an ideal feeding
area for shorebirds and waders. Here
we saw yellow- crowned night her-
ons that are much more abundant in
Florida than up our way. We found
a group of white pelicans, their big
white bodies making them quite easy
to spot. The wood storks and great
white egrets also stood out against
the dark waters in which they were
hunting. We found a reddish egret, a
good wader to find. At one point we
saw the roseate spoonbill feeding by
swishing its spoon -like bill back and
forth. We even had white ibis, with
their long bills probing the water.
We were fortunate during the time
we were on the trail to have spotted one
lone white - rumped sandpiper, a bird
that usually travels with other shore-
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a
Yellow- crowned night heron
birds. It new as we watched it, showing
its white rump and giving off its high -
pitched mouseiike squeak as it (lees
The importance of having areas
like the Robinson Preserve for the
education and enjoyment of the public
was recognized by Mr. Robinson, the
owner. At the opening ceremonies
in 2008, he said, "I would encourage
other developers to take the same step,
to make sure — even if they are doing
a small development — to create some
space for the public. Once you develop
it and once you subdivide and put
homes on it, it's gone forever."
After wandering the trail for some
time and enjoying the area, as we
headed back across the bridge to leave
we came upon a group of birders.
They turned out to be participants in
the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for
this particular area, walking around
White - rumped sandpiper
in shorts and sneakers. Oh, how that
brought back memories of when I
headed up our Christmas Bird Count
years ago on the North Fork, where
our birders wore heavy boots, thermal
jackets and wool hats.
They called out to us, `Are you work-
ing on the CBC?" We said we weren't
and we asked how they were doing with
their count for the day.Their response
was that they weren't finding many
birds. Of course, we walked on smiling,
having just had a good day of binding,
seeing many unusual birds for us
So this is how we spend much of
our time down here in Florida. As I
mentioned before, we bought a little
booklet called'Birding Hot Spots,"
and in the future we will be taking you
to more of these interesting, produc-
tive areas to see what unusual birds we
can find down here in Florida.
January 29, 2009 • The Suffolk Times
This preserve
is for the bird
We recently picked up a small
pamphlet on "Binding Hot Spots" in
Florida, and in it we found a new place
near us called the Robinson Preserve.
This area was set up at one time.for a
development of 400 homes with a golf
course and clubhouse.
After exploring many alternatives,
the owner of the property, William
Robinson, had second thoughts about
the development. He consulted with the
DEC, local agriculturists and others, and
the more he heard about the property's
becoming a nature preserve instead of a
development, the more he liked it.
Today we have one of the finest pre-
serves for the public right in our area.,
What a relief that must have been for
those who were going to be affected iI'
the area had be-
Foc V S come a housing
development.
N We had visited
NATURE this area last
year.and at that
by Paul time we were
Stoutenburgh only able to go
a short distance
M
MIF � V,
before a sign told us to stop — no
entry. This year it is different; the
area has been turned into a 487 -acre
preserve with an asphalt trail winding
through it that is used by people of all
ages for biking, jogging, walking and,
yes, birding.
My son had come down from the cold
and snowy North to do some birding, so
naturally Barbara and I were anxious
to show him this new preserve, seeing it
was now complete. It didn't take us long
to get things together and we were off.
Knowing some of the birds would be
out of range of my binoculars, I brought
along my 20 -power spotting scope.
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headed into the newly, com-
ieted trail, it opened out onto. some
cud flats, making it an ideal feeding
-ea for shorebirds and waders. Here
e saw yellow- crowned night her -
ns that are much more abundant in
lorida than up our way. We found
group of white pelicans, their big
hite bodies making them quite easy
spot. The wood storks and great
hite egrets also stood out against
ie dark waters in which they were
anting. We found a reddish egret, a
god wader to find. At one point we
tw the roseate spoonbill feeding by
vishing its spoon -like bill back and
>rth. We even had white ibis, with
ieir long bills probing the water.
We were fortunate during the time
e were on the trail to have spotted one
ine white - rumped sandpiper, a bird
iat usuallv travels with other shore-
White- rumped sand
Roseate spoonbill
rds. It flew as we watched it, showing
> white rump and giving off its high -
tched mouselike squeak as it flew.
The importance of having areas
ce the Robinson Preserve for the
iucation and enjoyment of the public
as recognized by Mr. Robinson, the
caner. At the opening ceremonies
2008, he said, "I would encourage
ther developers to take the same step,
make sure — even if they are doing
small development — to create some
)ace for the public. Once.you develop
and once you subdivide and put
omes on it, it's gone forever."
After wandering the trail for some
me and enjoying the area, as we
eaded back across the bridge to leave
,e came upon a group of birders.
hey turned out to be participants in
ie Christmas Bird Count (CBQ for
its particular area, walking around
in shorts hnd sneakers. Oh, how that
brought back memories of when I
headed up our Christmas Bird Count
years ago on the North Fork, where
our birders wore heavy boots, thermal
jackets and wool hats.
They called out to us, "Are you work-
ing on the CBC ?" We said we weren't
and we asked how they were doing with
their count for the day. Their response
was that they weren't finding many
birds. Of course, we walked on smiling,
having just had a good day of birding,
seeing many unusual birds for us.
So this is how we spend much of
our time down here in Florida. As I
mentioned before, we bought a little
booklet called `Girding Hot Spots,"
and in the future we will be taking you
to more of these interesting, produc-
tive areas to see what unusual birds we
can find down here in Florida.
Yellow- crowned night heron