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March 01, 2007 - Birding along the beachThe Suffolk Times • March 1, 2007.7A Birding along the beach We try to get some walking in each day, and so today we were off to one of the seaside parks the county provides for its citizens. This being a weekday, most people were at work, leaving the beaches practically empty. The sand down here in Florida packs so tightly that on some beaches you can drive almost anywhere you like. We'll head for an area just off the main highway, where yesterday we saw some birds that looked interesting. This FOCUS is lazy man's ON birding, for we bird right from NATURE the car. Later on well do our by paul walking Stout nburgh Usully we see tots of small birds along the water's edge, but today we found only a smat- tering of those long-distance travelers There were six or eight sanderiings, those small, sparrow -size runners of the waves' edge. It's on this cycle of wave action that small creatures of all sorts strain out minute particles of food from the wa- ter. It's then that the sanderlings and other shorebirds feed on these tiny creatures They'll give up their foraging along the waves' edge should a more rewarding food source turn up, such as sand fleas or other bits of nourishment farther up the beach. Barbara's sharp eyes saw something interesting up by the bridge piling, so she left with camera ready. I lost sight of her, but I knew shemould be busy, for as I watched through my binocu- lars, two oystercatchers flew toward the area where she was headed. Oystercatchers are handsome black - and- white, dove -size shorebirds that can't be missed. They have a large, colorful, red -orange knifelike bill that they use most expertly in flipping over stones and shells to reveal choice bits of nutrients the specialized bill allows the oystercatchers to slip into a partial- ly opened bivalve (oyster, mussel, etc.), cut the muscle and eat the contents We have oystercatchers nesting out at Orient Beach State Park and on Robins Island Their nests are slight depressions in the sand on the high beach. Their eggs are so beautifully colored that they blend in perfectly with the sand and stones Many's the time I've tried to find a nest, thinking I knew exactly where it VILLAGE Under New Ownership Theresa Pagano Main Road, Southold next to Town Hall 765 -1999 Open Tues. - Sat., 9 -5 or by a Suffolk Times photos by Barbara Stoulenburgh Left: This large, colorful oystercatcher has a unique knifelike bill that can slip Into bivalves, cut the muscle and get at the contents. Right: This small sanderling, a sand - colored, sparrow -size shorebird, is probably the most recognized of all shore- birds. it's the one that we see following the receding waves, Its feet moving so fast it's almost impossible to see them. was, only to give up because I couldn't locate it in the nubble of the beach. When oystercatchers are surprised by an intruder, they fly off low over the water, calling to each other. Their distinct call is loud and clear. They'll come back to the nest only when the intruder has passed. The oystercatchers that landed up by Barbara I'm sure she must have seen. I could just imagine her bent over, stalk- ing them as they worked amongst the rocks below. In the meantime, I watched an ever - present game of survival unfold right in front of me. A sanderling that was feeding along the shoreline came up with a long worm. Immediately, two laughing grills flew in and tried to take it away. The little sanderling wasn't go- ing to let either of them have his worm First it ran, then it flew,zig- zagged, dipped and swung to the left, then to the right; all the time the gulls were swooping down, trying to get at the dangling worm. Somehow the sander - ling out - maneuvered them. They soon gave up and went back up the beach, leaving the sanderling to its well-de- served worm. We see these attacks of robbery often. It's a trait of these hungry gulls that are always around looking for an easy meal. Another example of this tactic is when the pelican has had a good dive and comes up with its prize anent • WALK -INS WELCOME dangling out of its pouch. The pelican will try to work the catch to the proper position for swallowing, and the laugh- ing gulls see this as an opportune time to get a free meal. They will often hover right over the pelican and try to take whatever it has caught. I've even seen these gulls, in order to get closer to the prize, land on the pelican's head and jab away, trying to dislodge some of the catch. The laughing gulls will also play this game of robbery when mergansers and cormorants surface with food in their bills. This battle for food is serious busi- ness, and the one who is clever enough to outsmart the other has the best chance of survival. Our day was spent roaming the beaches in the land of sunshine; Bar- bara with her camera, me with my bin- oculars Yet I must be honest — there are some days we don't speak of, wind and cold can slip in and make us put on another layer of clothes. But those days are soon forgotten. North Fork Stitches says: Don't miss our March classes, workshops, and knitalongs! • Weekday classes in snaking socks ... a suede knitting bag... plus baby booties, hat, and an adorable baby bolero. -Thursday afternoon "first sweater" class. • Wednesday evening classes where you create fashionable spring accessories, including a chic flower pin ... cabled handbag... or ribbon shawl. • Friday afternoon Drop Spindle Workshop. • Plus, knitalongs for a lace sweater ... folk vest.. , womaris coat... lace shawl ... knitted *ban or crocheted baby blanket. North Pork Stitches willbe closed for inve ntoryonTu s sy,Match6 North Fork Stitchestont&inRwdat the t;&in cumbague, 765 -6730 • wwwnorthforkstitches.com open TeresdaySatvrday, ro s.m-5 pm • Closed Sunday 6: Monday » ' 'Window Treatments - Shutters 41 phoLstery & Drapery Won(roonn Extensive Fa6rie Collection Waft rb' yfoor Coverings J7 Guhions - Pillows - Bedding Sine Fu nature &Accwoties Wallace outdoor Teak Furnitare 10V Interior Design Seruiees 00 t�terpou�as window fashia»s �� 4h'sit our showroom 6 days a neekat 44500 Route 48, Southv(d 631. 7653890 www.wallamhdw{q.wm The Suffolk Times • March 1, 200 131rdi n along the beach .n, ,,, ilex .• . ^H"w+ +yam �.y�' ,nom u Suffolk Times photos by Barbara Stoutenburgh t: This large, colorful oystercatcher has a unique knifelike bill that can slip into bivalves, cut the muscle and get at the dents. Right: This small sanderling, a sand - colored, sparrow -size shorebird, is probably the most recognized of all shore - is- It's the one that we see following the receding waves, its feet moving so fast it's almost impossible to see them. We try to get some walking in each day, and so today we were off oone the seaside parks the county Provides for its citizens. This being a weekday, most people were at work, leaving the beaches practically empty. Me sand down here in Florida pack so tightly that on some beaches you can drive almost anywhere you like. We'll head for an area just off the mai hiahway. where yesterday we saw son interesting. This FOCUS is lazy man's birding, for we O N bird right from NATURE the car. Later on well do our Y Paul walkin Stoutenburgh Usually we see lots of small bird, alonp- the water's we tering of those long - distance travelers. There were six or eight sanderlings, those small, sparrow -size runners of the waves' edge. It's on this cycle of wave.action that small creatures of all sorts strain out minute particles of food from the wa- ter. It's then that the sanderlings and other shorebirds feed on these tiny creatures. They'll give up their foraging along the waves' edge should a more rewarding food source turn up, such as sand fleas or other bits of nourishment farther up the beach. Barbara's sharp eyes saw something interesting up by the bridge .piling, so she left with camera ready. I lost sight of her, but I knew she would be busy, for as I watched through my binocu- lars, two oystercatchers flew toward the area where she was headed. Oystercatchers are handsome black - and- white, dove -size shorebirds that can't be missed. They have a large, colorful, red - orange knifelike bill that they use most expertly in flipping over stones and shells to reveal choice bits of nutrients. The specialized bill allows the oystercatchers to slip into a partial- ly opened bivalve (oyster, mussel, etc.), cut the muscle and eat the contents. We have oystercatchers nesting out at Orient Beach State Park and on Robins Island. Their nests are slight depressions in the sand on the high beach. Their eggs are so beautifully colored that they blend in perfectly with the sand and stones. Many's the time I've tried to find a nest, thinking I knew exactly where it was, only to give up because I coul dn't locate it in the rubble of the beach. When oystercatchers are surprised by an intruder, they fly off low over the water, calling to each other. Their distinct call is loud and clear. They'll come back to the nest only when the intruder has passed. The oystercatchers that landed up by Barbara I'm sure she must have seen. I could just imagine her bent over, stalk- ing them as they worked amongst the rocks below. In the meantime, I watched an ever - present game of survival unfold right in front of me. A sanderling that was feeding along the shoreline came up with a long worm. Immediately, two laughing gulls flew in and tried to take it away. The little sanderling wasn't go- ing to let either of them have his worm First it ran, then it flew, zig- zagged, dipped and swung to the left, then to the right; all the time the gulls were swooping down, trying to get at the dangling worm. Somehow the sander - ling out - maneuvered them. They soon gave up and went back up the beach, leaving the sanderling to its well-de- served worm. We see these attacks of robbery often. It's a trait of these hungry gulls that are always around looking for an easy meal, Another example of this tactic is when the pelican has had a good dive and comes up with its prize dangling out of its pouch. The pelican will try to work the catch to the proper position for swallowing, and the laugh- ing gulls see this as an opportune time to get a free meal. They will often hover right over the pelican and try to take whatever it has caught. I've even seen these gulls, in order to get closer to the prize, land on the pelican's head and jab away, trying to dislodge some of the catch. The laughing gulls will also play this game of robbery when mergansers and cormorants surface with food in their bills. This battle for food is serious busi- ness, and the one who is clever enough to outsmart the other has the best chance of survival. Our day was spent roaming the beaches in the land of sunshine; Bar- bara with her camera, me with my bin- oculars. Yet I must be honest — there are some days we don't speak of; wind and cold can slip in and make us put on another layer of clothes. But those days are soon forgotten.