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November 24, 2005 - Bird sightings of the southI OA • The Suffolk Times • November 24, 2005 Bir h south WE'RE AT ouR LrrrLE retreat on the Gulf down here in Florida, busy try- ing to get it in shape so the kids and grandkids can come down whenever they get a break in their busy world. While taking care of all the little jobs there are to do, it's surprising how many simple things continually draw our attention away from our work. Take today, for instance. Just out - side our window, Focus a little bird is working its way ON through the grasses. It has a NATURE pointed bill, in by Paul contrast to the Stoutenbur h thick, heavy bill g of the seed eat- ' "— ers. It's got an eye streak, meaning a tight coloring of feathers over the eye, and it has two bars of light coloring on its wings. I tell you this to show how we identify various birds We put all these bits of information together and they tell us this bird's got to be a warbler of one sort or another. And then, the key to the whole puzzle is its bobbing tail. It's either a palm warbler or a pine warbler, and we reckon it to be the palm warbler. Out on the pilings of the dock are big terns and laughing gulls that are always looking for something to eat. The gulls are the same ones we see in the Sound and in our bays back home. Each year we seem to be getting more and more of these visitors from the South. The big terns are called Caspian terns They have an entirely different call than our smaller com- mon terns Usually you will hear them before you see them. These terns are twice the size of our local terns, plus they have a large, blood -red bill. It's a treat to see these big terns up close. Like our local terns, they scan the water in search of feeding fish below. Then it's an all -out dash to get to where the action is before the feeding frenzy moves away. The Royal tern has a tuft on its head, which is quite easy to see, but it's the Caspian tern that sits on t post of the dock and waits for something to move, an then it's off and drops into the water to catch its meal. A couple of weeks ago I spoke about the fish crows. Oh, what noisy birds! They actu- ally wake you in the morning with their raspy call. We have an osprey down here that often sits on the masthead of a sailboat in the nearby marina. I wonder if it is a resident osprey or one passing through from the North. They are always a joy to see and bring back so many wonderful memories of working with these handsome fish hawks, which were once almost driven to extinction by pesticides The most common bird along the inland waterway and along the Gulf coast is the laughing gulL They are everywhere. If you throw a few crumbs or something of that sort out your door, you will immediately have 10 or 20 of these screaming, fighting, chas- ing gulls all trying for a bit of 'Hey, Barbara, George is here again for his afternoon snack: On the right, you can see me feeding George at the doorstep. the handout. They are in their winter plumage now, just as we see them along our Sound shores. So many of the birds we are seeing here we also see on our North Fork. Ile always - present cormorant can be seen diving, swimming half sub. merged and then diving again. Every once in a while you'll see one come up with a small fish of some sort, throw its head back mud down the fish goes When it gets its belly full, it will sit on the pilings and preen itself or open its wings to let the warmth of the 86-de- gree temperature dry them out. Probably the most exciting bird I see in the top of the wild tamarind tree across the street is the little kestrel, or, as we used to call it, the sparrow hawk. They were common years ago but not so today. Up to two or three, or maybe five, years ago, you could always spot a kestrel sit- ting on a telephone wire, searching the ground below for grasshoppers or a vole, a mouse or a beetle of some sort. They were always around. What's going on with our little kestrel? We went down to one of the local piers that juts out into the inland waterway to have lunch and while we were eating a dolphin jumped out of the water completely — and I mean completely — and landed with a terrific splash a few feet away. As we walked out on the pier, four manatees swam beneath it on their slow migration south. We were the lucky ones that day to have been at the right spot at the right time. Our two weeks have gone he d `That's a tasty morsel. Thank you, is there any more ?' by so quickly and today we are on our way home. But first we must tell you about "George," the great white egret. I'm not sure if it's a he or a she; what I do know is that it turns up at our doorstep every afternoon for a hand- out. I've photographed this handsome white sentinel of our creeks many times at home, but it's a wary bird that usually flies away when approached, so you can see why I was delighted when it showed up at our doorstep. Never before had I been so close to this marsh stalker. I've often watched one through my binoculars as it slowly and deliberately moved This is the same species of white egret that visits our creeks and marshes on its annual migration. Here in Florida, 'George' has learned the easy way to get a meal. SWFOIk Times piwtos by Barbara SiWlanburgh one foot and gently placed it in po- sition for the next step. Now I was seeing that same deliberate move- ment a mere five feet away from me. How black and polished its legs and feet are, in sharp contrast to its pure white body. What fascinated us most was the head, with its long and pointed bill, and those yellow eyes that never seemed to leave you. I finally gave in and sat by the door and threw a few pieces of leftover food that was im- mediately picked up, shaken briefly and swallowed. And so George be- came our afternoon visitor. What he did the rest of the day, I'll never know. The Suffolk Times • November 24, 2 Bird sightings of the Bout `Hey, Barbara, George Is here again for his afternoon snack: On the right, you can see me feeding George at the WE'RE AT OUR LrrrLB retreat on the Gulf down here in Florida, busy try- ing to get it in shape so the kids and grandkids can come down whenever they get a break in their busy world. While taking care of all the little jobs there are to do, it's surprising how many simple things continually draw our attention away from our work. Take today, for instance. Just out- side our windom FOCUS a little bird is working its way ON through the grasses. It has a NATURE pointed bill, in by Paul contrast to the thick, heavy bill Stoutenburgh of the seed eat- ers. it s got an eye streak, meaning a light coloring o feathers over the eye, and it has two bars of light coloring on its wings. I tell you this to show how we identify various birds. We put all these bits of information together and they tell us this bird's got to be a warbler of one sort or another. And then, the key to the whole puzzle is its bobbing tail. It's either a palm warbler or a pine warbler, and we reckon it to be the palm warbler. Out on the pilings of the dock are big terns and laughing gulls that are always looking for something to eat. The gulls are the same ones we see in the Sound and in our bays back home Each year we seem to be getting more and more of these visitors from This is the same species of white egret that visits our creeks and marshes on its annual migration. Here in Florida, `George' has learned the easy way to get a meal. Suffolk Times photos by Barbara Stoutenburgh the South. The big terns are called Caspian terns. They have an entirely different call than our smaller com- mon terns. Usually you will hear them before you see them. These terns are twice the size of our local terns, plus they have 'a large, blood -red bill. It's a treat to see these big terns up close. Like our local terns, they scan the water in search of feeding fish below. Then it's an all-out dash to get to where the action is before the feeding frenzy moves away. The Royal tern has a tuft on its head, which is quite easy to see, but it's the q Caspian tern that sits on the post of the dock and waits for something to move, and then it's off and drops into the water to catch its meal. A couple of weeks ago I spoke about the fish crows. Oh, what noisy birds! They actu- ally wake you in the morning with their raspy call. We have an osprey down here that often sits on the masthead of a sailboat in the nearby marina. I wonder if it is a resident osprey or one passing through from the North. They are always a joy to see and bring back so many wonderful memories of working with these handsome fish hawks, which. were once almost driven to extinction by pesticides. The most common bird along the inland waterway and along the Gulf coast is the laughing gull. They are everywhere. If you throw a few crumbs or something of that sort out your door, you will immediately have 10 or 20 of these screaming, fighting, chas- ing gulls all trying for a bit of LIM nanuout. i ney are m their winter plumage now, just as we see them along our Sound shores. So many of the birds we are seeing here we also see on our North Fork. The always - present cormorant can be seen diving, swimming half sub- merged and then diving again. Every once in a while_ you'll see one come up with a small fish of some sort, throw its head back and down the fish goes. When it gets its belly full, it will sit on the pilings and preen itself or open its wings to let the warmth of the 86 -de- gree temperature dry them out. Probably the most exciting bird I see in the top of the wild tamarind tree across the street is the little kestrel, or, as we used to call it, the sparrow hawk. i ney were common years ago but not so today. Up to two or three, or maybe five, years ago, you could always spot a kestrel sit- ting on a telephone wire, searching the ground below for grasshoppers or a vole, a mouse or a beetle of some sort. They were always around. What's going on with our little kestrel? We went down to one of the local piers that juts out into the inland waterway to have lunch and while we were eating a dolphin jumped out of the water completely — and I mean completely — and landed with a terrific splash a few feet away. As we walked out on the pier, four manatees swam beneath it on their slow migration south. We were the lucky ones that day to have been at the right spot at the right time. Our two weeks have gone `That's a tasty morsel. Thank you. Is there any more ?' I y om yul%,aiy a,iu wuay we are on our ay home. But first we must tell you bout "George," the great white egret. 'm not sure if it's a he or a she; what do know is that. it turns up at our oorstep every afternoon for a hand- ut. I've photographed this handsome hite sentinel of our creeks many tmes at home, but it's a wary bird that usually flies away when approached, so you can see why I was delighted when it showed up at our doorstep. Never before had I been so close to this marsh stalker. I've often watched one through my binoculars as it slowly and deliberately moved one oot and gently placed it in po- sition for the next step. Now I was seeing that same deliberate move- ment a mere five feet away from me. How black and polished its legs and feet are, in sharp contrast to its pure white body. What fascinated us most was the head, with its long and pointed bill, and those yellow eyes that never seemed to leave you. I finally gave i and sat by the door and threw a few pieces of leftover food that was im- mediately picked up, shaken briefly and swallowed. And so George be- -ame our afternoon visitor. What he did the rest of the day, I'll never You tomorrow.'