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April 21, 2011 - Heading home, as Florida spring blooms8A I APRIL 21. 2011 1 SUFFOLKTIMES.COM Heading home, as Florida spring blooms Barbara is in the kitchen finishing up the dinner dishes while I try to get started on my last article written down here in Florida. The winter has gone by quickly with lots of challenges in the world around us. Looking back, it was one of the coldest winters we've seen in the six years we ve spent here. And yet in the past few weeks spring finally arrived with perfect weather, the exception being the one -hour storm that came upon us recently, FOCUS ON NATURE PAUL STOUTENBURGH with its many tornadoes leaving lots of damage to the north of us. It was one of the closest things to a hurricane I've seen, with wind gusts up to 70 mph along with torrential rains of up to four or five inches. There was a big celebration near us with small planes from all over the country participating. At least 40 of the planes flipped over or were dam- aged, streets were flooded, mobile homes and tractor trailers were blown over and trees were downed everywhere; some 78,000 homes were without electricity. Yet soon the weather bounced back and we were able to get out and check on an eagle's nest that friends told us about The nest is about 150 feet in the air on one of those high communica- tion towers. It is a huge cone- shaped nest eagles make the largest nest of any bird in North America. One can see why the eagle was chosen as the national bird. My, but they are regal - looking. They have an evenly brown body with a white head and tail; male and female are iden- tical in color, the female being the larger of the two. They are big birds with a body length of 28 to 38 inches and a wingspan of 66 to 88 inches, and weighing from 6 to 13 pounds. The two young looked almost as large as their parents and were easily iden- tified by their dark brown coloring. What a beautiful sight, watching the adult birds as they flew into the nest with food for the young— something 4" BARBARA STOUTENBURGH PHOTOS Eagles, like our ospreys, have bounced back since the ban on the use of DDT proved so effective. Today the eagle is off the endangered species list. Here you see a nest near us in Florida with a parent and two young. we don t get to see back home. The bald eagle was affected by the use of DDT, as our ospreys were, and the population was once reduced to some 400 nesting pairs in the United States. By the 1950s, regulations and environmental education advanced the eagle's recovery to where it now has a stable population and has been 46950 Rotrm 48, Sotrt'tioin • 765 -5035 Of all the North Fork's spring flowers, the daffodil ranks high on our list of wonders. officially removed from the list of endangered species. Bald eagles mate for life; as with osprey, should one die or get killed, sooner or later the surviving one will choose another mate. The life expec- tancy of these handsome birds can sometimes reach 30 years. They select a nesting site close to a large body of water that con- tains fish, their predominate food. These birds of prey hunt and fish by swooping down and snatching the fish out of the water with their talons. The bald eagles we see in Florida are resident birds, so they hunt and fish year'round. Years ago, when there was a move- ment to establish the bald eagle as the national symbol, Benjamin Franklin suggested that instead the wild turkey be chosen as the symbol of American qualities. He described the bald eagle as a bud of bad moral character that was too lazy to fish for itself but survived by robbing the osprey of its catch. I can verify this, as I once watched an eagle out in Orient chase an osprey flying back to its nest with a fresh catch. Once the eagle caught up with the osprey, the osprey let go of the fish and the eagle quickly snatched it out of the air. What a sight! Of course, Florida's spring awak- ened weeks ago, with blossoms of all kinds of colors showing in flowers, shrubs and trees; yes, many of the trees or tall shrubs have colorful blos- soms. It's a fairyland of awakening. By the time this article appears, snowdrops and the rugged early blos- soms of the crocus will be long past on the North Fork What we really look forward to seeing are ourlatest daffodils that were put in before we left for Florida. Our previous plant- ing, which was down our driveway, became a disaster. For some reason a squirrel or raccoon went along and dug up all the newly planted bulbs and left them to rot. Was this some sort of game they were playing? We love daffodils and with the wide variety of colors and shapes that are offered today they are always some- thing to look forward to. Florida is a great place to be, es- pecially this year when you up north had your share of cold temperatures, ice, snow and dreary weather. It's time again to head north and antici- pate seeing the spring flowers and shrubs and trees as they burst forth for another year. P.S. As we write this, the first hum- mingbird of the season, on its migra- tion north, stopped by from its winter in the Caribbean to check out our petunias. What a jewel. COASTAL PLANTINGS 1 would like to take this oppornmity to thank our wonderfid employees, amazing customers and helpful vendors for keeping us m business for the last eleven years. It u with the heaviest bean that I share the news that I have chosen to sell Coastal Plantings. Without]eremy here to rim his business, it has become too aoerwbehning to confirm by myself. Our employees and services they provide will retain the some and we wub the new owner the best of luck. Thank you for 411 your support of our business and most important foryoursupport of our family, especially in the fast year! With mwb appreciation, Iauren (& Matthew) Hamilton �ec� �e�re:c� �alan Welcome Home, JoAnn! We are thr d oAnn jains to announce dual a talented learn JoAnn Rizzo ,Sanlma of highly trained has returned to her and licensed original location at co hairstylists and 46950 Roule 48 in colorists. Southold. welco?" Home! Dina, Karen, Ellen Cut/Color • Bridal Services • Waxing • Manicures • Pedicures 46950 Rotrm 48, Sotrt'tioin • 765 -5035 Of all the North Fork's spring flowers, the daffodil ranks high on our list of wonders. officially removed from the list of endangered species. Bald eagles mate for life; as with osprey, should one die or get killed, sooner or later the surviving one will choose another mate. The life expec- tancy of these handsome birds can sometimes reach 30 years. They select a nesting site close to a large body of water that con- tains fish, their predominate food. These birds of prey hunt and fish by swooping down and snatching the fish out of the water with their talons. The bald eagles we see in Florida are resident birds, so they hunt and fish year'round. Years ago, when there was a move- ment to establish the bald eagle as the national symbol, Benjamin Franklin suggested that instead the wild turkey be chosen as the symbol of American qualities. He described the bald eagle as a bud of bad moral character that was too lazy to fish for itself but survived by robbing the osprey of its catch. I can verify this, as I once watched an eagle out in Orient chase an osprey flying back to its nest with a fresh catch. Once the eagle caught up with the osprey, the osprey let go of the fish and the eagle quickly snatched it out of the air. What a sight! Of course, Florida's spring awak- ened weeks ago, with blossoms of all kinds of colors showing in flowers, shrubs and trees; yes, many of the trees or tall shrubs have colorful blos- soms. It's a fairyland of awakening. By the time this article appears, snowdrops and the rugged early blos- soms of the crocus will be long past on the North Fork What we really look forward to seeing are ourlatest daffodils that were put in before we left for Florida. Our previous plant- ing, which was down our driveway, became a disaster. For some reason a squirrel or raccoon went along and dug up all the newly planted bulbs and left them to rot. Was this some sort of game they were playing? We love daffodils and with the wide variety of colors and shapes that are offered today they are always some- thing to look forward to. Florida is a great place to be, es- pecially this year when you up north had your share of cold temperatures, ice, snow and dreary weather. It's time again to head north and antici- pate seeing the spring flowers and shrubs and trees as they burst forth for another year. P.S. As we write this, the first hum- mingbird of the season, on its migra- tion north, stopped by from its winter in the Caribbean to check out our petunias. What a jewel. COASTAL PLANTINGS 1 would like to take this oppornmity to thank our wonderfid employees, amazing customers and helpful vendors for keeping us m business for the last eleven years. It u with the heaviest bean that I share the news that I have chosen to sell Coastal Plantings. Without]eremy here to rim his business, it has become too aoerwbehning to confirm by myself. Our employees and services they provide will retain the some and we wub the new owner the best of luck. Thank you for 411 your support of our business and most important foryoursupport of our family, especially in the fast year! With mwb appreciation, Iauren (& Matthew) Hamilton APRIL 21; 2011 I SUFFOLKTIMES.COM Hea as Florida sr) Barbara is in the kitchen finishing up the dinner dishes while I try to get started on my last article written dow here in Florida. The winter has gone by quickly with lots of challenges in the world around us. Looking back, it was one of the coldest winters we've seen in the six years we've spent here. And yet in the past few weeks spring finally arrived with perfect weather, the exception being the one -hour the that came upon us recently, FOCUS ON NATURE PAUL STOUTENBURGH with its many tornadoes leaving lots of damage to the north of us. It was one of the closest things to a hurricane I've seen, with wind gusts up to 70 mph along with torrential rains of up to four or five inches. There was a big celebration near us with small planes from all over the country participating. At least 40 of the planes flipped over or were dam- aged, streets were flooded, mobile homes and tractor trailers were blown over and trees were downed everywhere; some 78,000 homes werE without electricity. Yet soon the weather bounced back and we were able to get out and check on an eagle's nest that friends told us about. The nest is about 150 feet in the air on one of those high communica- tion towers. It is a huge cone - shaped nest; eagles make the largest nest of anv bird in North America. ing home, ring blooms BARBARA STOUTENBURGH PHOTOS Eagles, like our ospreys, have bounced back since the ban on the use of DDT proved so effective. Today the eagle is off the endangered species list. Here you see a nest near us in Florida with a parent and two young. One can see why the eagle was chosen as the national bird. My, but to a large body of water that con - they are regal - looking. They have an tains fish, their predominate food. These birds of prey hunt and fish evenly brown body with a white head and tail; male and female are iden- by swooping down and snatching tical in color, the female being the larger of the two. They are big birds the fish out of the water with their talons. The bald eagles we see in with a body length of 28 to 38 inches Florida are resident birds, so they hunt and fish year 'round. and a wingspan of 66 to 88 inches, and weighing from 6 to 13 pounds. Years ago, when there was a move The two young looked almost as large ment to establish the bald eagle as their parents and were easily iden- tified by their dark brown coloring. as the national symbol, Benjamin Franklin suggested that instead the What a beautiful sight, watching the wild turkey be chosen as the symbol of American qualities. He described adult birds as they flew into the nest with food for the young — somethin the bald eagle as a bird of bad moral character that was too lazy to fish for itself but survived by robbing the We dont get to see back home. osprey of its catch. The bald eagle was affected by the I can verify this, as I once use of DDT, as our ospreys were, and watched an eagle out in Orient the population was once reduced to chase an osprey flying back to its some 400 nesting pairs in the United nest with a fresh catch. Once the States. By the 1950s, regulations and eagle caught up with the osprey, environmental education advanced the osprey let go of the fish and the the eagle's recovery to where it now eagle quickly snatched it out of the has a stable population and has bee air. What a sight! Of course, Florida's spring awak- ened weeks ago, with blossoms of all officially removed from the list of kinds of colors showing in flowers, shrubs and trees; yes, many of the endangered species. Bald eagles mate for life; as with trees or tall shrubs have colorful blos. osprey, should one die or get killed, soms. It's a fairyland of awakening. By the time this article appears, sooner or later the surviving one will choose another mate. The life expec- snowdrops and the rugged early blos- tancy of these handsome birds can soms of the crocus will be long past on the North Fork. What we really sometimes reach 30 years. They select a nestin site close look forward to seeing are our latest daffodils that were put in before we left for Florida. Our previous plant- ing, which was down our driveway, became a disaster. For some reason a squirrel or raccoon went along and dug up all the newly planted bulbs and left them to rot. Was this some sort of game they were playing? We love daffodils and with the wide variety of colors and shapes that are offered today they are always some- '' thing to look forward to. Florida is a great place to be, es- pecially this year when you up north " had your share of cold temperatures, M ice, snow and dreary weather. It's Of all the North time again to head north and antici- Fork's spring pate seeing the spring flowers and shrubs and trees as they burst forth flowers the daffodil l ranks for another year. high on our list ES. As we write this, the first hum - mingbird of the season, on its migra- tion north, stopped by from its winter in the Caribbean to check out our petunias. What a iewel.