April 25, 2002 - The subject is birds, birds, birdsThe Suffolk Times * April 25, 2002
WE HAVE A SMALL POND down In the
pasture that was used for irrigation
years ago. Since then multiflora rose
and Russian olive have taken over its
edges, along with a swamp maple I
brought from Manorville years ago.
Also around the edge are willows, the
kind you can start by breaking off a
limb and pushing it in a wet area
where it will-take root and grow. I did
that with four or five branches and.
now we have tall and mature willows
growing around the pond.
It is a haven for attracting birds and
animals of all kinds. Water is most
important to all
Focus Wildlife, and to
have a well -land-
ON scaped edge with
NATURE bushes and trees
for cover makes
by Paul it the ideal place
Stoutemburgh to come and get a
drink. Years ago
we had it dug out because it had shal-
lowed with silt through the years and
there was little water left in it. We put
some goldfish in to keep the mosqui-
toes down which, by the way, is an
easy way to keep your little garden
ponds and big birdbaths free of mos-
quito larvae. Ask for feeder fish at
your local pet shop. They're most effi-
cient.
Lately when I go out to close up the
animals in the evening, I hear the
male peepers' joyous songs down by
the pond, their chorus luring the
females to the mating game. Once
mating takes place, eggs will be laid,
and in time black pollywogs will hatch
and work their way out into the pond,
where they will feed on a variety of
minute plant and animal life. As they
grow they will gradually change from
pollywogs to little frogs. It's then
they'll leave the pond to forage in the
fields and woods. There they will stay,
quietly enjoying the pursuit of tiny
insects like flies, mosquitoes, gnats,
As I sit on our back porch writing,
my eye is caught by the flight of a
crow. This single bird moves quietly in
the top of our neighbor's trees.
Gradually it half hops, half flies to the
left, until it makes its way to a bundle
of sticks. Now I see much movement
going on and a single crow leaves the
nest. Could there be eggs up there
and one adult has come to relieve the
other so it can forage for food?
Evidently both male and female help
The subject is
birds, birds , birds
Times /Review photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
This healthy, young great horned owl is probably 3 to 4 weeks
old. Go back another 30 days, more or less, for incubating
and another month or so for courting and we are in February,
when the great horned owl nests. The reason it can nest so
early, ahead of others, is that its food supply of rodents, rab-
bits, etc., is available throughout the year.
to mcut)atmg the eggs.
This is the time for young
mals. They, too, have
of all sorts to awaken to
become domesticated in
a new world.
the sense that they have
Bob called me from
been able to live along
Southold and asked if I
with the redwings, grack-
wanted to see some
les and starlings that eke
young owls. Barbara and
out a living on the insects
I were soon off, and
that are found through -
when we reached our
out the land.
rendezvous, sure enough,
My last little bit,of
up in a great oak were
chitchat (and that seems
two fluffy, young great
to be what this week's
horned owls that hadn't
flown as et. The mother
y
article is made up of) is
flew away as we ap-
that I went on my first
fishing trip with my son
proached, but not too far,
and grandson. No, we
for I'm sure she had us in
didn't catch any fish but I
her sight and should we
must say we tried. We
have threatened her
thought the flounders
young, we might have
might be in the creeks
been attacked. Great
and so, with a few mus-
horned owls are noted Here's a bird that got its name from sets as bait, we tried our
for being very aggressive living around cows. They stay close to best.
when they have young or the cow which, much to the delight of We launched the boat
their nest is in danger. the cowbird, picks up grasshoppers
from my son's pickup at
One of the delights of and insects of all kinds as it moves
the end of the road. We
spring is the ever - chang- about feeding. Cowbirds were never
rowed a short distance to
ing world that is around as common here in the east as they
the deep-water where we
us. A perfect example of are today. They were a creature of the had caught flounders last
this was the other day western plains and traveled with the
year. My, how dead the
when Barbara and I buffalo, with the same habits of eating marsh looked. Soon
pulled into our driveway. insects that the buffalo stirred up as
it green shoots will start to
At the end is a rose arbor grazed. Then as the buffalo disap-
appear and once again
where I had just put up a peared, the cowbirds turned to the
our marsh will become
birdhouse my kids had domestic animals such as horses and
that beautiful, green,
given me for my birthday. cows, and that's where you'll fi nd
swaying masterpiece we
They not only gave me them today. As a matter of fact, you'll know so well. Yet even in
one, they gave me 16! see them even in areas without ani-
its dead stage during the
This particular one
winter, the salt marsh was
attached to the rose
adding to its compost,
arbor brought a pair of
which in turn will create
curious chickadees. I
the nutrients that will
don't know who was
continually flow back into
who, but first one flew .
our creeks to nourish the
into the box, stayed a short time an
plankton that our fish and
then popped out. Then the other one
shellfish rely on.
went in, presumably checking it out
As grandfather, father and grandson
for a possible nesting site. With this in
sat in the boat hoping for a bite, an
mind, if you are thinking of putting
osprey flew up the creek trailing a
birdhouses up, you want to get to it,
long stalk of some sort. We watched it
for now is the time new tenants are
fly to its nest on a pole in the middle
around checking on the best buy.
of the marsh where the female was sit -
Right near the arbor with the bird-
ting. This is rebuilding time for old
house nailed to it my two cows were
ospreys. It's new building time for
grazing. They are so glad to see that
green pasture come to life. All winter
young ospreys starting up their first
nests. Sometimes when we put these
long they subsisted on hay, but soon I'll
platforms up, they are immediately
wean them off that and leave them to
taken. Other times it takes years
just pasture. As I watched them munch
before someone will claim them. It's
away on the new shoots of grass, I saw
all in the whims of nature what will be
cowbirds movie around them.
will be. It's a wonderful world. Get
out and eniov it.