February 01, 1979 - Nature WalkFebruary 1,1979
NATURE WALK
by PaUL StouteNburgh
What a wonderful day Saturday was and
how fortunate we were because Nature
Conservancy held its annual membership
hike at Montauk Point. This nationwide
organization has its Long Island
headquarters at Cold Spring Harbor. The
majority of its members are from the west
end, but we had a good show here on the
North and South Forks.
The organization's goal is the preser-
vation of unique and irreplaceable parcels
of land and water. Right here on the North
Fork we have five sanctuaries, but on the
whole Island there are over seventy. Most of
the land is given by .generous donors,
although some is bought through a grant
that must be repaid at a rater date.
We met at 10 because of the distance so
many had to come from the west My wife
and I and another good follower left about-
8:30 from Cutchogue and had a casual drive
. over, arriving about 9 45 :Already a crowd
was gathering. Everyone was dressed
warmly and most had hiking boots on. Hot
thermoses were showing up everywhere as
the morning had not vet n. armed up. The
p an was to meet at-Hither Hills State Park
and then have a guided walk by one of the
South Shore leaders through the park's
north areas.
As we awaited the stragglers' arrival, I
thought how fortunate we were to have
officials in the park system with the
foresight to set this area aside for all to
appreciate. Surely it was a good example of
Nature Conservancy's philosophy and, who
knows, perhaps their concept of land
preservation might have stirred someone
years ago to act accordingly.
Trails All Through Area
More cars were still coming in as our
group leaders called us together to explain
the day's outing or itinerary. Old friends
were greeted and the air was alive with
wholesome chatter-.-We were kilfe-ad fofthe
bay on the north shore through a series of
trails and roads that would take us up the
back of the ancient glacier moraine that
formed this finger of land out into the
Atlantic Ocean. There seem to be trails all
through this area and, as we headed off in a
long string, it did my heart good to see
people out enjoying a winter's day.
Every once in a while the group would
stop to observe some interesting bit of the
natural world. We found. fox, deer ad
raccoon tracks freshly made along the path.
One deer track we saw must have been a
huge one for its print was almost the size of a
small calf. There's a big deer population in
the woods around Montauk, so many that a
hunting season has been opened to keep the
population under control. Farther on an owl
pellet was found and examined to see its
contents and revealed the skeletal head of a
vole. In the open fields we saw reindeer
moss, that brittle pale-green lichen, that is
so prevalent in the dry open areas of Long
Island.
In the same general area we found earth
stars, a fungus that opens and closes with
the difference in humidity. The inner section
of the star is a small puff ball loaded with
millions of tiny dust-like spores or seeds.
Nature Relies on Numbers
When conditions are right these spores are
released to the wind and are bier-led aloft to
who knows where. They are so light they
might be suspended in the air for long
periods of time, traveling thousands of
miles. Who knows, perhaps we might be
breathing some of the .spores this very
moment. When they eventually do land they
hardly ever sprout immediately. Rather, -
they y. ill lie dormant for long periods of time
or even years until the conditions of light,
temperature, moisture and media are
perfect for their development. This reliance
on multitudes of seeds is one of nature's
secrets to survival. Ninety-nine percent-of
these seeds never make it, but the odds are
_always on their side_and therefore_s_o_me do_.
Nature very seldom relies on only one for
survival.
- Lessons in tree identification through the
buds, bark and leaves were demonstrated.
We found that many of the trees were white
oaks, much more of a concentration than in
our North Shore woods. After crossing the
railroad tracks, we started to descend and
eventually came to Fresh Pond. We would
call it a lake on the North Shore, for it was
equally twice the size of Great Pond. To find
a glittering pond amidst what seemed to be
a never-ending forest was to some like
finding an oasis in the desert. Few could
believe such a clear, blue lake existed here.
As.the .area was swept with binoculars, a
small flock of bufflehead were seen diving
• for food along the shore. That small black-
and-white duck is the one we so often see
--now in our bays and creeks here on the
North Shore. Farther in the back a flock of
45 black ducks climbed high against the blue
sky. Their flight gave them away, for few
ducks have the majestic climb of the black
duck.
Page 7
Many Seafowl Spotted
We worked our way around the pond and
into the swale area that opens up onto the
bay. Off to the northwest Gardiner's
Island lay with all its mystery and charm.
The string of sand islands to the south called
Cartwright Island could barely he seen on
the horizon. Shining through the cool haze to
the north v.-.e cculd see a tower standing
from out of the water. It was all we could see
of the Gull Island light. Even the novice with
his glasses spotted loons, scoters, oicl-
squaws, mergansers and grebes that were
feeding offshore. Returning from the bay
side, the grouri:reassembled at the poin1
where after a sit-down lunch at
•,• ,•, .
COMMON HERRING GULL-A basic scavenger, when pressed for food during the Sinter
the hei i rug gull will rob the diving ducks in our area of food they bring to the surface from
great depths - •
PhdtobPbii1Steutenburgh
the benches, we all headed for the point with
scopes on tripods and binoculars dangling
from our necks. The great Montauk Light
loomed over us, and as we made our way
along the edge of the ocean under it we felt a
bit humble. Storm and hurricane had tried
its best to undo it, but it remains, a symbol
of hope for thoseat sea as well as those on
land.
Offshore the water was literally alive with
ducks. Thousands upon thousands of scoters
milled around, some flying to new feeding
areas-while-other dived for -mussels-and
other tidbits.
Even in January spring was in the air and
some anxious individuals were testing out
their mating calls and rituals.
Gulls are Sea Pirates
Scattered throughout this milling flock of
scoters were the scavengers of the sea, the
common gull. They would wait for a duck to
surface with a mouthiill of food and. then
pounce upon it, taking the food away. That's
a never-ending struggle in the natural
world. Eat, eat, eat. No matter how you get
it or what it is, but make sure you eat. It
seems a pity that these ducks, diving down
40 to 10 foot deep. must give up part of their
meat to these pirates of the sea.
Highlights were the spotting of._ the
common and king eiders. These are the
birds that give up their down for the most
expensive of all jackets that man wears.
Montauk Point and Orient PoMt are about
the best places to see these colorful ducks
from the far north and we had goed views of
them that day. Then there were the
Bonaparte gulls, those tiny little termlilie
gulls that ha e f th • I
'Queen of the Show'
at Show
FRETE ADMISSION
the common gull but were more interested
in looking for schools of small fish that are
mostly present offshore.
Very few times does one have such an
opportunity to see nature in such abundance
and splendor. There- -was a continual.
kaleidoscope of ducks passing through all
day long. The sun was out warm and full.
The array of wildlife was breathtaking and
the sea captured the whole scene in its ever-
moving blue wonder. We had over 50 people
participating in this midwinter Nature
Conservancy-outingGood- fellowship. good
weather, and a good area made it a
memorable occasion. Our lives were
renewed again. Thanks to the wonders of the
-outdoors.
- -
at
STPRENG
SQUARE
308 MAIN ST GREENPORT. 5
OPEN DAILY 10 • 5
4, ?LOC&S
ECCIiI
TOYS, G.-1,11ES & ARTWORK
20 AM to 5 PM
Feb. 3 & 4 and Feb. 10 & 11
d'oplay indoors:
PEARS*EM
o 4240 365 o 10M e 300 28 • 26 • 23 • Ensign
CATALINA
0300270250 22e POP TOP
J Be#AUS MARINEEI
e J/24 o 28 o 36
iSLANDS
17 s 20
With a Fine Selection of USED SAILBOATS on Location.
The Sailing Center of Eastern Lo'r,g .sland
Pil
E
_ )
1V12.!liZ2:1S2: Ezcac:i Rd., Greenport. N.Y. 11944 -
-
oL-
PHONE ORDERS
On y0111 .11,7Ste'l Char,,,' :e' 'Visa c.)