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March 26, 1998 - Discovering the 'Ding' Darling RefugeMarch 26, 1998 • The Suffolk Times • 7A Discovering the `Ding' Darling Refuge SOME TIME BACK I. SPOKE about stop- ping off at the approaches to Sanibel Island, that world- renowned mecca for northern snowbirds down here in Florida. Not only does Sanibel attract the visitor from the north to its FOCUS sandy beaches and warm weath- ON er, it also is known NATURE as one of the best shell - collecting by Paul spots in the world. Stoutellburgh Actually, it ranks in the top three, worldwide. We'd see evidence of this beachcombing hobby later when we settled in at Periwinkle Campground, the one and only camp- ground on the island. Barbara had called earlier in the week to see if we could get a spot there and she was surprised to hear a cheerful voice say, "Why yes, Tuesday and Wednesday will be fine." This was unbe- lievable, for usually this campground is reserved months in advance, something like our own Hither Hills in Montauk. Needless to say, it wasn't long before we were once again on the move. This time we'd go all the way across the causeway islands to Sanibel itself. The campground was nice but a bit crowded, for here real estate is at a pre- mium with soggy residential lots going for $170,000 and up. As we pulled into our spot (No. 65) we noticed an elderly couple next to us from Pennsylvania working busily over their collection of shells. They actually had bags of them and now were cleaning and sorting them. Looking around, we saw other campers working over their treasures. With this kind of collecting through the years, we wondered how there could be any shells left. Endless supply of shells Later, after dinner, when we walked the beaches, we found there were still shells to be found. It seems there is a never - ending supply that keeps being thrown up by the Gulf. When we got to know our neighbors better, we asked what they do with all those shells. "Make lamps, nightlights and all sorts of things," was their reply. So here's where people come to get the raw materials for their shell craft. The whole idea of shells from Sanibel was reinforced later when our windshield wipers flopping their dreary beat. This was the time to travel the roads of Sanibel, as only the service workers that keep the community going were on the road. We pulled into the refuge with only one car ahead of us. The refuge has five miles of hard, and sometimes dusty, roads along the edges of ponds and ditches and lots of pulloffs where you can look out and observe the wildlife up. We could see patches of blue sky here and there. Our stormy day was passing by. We moved from one spot to the next. Cameras, scopes and binoculars seemed to be in constant motion between us. Little blue herons, reddish egrets, Louisiana herons, snowy egrets, pied - billed grebes, white ibis and many oth- ers came into view. At one place an osprey platform had been put up and the proud female stood over her newborn awaiting the male's return with a fish for breakfast. Down here the "local" ospreys have just finished their incubation. Up home the ospreys are just returning from their winter stay in the Caribbean and places as far south as Brazil. Then we saw across the water a moving mass of white birds. They must have been a half -mile away. Looking through my scope, I was amazed to see it was a feeding frenzy. They were slowly moving along toward us so I had plenty of time to wait for them. As we waited we would look at other birds nearby. There were blue- winged teal by the hundreds, some up -ended and feeding in the shallows. How important these shal- low areas are. Then there was the cluster of willets on a submerged sandbar. Most of them had their heads turned back with their long bills tucked under their feathers, asleep. And, of course, they were standing on one leg, that typical pose when shorebirds rest. Every once in a while, I'd swing my scope over to see the feed- ing white mass as it moved toward us. I could see the birds were rounding up fish before them. The first row of attack was the divers, the double- crested cor- morants thrashing and diving about, then behind them with their long - pouched bills were white and brown pel- icans, 20 of them jabbing and scooping at the fish before them. In back of this assault were the white ibis with their long, down- curved bills jabbing and grabbing whatever moved before them. Then behind all these there was a mix of snowy egrets, Louisiana herons, little blues and great egrets, but the best of all were the tall, pink roseate spoonbills with their long, spatula -like bills that moved back and forth like miniature mowers taking up what was left over from the feeding orgy. Now the action had moved right in front of us and new visitors to the refuge moved in to see this spectacular feeding of birds. I never saw such a variety of binoculars, cameras, tripods, telephoto lenses, etc. Some lens- es looked like giant cannons that must have cost thousands of dollars. Our day was idly spent moving here, stopping there and by noon we had seen the refuge at its best. Thank goodness people like "Ding" Darling and others had the foresight to set aside this gem along Florida's west coast. It's been such an attraction that now a new, bigger and larger visitor center is being built to accommodate the over 750,000 people who visit each year. Let's hope it doesn't get so big it destroys the very purpose of the refuge. LET'S LOOK BACK 75 Years Ago March 16, 1923 Local gleanings: St. Patrick's Day was greeted about town by the posting of Ku Klux Klan placards. Distribution of the cards was made some time during the night. The cards hanging on fences, hedges and the doors of business places reads as follows: "The Ku Klux Klan, day by day, in every way, is growing stronger and stronger, stands for Christian, Protestant, American ideals. Here yesterday, today and forever." There were also a number of these cards distributed through East Marion and Orient. It is understood that there is to be public meeting of the Klan in the Auditorium Sunday afternoon. 50 Years Ago March 26, 1948 Interesting bits of local news: East Marion —If you do not have the luck to be on the private information pipeline said to positively go down the middle of the high- way in and between Orient and East Marion, here is a tid- bit for you: That new shiny Ford just purchased by an East Marioner has been named the "Warren-Ed-King- Andy Campbell Chariot." Orient —Young David Horton is home from Williston Suffolk Time photo by Paul Stoutenburgh e picked up one of its best finds, a black- necked stilt Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge. We rarely have the Ity to see these striking, long - legged, long-billed black : birds on Long Island. right from your car. Our first bit of fun, just about 10 feet from our camper, was watching a little pied - billed grebe diving. The water was so clear that every once in a while you could see this little lobe- footed diver underwater as he foraged for his early - morning meal. By now the rain had stopped and things were brightening Academy for his spring vacation. His return via plane, a momentous "first flight" for David, was further enhanced by an unexpected event. While dining with his parents in the restaurant at LaGuardia Airport, he had full view of the landing of "The Sacred Cow" and shared in the excitement which attended President Truman's arrival. 25 Years Ago March 22, 1973 Founders follies return: "Celebrate America" is the theme of this year's production of Founders Follies to be directed by Frank Steele of the Southold School faculty. The show will be presented on April 13 and 14. Adult members of the community and students will participate in this annual show, which has been sold out for the past two years. Rehearsals are in progress. Songs from the '20s through the present will be featured and various parts of the Unites States will be highlighted. Greenport news: Yvonne Lieblein of Greenport found a tagged, deflated balloon in her grandparents' yard last Thursday. The red tag was attached to the balloon for International Thinking Day and was released for world- wide friendship by Senior Girl Scout Troop No. 350 of North Haven, Conn.