October 1, 1998 - See the sights without leaving the yard6A • The Suffolk Times • October 1, 1998
See t
The bluejays were
about the presence of an intruder in
our woods. We had been sitting outside
having breakfast when the commotion
all started. TWo of our chickens ran
from the open
lawn to the Focus
woods as if some-
thing was chasing ply
them. The
screaming of the NATURE
jays increased by Paul
until finally the Stoutenburgh
culprit appeared
— it was a hawk. It swooped in and
landed low in a tree a mere 40 feet
from us.
Barbara and I both froze where we
were, our eyes picking up the rusty
breast, the long tail, and crow -like size
that told us it was a Cooper's hawk, one
of the larger accipiters or bird hawks.
This family of hawks, which includes
the more common sharp- shinned
hawk, hunts small birds and animals.
Their rounded short wings and long
rounded tail make it easy for them to
maneuver in thick woods in pursuit of
their prey.
The two chickens that took cover
ended up in the woods while the hawk
surveyed the area from its perch in the
nearby tree. Then the chickens became
uneasy; they moved away from their
protection, back out on the lawn. Now
the hawk dropped to the ground and
literally ran after them. What a sight to
see this hawk stalking the chickens. I
don't know if their large size held off
the final attack or what but the hawk
never really got up enough courage to
move in for the "coup de grace." This
stalking and hedging kept up for 20
minutes or more, and all the while the
bluejays were screaming from the trees
above. The sight of a hawk or owl is all
that is necessary to set them off. Once
the battle cry is sounded all jays in the
area come together to harass their arch
enemy.
Eventually the hawk flew off but not
alone, for behind it now dozens of
crows had rallied and wanted to get
into the act. They apparently didn't
care if it was hawk migration time or
not, they didn't want this hawk stop-
ping by here to do its hunting, particu-
the sights without leaving the y and
g
the first to alert us larly if one of them might be on the swallows left off. The closest I could his find to everyone.
hawk's menu for dinner.
It's remarkable what goes on in a
back yard. I guess it's just a matter of
being there at the right time. A perfect
example was the other day when we
were having a family picnic. All of a
sudden one of the grandchildren, who
was swinging in the hammock, called
out, "Look out over the pasture!"
There, to everyone's amazement, were
hundreds, perhaps a thousand, swal-
lows buzzing the field.
Up they'd go. Down
they'd dive. A continu-
al milling of birds the
likes of which I've not
seen but a few times in
my lifetime.
One of those times
was over on Fire Island
about the same time of
year. Swallows then
performed in the same
feeding- frenzy way.
Evidently here a swarm
of insects had hatched
out over the pasture
and the air was full of
these juicy tidbits that
lured the swallows to
this festive occasion.
It's only during these
migrations that we ever
get that number of
swallows together at
one time. It's then we
often see them lined up
on telephone wires and
in trees as they pass
through our area. Most
are tree swallows, with
bluish -black bodies and
white underparts.
Feeding frenzy over
come to identifying the dragonflies was
that they were the more common
green darners, one of the dragonflies
that migrate south like birds each fall.
Other dragonflies die when the cold of
winter returns, their dormant eggs
carrying over and continuing their
clan. By the way, dragonflies don't bite
or sting.
Just why the swallows left we'll
never know; perhaps they gorged
It's interesting to note that same day
we got a call from the old Tray House
on the North Road in Peconic, where
they reported so many dragonflies
about the house they couldn't go out
their back door. Evidently a hatching
had taken place there as well.
Cormorants, deer and quail
As mentioned earlier a back yard can
provide a variety of interesting insights
into the world around
us if only we train our-
selves to be more
observant. Take, for
instance, what occa-
sionally passes over-
head. Lately we've not
only seen and heard
geese moving through
but we've seen strings
of cormorants heading
south. These are the
double- crested cor-
morants; most will
spend the winter in the
warm waters down
south where the fishing
is easier. Some will stay
up north fishing
around the rocky ends
of our island, where
they'll eke out a living
as long as there's a sup-
ply of fish to live off of.
One of the great spots
to see these long lines
of black cormorants
heading south is at the
county's Smith Point
Park. It's an easy place
to get to and you
should visit its open
vistas at least once a year, preferably
during the fall migration.
Besides having a mother deer and
her two spotted fawns walk through
our yard recently we were pleasantly
surprised one afternoon to have a
covey of quail or bobwhite run
through. My daughter spotted them
and alerted us. Perhaps the chickens
lured them in and they found some
leftover com that was still on the
ground. It was the first time we've seen
them here in the yard. We know they
are around for we often hear their
familiar "bobwhite- bobwhite" call out
in the overgrown field beyond the pas-
ture.
All these sightings would disappear
if our open space is turned into mass
development.
What I've
tinned here is � III
merely the tip of
the iceberg "`
f
from the tiniest
bacteria to the g'
majestic deer,
all could disap --
pear under a f>:.:.:,_, .......;..:.,............:.....
covering of blacktop, manicured lawns
and housing. Somehow we have to pro-
vide both, a balance of open space and
controlled development. In the long
run that blend is our only hope.
Without it we become just part of the
conglomerate called the West End.
Let's hope the people of the East End
will awaken to the call and that our
political leaders will rally 'around the
flag of open space so that our treasured
East End will always carry with it the
charm and lifestyle we have come to
love and enjoy.
Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
A shudder goes through the woods when this young Cooper's hawk
files In. Notoriously known for Its speed and agility In the woods, this
crow -size hawk makes small birds and animals scurry for cover.
The show kept up for at least 30 min-
utes or more before the supply of
insects dwindled. Then, amazingly, the
pasture was invaded by big dragonflies.
They appeared in great numbers to
take up the challenge. Their flight was
not as graceful as the swooping and
diving of the swallows but more of a
fast darting, stop -start attack. Being
consumers of flying insects of all sorts,
they were enjoying the feast where the
>vc 11 = ■..�vvn >oH�.n
75 years ago
Sept. 28, 1923
Hooch captured at New Suffolk: A beautiful 50 -foot
motor yacht, the Natawa, and 100 cases of Scotch
whiskey and a Reo speed truck were captured at Tuthill's
dock, New Suffolk, about 1:30 Wednesday morning by
the sheriff and deputies from Riverhead.
Guess who's listed In tax sale ?: Among other well -
known pieces of property which are to be sold for non-
payment of taxes on Oct. 15 at the county tax sale
because the owners have neglected to pay their taxes are
the beautiful golf course property of the North Fork
Company at Cutchogue, owing $573.81 to the county,
and the fine property of the Nassau Point Club
Properties near the North Fork Company is likewise in
the sale, owing the county $1,212.52. Naturally the taxes
on many of these pieces of property will be paid before
the date of the sale.
Cutchogue news: John Alburtus and son are about to
enlarge their duck ranch and contemplate raising 25,000
ducks next season.
50 years ago
Oct. 1, 1948
Advertisement: Notice to baymen! We are buying bay
themselves and just left with full, con-
tented stomachs. Whatever the rea-
son, the green darners now had the
picking field all to themselves. What
insect had hatched out to provide such
picking is a mystery. My best guess is
that they were termites. I've seen them
swarm before by the thousands, mak-
ing the air thick with their newfound
freedom. We had witnessed one of
nature's spectacular sights, one that all
will remember, especially the grand-
son who first saw them and reported
scallops for $12 per - gallon. Mitchell's Restaurant, Front
Street, Greenport.
Orient news: Mrs. Edgar Brown was in New York last
Thursday to participate in a radio broadcast over the
CBS network. The ingenious Mrs. Brown has been giving
Toni home permanents to Orienters as a means of raising
money for the church carpet fund. When she wrote the
company advising them of her fund - raising campaign,
she was asked to appear on their program for an inter-
view. At the close of the broadcast, Mrs. Brown received
a gift of a 17 jewel Bulova watch for her appearance.
25 years ago
Sept. 27, 1973
To our readers: When costs outrun income it becomes
necessary to increase prices. This moment has arrived for
The Suffolk Times. Our six- dollar subscription rate for
the past three years will be increased to eight dollars
commencing Oct. 1. Our newsstand price will go from 15
cents to 20 cents.
Those of us who create The Suffolk Times regret the
necessity for the increases, but the second substantial
postage increases within a year (in one category as much
as 100 percent) and the dramatic increase in cost of paper
and other services leaves us no alternative.
Stuart C. Dorman, publisher