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December 12, 1997 - Nature Teeming on a Coral IslandGA • The Suffolk Times • December 11, 1997 Nature Teeming on a Coral Island To give ourselves a break while help- ing out down here we take to the road and explore the few remaining natural areas left along this most popular west coast of Florida. With the afternoon off, we headed south to the approaches of Sanibel Island, known for its natural par- adise that somehow escaped the land develop- ment surrounding it. I shouldn't say "somehow escaped" for there was the driving force of J.N. "Ding" Darling, the renowned environmental cartoonist, along with others who began this National Wildlife Refuge area the world has come to know through the years. What will happen to this 5,000 - acre natural wildlife preserve in the future is hard to imagine, what with all the pressures of progress around it, but for now it's one of the natural wonders of the South. We'll try to get to visit it at a later date. Our destination for now was one of the coral islands that hop, skip and jump across the bay. There's a bridge toll that we were more than willing to pay to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy vacationing Florida. Our camper is so easy to maneuver we were able to pull right up to the water's edge, where we could eat our lunch looking over the sparkling green waters of the bay that spread out before us� These islands are but a few feet above the water ti�talp@ and their beaches« of finely packed powdered coral�� make it easy to drive on. Surprts ingly, there were few taking advantage of the area even though it was a busy holiday weekend. Most were zooming by, headed for the action farther out on the Sanibel - Captiva strip that runs along the Gulf. A few locals had pulled up and one was trying his luck at throwing a net. It was like one of the scenic postcards where the bronze - skinned native tosses his net out into the sunset. This person must have been out for bait for all we saw him bring in were small shiny fish he flipped into his pail. There were a few men standing waist - deep in water casting their lines back and forth for spotted trout. They look much like our own weakfish. Although I didn't see any caught, I knew what they were after, for years ago I spent a week down here, a mere two miles from where we were parked, with the notorious Ady Schreiber. He and his wife had rented a beautiful cottage on the bay and we were their guests. From out in front of the cottage I tried my luck fishing and caught five or six "trout." They were cooked up in Ady's "classic" style. They tasted exactly like our weakfish but, of course, were a bit more gar- nished. Focus on Nature by Paul Stoutenburgh A Better Location We watched a few shorebirds along the beach but they seemed wary and kept their dis- tance. After lunch we moved to the other side of the island and found it more to our liking. There were huge melaleuca or paper trees (they get their name because of their peeling bark) that are a blessing and a curse at the same time. An introduced species of tree, it has taken off, like so many intro- duced plants, and pushed out much of the native flora. It grows rapidly and often is the only tree giving shade in this sun -baked land. A statewide plan is under way in hopes of eradicating this unwanted pest but, with the tree's now - steady hold on the land, I think they'll be lucky to just keep it from spreading. Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh BROWN PELICAN —These big birds, once on the endangered list, are now doing well thanks to the banning of certain pesticides. Of late it's shown up occasionally along our south shore. Once you see its effortless gliding flight, you'll never forget it. ■_e690. t _....L MdflkwL 75 Years Ago Dec. 8, 1922 Advertisement: Wanted — Plot to Build Theater. Price must be right. All particulars in detail and confiden- tial. This theater will be built with a double purpose: to beautify Greenport and give Greenporters a real theater. Reply to SAG, The Suffolk Times, Greenport. Hospitals to Get Seized Liquor: The liquor that was seized by Trooper Hackett of the state police a few weeks ago at Brightwaters is to be distributed among the hospitals of Suffolk County. The alleged owners having failed to put in a claim for the liquor seized, it cannot be recovered by them. There are about 216 bottles of choice Scotch and 22 bottles of rye. 50 Years Ago Dec. 12, 1947 Classified Advertising: That two - family house for $3,200 is still on the market although several persons are considering it and admit it is a "buy." I now have several one - family homes ranging in price from $5,200 to $10,000. Henry B. Moore, 302 Main St., Greenport. Orient News: The main chimney of the Orient Unit- ed Methodist Church has developed a condition dangerous to the church property, so that no services of any kind will be held next Sunday, Dec. 14, or until further notice. What stopped us as we drove along was an exciting commotion just off- shore. Terns, those small white birds we see over the water at home, along with seven or eight brown pelicans and nu- merous laughing gulls, were having a feeding orgy on a school of fish. It was hard to tell what was going on with all the wild thrashing and diving of the birds. We did know the pelicans were making out, for every once in a while their huge bills and floppy pouches would lift to the sky as they swallowed their fishy reward. Rotary Club to Form: A group of progressive, community- minded Southold men are planning the organi- zation of a Rotary Club and have already applied to Rotary International for a charter. For months we have editorially stressed the many advantages of a Rotary Club for the Vil- lage of Greenport. We congratulate the group of Southold men who have taken the initial steps for the organization of such a club. 25 Years Ago Dec. 14, 1972 Proclamation: Whereas, the month of December, and particularly the holiday season, has traditionally been the time of the highest number of automobile accidents, injuries and deaths in Suffolk County, and Whereas, the Suffolk County Committee of Traffic Safe- ty Boards has found that the excessive and abusive use of alcohol continues to be the greatest single contributing fac- tor in these highway deaths and injuries, and Whereas, it lies within the ability of all of the citizens of Suffolk County to reduce these needless deaths and injuries during this holiday period, Now, therefore I, Albert Martocchia, Supervisor of the Town of Southold, N.Y., do hereby urge all of our citizens to exercise due caution and restraint in the use of alcohol while driving so that it may indeed be a period of joy and happiness for all of them. It was so similar to the feed- ing frenzies of bluefish we have along the Sound and bays of our East End when the blues are running. The only thing differ- ent is the absence of pelicans at home. The same common terns, the same laughing gulls and yes, the same ring - billed gulls and herring gulls would be fighting for the bait driven to the surface by the fish below. Later we'd see another fren- zied feeding where the attack- ing fish would drive the bait right up on the shore and then, as if someone had opened a door, the birds were there screaming and jabbing and fill- ing themselves. I wondered if some of the terns could have come from the tern colony on the little island opposite the Port of Egypt in Southold. That spoil island, which acts as a breakwater for the marina, is one of the best tern colonies on the North Fork. Terns who migrate each winter to Florida and even to southern South America could well be birds of ours from up north. South Shore Pelicans It's interesting to note that the brown pelican was once on the endangered species list. Today it has become a common sight throughout most of Florida and to the north. It even reaches Long Island on occasion. Just a few years ago they were big news in the birding world, being sighted off the south shore of our island. Since then there have been sporadic sightings of these big notorious fliers. Once again, the banning of certain pesticides has proved its merit. Like the osprey, the eagle, the peregrine falcon and others, the pelican owes its future to this once - controversial pesticide banning. One never tires of seeing pelicans with their unique fly- then -glide flight. Often strings of these will fly closer to the water. The thing you'll remember about them long after they pass is that almost motionless glide just above the water's surface, one of the great sights we all look forward to. Later Barbara would photograph that worldwide traveler of shorebirds, the ruddy turnstone. We watched it along with sanderlings dig in the soft sand for its hidden meal. How it threw the sand about until it finally reached its prize. By then its head was hidden from sight. Our day on the sun - drenched island had cost us a $3 toll, and in this day of high prices we thought we had gotten a real bargain. We'd spent the day outside, away from the troubles back at the house. It was a good break. Heading back to our temporary home, we bucked lines of traffic, honking horns and red lights. It was hard to believe that just minutes away was such a spacious natu- ral area. Scrabble Tourney PLAINVIEW —The Long Island Scrabble Tournament kicks off at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Comfort Inn in Plainview. Entry fee is $38 and preregistration is required. Call 477 -0033 for more information.