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November 13, 1997 - Focusing on Frogs, Eagles & ShorebirdsAA • The Suffolk Times • November-13, 1997 Focusing on frogs, Eagles &Shorebirds Florida: It was dark as we left Barbara's brother's house and headed out to our camper in their back yard. We stopped to admire the sky above in the coolness of the evening for it had been hot and muggy all that day. This area, like so many other retirement communities, seems to turn in early, so we found most of the neigh- borhood in dark- Focus ness except for On perhaps one or two nightlights here Nature and there. This gave us an extra by Paul sense of darkness Stoutenburgh in which to see the heavens above. Familiar constellations could be picked out, but what was most exciting was the tight cluster of two or three lights that could only be some sort of satellite or perhaps Russia's Mir slowly moving across the sky above. We watched it in amazement, wondering where all this would someday lead. With those ponder- ing thoughts, we headed in. Our camper is a small one and naturally things are laid out to take advantage of the limited space inside. Just as you enter the doorway is the stove on your left with its smooth Formica top around it. I usually grab this as I enter to sort of help me up the steps but this time I hesitated; there was something there. After getting in and turning on the lights, I could see it was one of nature's little wonders, a tree frog. Now how did he get in? Our camper had been closed except for our going in and out. It had bulging eyes and was pale green in color with big suction -cup toes that identified it as a true jumper par excellence. We were both fascinated as we watched this three - quarter -inch amphib- ian as it stared back at us. I tried to pick it up so that I could put it outside but it would have none of that for it leapt off the countertop and landed on the wall of the camper. Again I moved in. This time it leapt like a wiled spring to the curtains by the doorway. There seemed to be no effort in its leaps. It would just jump and land securely and stare at us. Barbara couldn't resist trying to take a picture of our uninvited yet welcome guest. A picture of her down on her hands and knees trying to get a closeup of the tree frog probably would have been a win- ning shot, I'm sure, for just as she was about to get the little fellow in focus, it would leap to a new position and off she'd go on her hands and knees holding the camera ready for a shot. Between the jumping of the frog and the positioning of Barbara we both started giggling like a couple of kids. Our little visitor was a marvel to watch. Its little suction cups at the end of each finger or toe held it securely onto wherever it landed. It gave us an evening of enjoyment. Finally I decided it had entertained us enough and caught and released it outside into the darkness. We can do just so much to help down here and so every once in a while we unhook our camper from the house where it gets its electricity and water and head out to explore the countryside for the day. That is, what's left of it down here in Florida. We traveled east from Fort Myers, where we're stay- ing, and headed out on Route 80 that cuts across Florida and parallels the Caloosahatche River. This man -made river is an extension of the inland waterway that travels from way up north from Long Island down the East Coast to Florida. If you want a shortcut when going around Florida to the Gulf, you can take this manmade river; it's like saving the long jour- ney around South America by going through the Panama Canal. At any rate, two years ago we spent the winter down here helping to monitor the endangered manatee and wanted to go back and see if any of our old ac- quaintances were still around. We worked out of the U.S. Army Corps Ortona Lock that's about halfway across Florida. Just as you enter the complex, if you know where to look, there is a huge eagle's nest that we always stop and check on. Sorry to say, we couldn't find any activity and were a bit concerned but on our way out, after find- ing none of the old group was around, Bar- bara spotted two eagles just off the road. What a sight they were! There they sat, no more than four feet apart. dwarf our ospreys. Years ago out at Orient I saw a bald eagle trying to take away a fish that an osprey had caught. This was typical pi- rating for which eagles are noted. It was then I realized just how much larger the eagle is in comparison to the osprey. It seemed twice as big. Like our osprey, eagles reuse their old nest, rebuilding it each year. They also mate for life. While here we often have to go shopping for food. Shopping centers are everywhere. As a matter of fact, one just popped up nearby last year and we find it handy to go to. Seeing Florida is so flat and has more than its share of rain, drainage becomes a real problem. To alleviate this problem, sumps and drainage ditches are seen every- where, this new Publix shopping center in- cluded. So when Barbara goes in to shop, I take my binoculars and check out the water - filled sumps and drainage ditches. Just this week I found six greater yellowlegs and two lesser yellowlegs busy feeding in the sump. These are shorebirds that pass through our East End on their migrations in the spring and fall. As the name implies, their long yellow legs are easi- ly spotted on this medi- um- sized, moderately long - billed shorebird. It was good to see this often bobbing shorebird down here, for it brought back memories of its cheerful call that often alerts everything in our local marshes that man is passing through. Along with the yellowlegs were three common snipe, a game bird that is still on the hunting list — I have a problem with that for it is such a small bird, hardly the size of a starling. These birds are always associated with wet areas, particularly around the edges where they can poke their long bills into the mud for worms and insects of all kinds. It's a champion when it comes to camouflage and is hard- ly ever seen before it flies up in front of you. The only way I was able to photo- graph it once in Orient was from the car, which evidently didn't frighten it. This is often true of other birds as well, for as soon as you get out of the car the birds usually fly away. This sump where I found the birds feed- ing reminds me of the wet area that has been set aside adjacent to the Tanger Outlet Center in Riverhead. There the endangered tiger salamander and others have found a haven away from man's blacktop, glass and cement. These oases are surely all steps in the right direction but much more consideration for wildlife is needed if we are to have a world in which both man and wildlife can exist together in harmony. Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh LOUISIANA HERON— Whether it is a sump around a shopping mall or a drainage ditch along the roadside, marsh birds like this Louisiana heron seek out a meal here in Florida. Yira a YYYA U011111lon 75 Years Ago Nov. 10, 1922 Borrowing Causes Plumber's Delay: The writer has just found out why sometimes Greenport plumber Harry Geehreng is a bit slow getting on the job when you call him up. Harry has to spend most of his time looking up tools which he has loaned and have not as yet been returned. So if you want your work attended to promptly, return all tools which you have borrowed. And if you have any spare shov- els, spades, monkey wrenches, etc., why please bring them in to Geehreng's store so Harry can get on the job promptly. For Sale: Ford Racing Car, cut very low. Won more than $250 at Riverhead races. Great bargain, $150. George Barr, Greenport. 50 Years Ago Nov. 14, 1947 New Maritime Column: With this issue of The Suffolk Times we introduce to our readers a new feature, "Covering the Waterfront." This new column, made up of interesting news items picked up along the waterfront, should be of special interest to the residents of this vicinity, due to the fact that Greenport has for years been known as a maritime town. The most unusual feature of this column is the fact that it is written by a young lady, Miss Martha Cox. We think that We stopped and turned off the engine. It was a cloudy day and the light was poor but nevertheless we both had to try to get a few pictures in this most perfect setting. Adult bald eagles have a white head that stands out against their dark bodies and that hooked bill is almost unbelievable. It is amazing how big they are in size; they our readers will agree that Miss Cox is not only thoroughly familiar with boats of all descriptions, but that she can write a better marine column than most men who have followed the water all their lives. Hospital Campaign at $241 K: In a report pre- sented to the executive committee of the Eastern Long Island Hospital Association this week by the secretary, the sum of $241,006.88 had been received up to that time. There are still quite a number of pledge cards out and the board would appreciate getting these in. 25 Years Ago Nov. 16, 1972 Village Wants Town Hall: Greenport Village voted at its Monday meeting to up its offer to the town from five acres to eight acres on Moores Lane if the town will come build its Town Hall there. The village had previously offered the five acres when a townwide citizens' committee had rec- ommended that Southold needs a new Town Hall large enough to include the supervisor's offices on South Street, Greenport, and other town departments now in one small building on Main Road, Southold. The town, which report- edly was looking for a more centralized location, said no, thank you, that five acres would not be large enough. Now the village, which would like to see the Town Hall remain in Greenport, is coming back with a grander offer: eight acres, water and sewage included. We cover the waterfront The Suffolk Times.