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November 06, 1997 - Meeting Florida's Feathered FriendsGA • The Suffolk Times • November 6, 1997 Meeting Florida's Feathered Friends Well, we made it to Florida and are now at our destination in North Fort Myers. We do what we can to help down here and occasionally sneak off to give everyone a break. We read in the local paper about a nature trail a developer had put in around his new complex, so we thought it might be nice to see Just what it was like. We headed east Focus on a spanking new on road toward Pine Island. It was a Nature dual highway with a green median by Paul and mowed grass Stoutenburgh on either side. Evidently they were planning for future traffic that continually pours into Florida every day. Along the outer reaches of the road's right -of -way spread the still natural setting of Florida's typical palm and pine forest with its understory of palmetto, vines and grasses that give this area its tropical look. But I'm afraid this is only temporary for here and there were cutoffs along the way that went to nowhere. The area was poised for the next phase of development Barbara's sharp eyes caught a plodding Florida box turtle trying to make its way across the busy highway. It's very similar to ours but its markings are finer and lighter in color. No way could it make it with all the traffic and should it succeed to get across the road, the now- six- inch -high curb would surely stop it and spell its doom. Of course, we stopped and put it out of harm's way but its destiny, I'm sure, has been sealed for the future will only bring bulldozers and trucks to clear the land. What will be left will only be a few palm and pine trees to fit around the future homes, but everything else will be cleared and grass planted for housing. It's the down side of progress known univer- sally as habitat destruction. Concern for Rain Forests It's ironic that we are so concerned about the loss of the rain forests of the world and their implications while we, here in the richest country of the world, roll over and destroy our own forests without even giving it a second thought. the local attraction for later we read a sign on the wall giving a description of "Charlie," the local egret. It told that his sharp- pointed bill could be dangerous and it was hoped people would respect this stately bird and keep their distance from him. Of course, we had to take a few pho- tos of this handsome white egret just for the record. Seeing the restaurant was at the end of the island, we took the opportunity to walk around and see what was going on. What a splash! One would think the bird would break its neck. But no, if successful the head goes up and soon the fish is swal- lowed whole. One after the other they plunged into the water. Sometimes two would seemingly crash as both birds would dive on the same fish. While there we saw a few Bonaparte .gulls pass by. We often get these small white gulls off our ocean beaches, par- ticularly around Orient and Montauk points in the winter. It's a trim little bird and one which I always associate with cold and blus- tery winter weather. How at that time of the year they find something to feed on is beyond me. On our return trip we checked out a large campsite just to see what it had to offer and sitting beside the canal were four or five wood storks along with a few egrets. It was remarkable how close we could drive up to these ungainly looking birds. Wood storks are not the most handsome birds close up. As a matter of fact it is said, "only a mother could love them." They have a huge thick bill with a rough grayish -black head and large body. All this sits on long slender legs which, when compared to our own great blue heron, make the heron look small. Cameras clicked as they almost seemed to pose for us. What the wood stork lacks in appearance on the ground is soon for- gotten when you see it in flight. They are handsome and powerful fliers and when you see a group of them flying together, you'll not soon forget their elegance in the air. We're staying in our camper at Bar- bara's brother's home in a retirement com- munity. It is quite nice and has the usual manmade ponds, planted palm trees, etc. Each morning we take a ride on our bikes that we always take with us, and today we saw an osprey sitting in the top of a pine tree alongside one of the ponds. We had to stop and say hello. It was like meeting an old friend. How I would like to know where this bird calls home. It could be one that migrated from up our way or perhaps one of the many that head south from other parts of the country. And then again it could be one of the local birds, for Florida has its own resident population that stays year 'round right here in Florida. No mat- ter where it came from, it was good to see a familiar friend, the osprey. There might still be an osprey or two hanging around our area back home but by now most have migrated south. Like everything else in nature, there's a bit of mystery out there. There's no absolute, which always makes it challenging. One never knows what you'll see each day and perhaps that's why birding has become the most popular activity in. the country. There are more people involved in birding than in playing football, baseball, basket- ball, golf or any other sport, which is hard for some to realize. ■ —AL9— N - -a— is - -a- not a YYYR warm 75 Years Ago Nov. 3, 1922 The Pale -Faced Girl: Many girls give the excuse for using some form of facial decoration that their natural faces are so pale and sallow as to spoil their appearance. It is too bad that these girls do not realize how greatly they could improve their looks by active exercise. If they have some serious trouble, no amount of paint will make them look well. If they haven't and if they will go in for tennis and basketball and other like games, their faces will brighten up and their whole aspect will change. Color gained in that way has a charm that no artificial tint- ing can ever rival. A vigorous life is the best creator of beauty. 50 Years Ago Nov. 7, 1947 Paradise Point Property Sold: In one of the largest real estate deals of the year on the North Fork, Mrs. Robert Searles, widow of the upstate utility magnate, has sold a 32 -acre tract at Paradise Point, with large frontage on Peconic Bay, Southold, to the Paradise Point Corporation. The reported consideration was $80,000 and it is understood it was an all -cash transaction. The corporation, of which F.H. Robinson Jr. of Southold is president, proposed to develop the larger part of the parcel for resale as home sites. However, a portion of the property, at the Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh K —This ungainly looking bird of the wetlands down south s looks when in flight. Seeing a group of these flying into a it not soon forgotten. Brown pelicans were feeding. There was a fishing dock nearby where eight or 10 pel- icans rested until some unknown signal would alert them and they'd be off. Then they'd plunge into the water in pursuit of a meal. This is a big bird, plus we all know of the pelican's large bill and throat that captures the fish. Put those components together into a dive in the water and you get something really spectacular to see. end of the point, has been reserved as the location of a new clubhouse of the Southold Yacht Club. It is understood the company will construct the building and other facilities and lease them to the club for a nominal figure. Mr. Robinson is chairman of the board of governors of the yacht club, which until a few years ago had the use of the Wharf House at Founders Landing, owned by the Southold Park Commission. Since that time, the club has been without a home. 25 Years Ago Nov. 9, 1972 Expressway Coming: Assefhbly Speaker Perry Duryea said Tuesday that extension of the Long Island Expressway from Riverhead to Mattituck is already on the state map of approved projects, and definitely will be accom- plished. He wouldn't say just when it would happen; a simi- lar expansion of Sunrise Highway Extension from Hampton Bays to Amagansett comes first. Lots for Sale: Waterfront wooded half acre on deep creek, beautiful, $22,000. Wooded half acre on canal and cove, small unfurnished cottage, $25,000. Cutchogue prime acre, borders golf club, water view, private road, $14,000. Lakefront plot, 1.8 acres, wooded, in private area, $17,500. One acre on Long Island Sound, wide beach, wooded,.priva- cy, $29,900.