I met this bird of prey across from the grasslands near the Driving Range.
We both were a bit shy at first and of course curious of each other. I hunkered down in the grass to stay warm and observe, while the hawk puffed up its feathers in the crisp chilled air.
In that quietude of nature, great respect had us both seeing eye to eye.
Saturday December 1: A school of up to 20 dolphins is sighted off the bow of the Ferry departing Silver Eel Cove @ approximately 8:20am.
The boat slows down to a near stand still while leaving the slip. Debbie Doucette of the ferry district happens to actually be on the vessel and reports how extraordinary this observation is and how beautiful.
As no photos have surfaced yet, I am not certain whether these animals were Common dolphins or the Atlantic Bottlenose (resembles “Flipper”) species. Common dolphins have an hourglass shaped pattern on their sides in shades of yellow, white and grey.
December 3: Unseasonably warm today on Island with temperatures this late afternoon reaching 60 in the sun. Ocean waters in the Fishers Island Sound have been maintaining temps in the low 50’s. I have counted 11 Harbor seals off Armstrong’s “Hooverness” at 3pm. The clumps of rock to the north of that property provide two small haul out sites for basking in the sun.
Over on the south side during an outgoing tide I am discovering small areas of unearthed building structure on South Beach and need to ask Pierce Rafferty at the Museum about their origin.