F(e)ather’s Day

For this Barn Swallow Dad…

Helped diligently feed his brood, then

Gracefully flew off to The Golf Course!

 

Wearing Time

The scent of a new born blossom,
The skin of a well worn tree,

Smooth stones ever becoming

Sand,

Oh, Blue Sky!

The eons have been good to you.

Tread Lightly At Big Club Beach

Walk the Wrack Line by all means up at The Big Club Beach.
You will see tiny sand flea crustaceans (Amphipods) hiding beneath strands of Eel grass and hopping off rich colored Kelps. These creatures are an important food source for shorebirds weaving in and out of the waves in this tidal zone

Tread lightly here too.

The other afternoon I observed a Piping Plover pair-“members”  wading on the Wrack Line enjoying lunch.

A threatened species, the Piping Plover population has declined with increased human development and recreation along coastal habitat.

Beachgoers should be alert to this Plover’s defining of territory boundaries.

The birds will often flap around feigning a broken wing to distract “enemies” from nesting grounds. Mostly though, adult Piping Plovers will walk then stop, walk then stop again to avoid detection-blending into the beach background.

**Please remember to keep all dogs on leash during this nesting season!

 

Seeking & Seeing

After an evening of documenting mating Horseshoe Crabs in East Harbor (this is the month to view Limulus Love!) sneaking up on a rare pair of Piping Plovers at The Big Club, and then nearly tripping over an Eastern painted turtle laying her eggs-I arrived home feeling a little tuckered out. Maybe I am taking this Island “monitoring” too seriously, I thought.

But then I burst out laughing as I looked up to see this Tree Swallow perched on the computer monitor!

Evidently, I am not the only one……….

Circumpolar Plover

This morning I was trying to catch up with newly hatched Swan cygnets in tow behind mother Swan in Barley Field Pond. I decided to walk over to the beach side for a better view. Two Canada Geese sounded their alarm and through a handful of scurrying Semipalmated Plovers, this lone handsome bird stood still AND stood out!

I myself have never encountered a Black-Bellied Plover. Donning his breeding plumage, this circumpolar visitor has made Fishers Island a convenient flight stop over.

Greater Or Lesser?

There are two larger species of sandpipers found in our region-the Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs.
Honestly, I have only seen the birds behind glass exhibited in our Henry Ferguson Museum, so rounding the corner along Dock Beach I immediately took notice of this very lanky legged and long billed shorebird.

The tides were loaded with plant life, as I noted the animated behavior of the lone bird swinging its bill from side to side, skimming the water for insects and small fish.

While I could not see the color of its legs immersed under water, as it took flight I heard:

“dear! dear! dear!”

Watching its white tail fly away across West Harbor, I realized these were all clues to identifying the differences between a Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs…..

Who Is Counting Who?

Taking part in the North American Migration Count this month, really has opened my eyes as to just how many species of birds call Fishers Island a resting place, a nesting place, and home.
I’ve got my trusty Sibley bird guide in my backpack now, so I can welcome a Northern Parula darting over my bicycle’s handlebar, so every morning I can point out the single Belted King Fisher hanging out on a telephone wire by Oyster Pond, and watch diligently for Yellow Warblers  that whiz around sprinklers on the Golf Course up east.

Yesterday, as I soared along on my bicycle west and then through woods filled with a sweet sounding symphony, orchestrated by birds along the Island Recreational Path, I could just imagine the lead conductor bird tweeting and screeching, then crowing and twittering:

“Look! Look!  There goes a Yellow-Headed Double Vans Sneakered Pedaler”.

And then at the end of the day as I headed east I met a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk that welcomed me into its world for a moment…

“Who is counting who?” we asked each other.

Let It Bee Bumble

Let It Bee Bumble
I tried not to stumble across this Bumble buzzing madly across my path.

It appeared injured-not making any headway so I gently shepherded it onto a piece of straw and placed it on a nearby Dandelion cushion-half humorously thinking it would be so simple if a herbal remedy tea was all this delicate creature needed.

Key pollinators of crops and wildflowers, the Bumblebee population is in steep decline. Joining the ever growing list of endangered insects living in imbalanced ecosystems, bees and the conservation buzzwords “Habitat Restoration” speak loudly!

Reading up on the plight of bees, the supposed causes for their disappearance ranges from climate changes, pesticide use and introduction of nonnative pathogens.

Hopefully, learning more about Fishers Island land management- restoring, enhancing, and creating high quality living space, each property owner may actively provide bees and insects with time to make a comeback “home”. 

So we can all Bee.

Bird’s Evensong

Upon a lichen covered rock, as Sun’s golden ray turns to white

Listen to bird’s prayer take wing, as day returns to night.

And Oh, the sweetness of the song

Its melody and might…..

Nestle down now, with hopes and dreams created

For Nature’s pure delight.

Party’s Plover

It’s time to get serious.

Today, I observed just one single Semipalmated Plover on the whole of Chocomount.

Yesterday, I recorded another single Plover up at Big Club Beach.

I remember years ago many of these birds wading and darting along the Island’s south side wrack lines.

Seems to me now, there are more balloons than Plovers.

Party’s over……