Isabella Shored Up

I happened upon an “older” photo of Isabella Beach this morning-dated

August 2011.

The thought was to document tidal erosion on Fishers Island’s beaches.

Many tide cycles (super and not so super) have past, along with two hurricanes.

 

Today, the beach is wider with its scrub line pushed back.

There are peaks and valleys of more and more rocks.

 

Islanders will have to find their own “familiar” this summer.

 

Bravo!

 Fog: “Raise the curtain”

Wave: “Roll out the red carpet”

Chocomount: “A sanding ovation for this Rock of stages”

 

 

Wanted:House For Wrent

Active and fiercely territorial House Wren seeks cavity nest dwelling just about anywhere on Island.

Coarse twigs, assorted leaf decay, cottony spider cocoons- all a big mess but a must.

Fine horse tail fibers borrowed from ponies on the Peninsula very desirable.

Plastic wrappings from cigarette box certainly not necessary (non smoker)

Must accommodate clutch of 5-8 brown speckled eggs

Bluebird nesting boxes preferable!

 

The Great Egret

While statistics say I am a bit more than a bird watcher (must identify 10 or more species), I don’t consider myself a full fledged “birder”.
Even if I can identify 40 or more species of birds, it is only because I know I love my time spent observing birds and their routines, social behavior, even antics.

Consider the Great Egret:

The National Audubon Society was founded in 1905.But I didn’t know that its mission to preserve our nation’s bird species started in 1886 when a group of concerned citizens took a stand to ban the killing of the Great Egret. These birds were hunted and in rapid decline for their fashionable feathers. Today, the bird is alive and thriving- still the Society’s symbol.

While traveling south last winter and viewing these magnificent birds, I decided to dedicate more time watching the Great Egret back here on Fishers Island.

This spring, I now know they are active in several quiet coves and also dwell around the Island coast. Look east at the Big Club beach and you’ll often see an Egret enjoying low tide. A summer returnee fishes in Hay Harbor, a familiar pair wades in West Harbor, and I count the largest “colony” in Darby Cove.

Mostly I see Great Egrets feeding in wetlands and low tidal habitats.

Like statues, they stand motionless propped up on stilt-like legs. The head tilts ever so slightly, the eyes zoom in, and they just wait…..then in a blink their long yellow bill spears a fish.

The other day I snuck up on a Great Egret, which was no easy feat.

With no winds to give me away, I sat crouched in my white jacket behind a boulder and just watched…

Wild Awake

Last night’s rain sleeps in this morning resting on a lily pad.

Baby Painted Turtle pictures this

Gentle presence in the wild

Wide awake

 

Snapshot of a Snapping Turtle

A Brief Summary:

I walked beside and inside a marsh today.

I happened upon a female Snapping Turtle.

Ever so slowly she dug into the mud, excavating her deep nest.

Buried and hopefully hidden safely in the soft “digs” could be a clutch of 20-40 eggs.

The turtle plodded back into the murky, aquatic habitat.

Expected to arrive in about 90 days, her hatchlings are left to fend for themselves.

And there are predators like snakes, raccoons, and crows-even this morning I notice curled pieces of delicate turtle egg shell debris.

Along Came a Spider

Horseshoe Crabs are really spiders-arachnids of the sea.

The ancient species has been around for years- something like 400million.

A living fossil- even a “live museum” exhibiting  and supporting an array of organisms such as barnacles, algae, and Slipper snails.

I have read that the Horseshoe Crab is uniquely equipped with a “sword-tail” detecting light, and that this spider has nine eyes!

But these weeks they only have eyes for each other as they crawl and scoot to shallow waters for breeding season.

Tomorrow night’s full moon may be very inviting-as the animals are guided toward each other with the help of lunar and high tidal cycles

 

Like today, East Harbor may be the place to take a quick peek.

 

Then there is the Spider crab which actually IS a crab not a spider, but sat down beside me anyway…..

 

The Great Gardener

There are no pruning shears on South Beach road, no whacking of these weeds.

 

Just Sun’s translucent evening rays catch wind of nearby seas.

 

Simplicity is the petal.

 

The blossom taking bloom,

 

An Island ever taking time and making more

 

radiant room.

 

Rock of Stages

Although still in recovery, Chocomount is indeed making a “sunning” comeback!

I foresee a beach towel or two lined up side by side upon softer sands these next months.

Having documented the erosive effects of both hurricane tidal surge and wintery blasts this year, yesterday’s view looked promising compared to January and even April.

Four & Twenty Blackbirds

This time of year Silver Eel Pond is still quiet between scheduled ferryboats.

I noticed though, that nesting birds in the harbor are anything but -between their scheduled feedings.

It was lunchtime when I spied a Blackbird flutter above a dock piling and then completely disappear out of sight.

Four of Twenty Blackbirds tucked in a piling!