Legend has it that the wider the bristly brown band on a Woolly Caterpillar-the milder the winter forecast. Despite its name, this “Isabella” tiger moth in its larval phase was found seen creeping along South beach.
I counted 155 Harbor seals yesterday on and around the Hungry Point haul out. Low tide allowed for a closer peek at their velvet looking pelage (fur)
I am becoming more familiar with beaches up East.
I note that Whelks are more commonly found in East Harbor. There on that beach coyote tracks always head west.
Sand Dollars are delicately framed in the tiny curves of a minute tide line at the Big Club.
A single strand of Eel Grass in a slight breeze acts as a compass drawing an arc in the sand.
Noting even the most detailed observations of Fishers Island-I have come full circle.
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.
It certainly was weather-wise on Island this afternoon.
As I left the Community Center with all its Christmas décor and headed out to survey Race Point I stopped in my tracks. It struck me as a bit odd to see Forsythia bushes blooming in December.
Common Eider ducks congregate far off shore, bobbing within the rip tide.
I am still noting Hurricane Sandy’s unearthing of items of interest.
Today- bones (either cattle or horse) perhaps from an old Fort Wright dumping ground.
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.
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.
Frost twinkles now in the morning hours. Starlings swirl and stand at attention after the noon whistle. Coyote paw prints march west along side low tide at the Big Club beach, while a Golden Eagle scouts the shoreline. A waning moon nears Jupiter.
Washed away from Who-Knows-Where
Forever tangled with rope and weed
Vibrant colors streak the natural tones
The beach’s party decorations
Upon the rocks and sand
The diligent try to untangle
But most just leave them be
And continue their beachcombing
– Anonymous guest poet
I appreciate the Island’s stillness this time of year-mostly because it cultivates an awareness of the marine environment around me. There are very few distractions.
Just standing still, and listening, one can sense a rhythm (or routine) whether it’s the lapping of waves at low tide, or Fish crows in a distant tree top bantering back and forth, I can hear the local ferry “Popeye” heading past Dock beach this morning, and an Amtrak train whistle across the Sound… hearing far off moments announcing another brand new day and I haven’t even left my driveway.
The daily, even rhythm I sense monitoring our different beaches does indeed have its invigorating and lovely moments. I find though that surveying consistently these same areas for trash strikes a different chord.
I see abundant masses of disposable plastic. The tiniest particles or objects remind me over and over again that in any pristine ecosystem, trash disposed of improperly is here basically forever.
Disposable cigar tips-I see them on every beach and in many coastal nooks and crannies. Made in China, one company offered online a minimum order of 50 cartons with 50,000 cigar tips in ONE carton. And I am disheartened to report that now they come in various colors-not just vintage Ivory. . .
November 27@ 6:29am: Getting up before the sun and heading eastward. I arrive at Isabella just in time to wake the chickadees up and enjoy their morning chatter among the pines. Weather across the Sound calls for light snow…red sky this morning has this sailor taking warning as I zip up my jacket and move on to monitor East Harbor.
7:20am @ Big Club Golf Course: Well, early birds do catch the worms I suppose-I spot the Golden eagle again. While I was surveying the sands in East Harbor it swooped down and landed in a small tree curiously close by. I followed it down the Course till it landed again and hoped for a photo.
Local Island residents have mentioned seeing a VERY large bird since late September, so I am not certain it arrived with Hurricane Sandy. I am certain though that it has figured out where to snack on a pheasant or two.