“Pull Over Plover”

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Somewhere between the echoing foghorn off Race Point and the moans of Gov’t Bell buoy outside the ferry slip; if you listen very carefully during the cacophony of swirling Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds you just might hear the high pitched and the drawn out piping  of “kill deer- kill deer-kill deer”.

I have been neck and neck with this Upland Plover as I scout out returning Oyster Catcher pairs this week. Up east, atop dunes at the Big Club, scurrying across the airport runway, even teasing me when I sighted one running for home plate at the softball field!

I had nearly given up trying to capture this “flighty” shorebird on camera when this evening, a Killdeer happened to just casually walk over from the Parade Grounds and join me….for just a second.

 

 

 

King of Gulls

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The Great black-backed gull (“GBB” for my data sheet) is the great big gull of the world’s oceans.

Here on Island, I have continued to document their small colonies (up to 6-12 ) and now have a better view into their lives during our “off season”- when they are very much “on”!

Hungry Points east haulout (rock clumps) is home for local GBBs-these winter months they don’t have to battle it out over squatters rights with the Cormorants. Middle Farms Pond always attracts GBBs when the ice has melted-smack in the center of the pond is their “sweet spot” for months. Far off shore south side around Isabella numerous smaller flocks are counted by binocular scan.

They have been compared to raptors without talons; being fairly aggressive when it comes to hunting. So it’s not unusual for these gulls to take out an Eider duck or two especially in open waters.

 It’s middle of March in West Harbor and the beginning of breeding season. Today, I spied this “fourth winter” (dark plumage) adult pair and it looks to me like “Love is in the air…..”

 

 

Rain Dove

Rain Doves

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Rain Doves
Rain Doves
Rain Dove
Rain Dove
Rain Doves
Rain Doves
Rain Dove
Rain Dove

Tears stream, then rest on velvet. And you rest too.

Perched on frozen branch just waiting contently for winter’s harsh to melt. Keeping symmetric- keeping still.

That life and rhythm and green bud will emerge again you are confident-balanced.

Await season’s change, its bend, its surrender- it will come, it will flow, My it will fly!

Perched on swaying branch you rest just waiting contently for spring’s soft.

All in good time….

Take A Gander : Snow Geese!

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 This morning I could sense Winter had finally loosened its grasp on the Island. And I, too, had let go of referring to Alaska and chasing after Bald Eagles and Snowy Owls. Instead, I stood basking in the sun that felt warm at 35, noting the arrival of Red-winged Blackbirds and Robins.

I was also thinking about monitoring these last months and thankful for Islanders and the times it really did feel like a neighborhood watch for wildlife-  just when a tiny Island felt huge and I just didn’t want to miss a thing; folks would track me down and share their findings.

 Just like this afternoon at 1:00 when I received a short text from Carl Scroxton:

“2 Snow Geese @ Big Club”    

(Wait a minute, didn’t I stop referring to Alaska?!)

I was in a school meeting and texted back:

“Location?”

“Across from main building”

I joked:

“Tell them to stay put”

And while I wasn’t able to get up east till after 3:00, amazingly the pair of Snow Geese appeared in flight and landed right where Carl had noted them. I snuck up the hill and hid behind the stone wall, jotting down my observations and texting:

“Thank you!”

Eyed Awake

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Sun’s intention rising

Be ready.

Ray glints upon new day

Glimpse caught.

Stay

Still.

Tides pulsate through sands vein

All awhile

Yawning gull sits

Waning moon sets

Glance now

While

Morning comes to you.

 

 

Keeping Tally

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Snow and I are battling it out. And since it just won’t quit I have decided neither will I. I’ll have to be just as determined-especially when it comes to checking on the Harbor seals.

The other morning I stared at the tally counter sitting on my desk- the number still “frozen” at 0030, that’s 16 seals on West haulout (clumps of rocks) and 14 on East haulout. It had been a couple weeks since I visited Hungry Point last.

In the past when the weather permitted, I would often see them twice a week-ok, maybe three times- and now I downright miss them!

On Monday and Tuesday I did drive east (gosh, will the bike path ever emerge?).

I laugh, the drifts are so high I just stepped over the picket fence gate leading to my path. I can still walk gingerly on top of the icy crust, and THen fall through up to my waist (just once this time!).

I’m glad I went. I photographed (upper right rock) one “entangled” seal with a deeply embedded “necklace” –perhaps a packing band or monofilament. After documenting I send information along to The Mystic Aquarium. It’s all about keeping watch for the Northeast Region Stranding Network.

Later in the week it was business as usual with those seals-striking poses and looking like ice sculptures, “pet rocks”-even an inflatable beach raft…

It’s good we can count on each other.

 

O Canada! Geese In Plight

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With unmerciful blasting winds and drifts upon drifts of snow unfurled over the Island, we birds of a feather flock together; but for some it’s been a real struggle.

Island Canada Geese so accustomed to strolling and grazing freely on manicured golf courses- I just don’t think this homegrown species migrates much anymore.

So these days it seems everyone has a goose story.

Islanders reporting these waterfowl trapped frozen in coves and flocks hunkering together scavenging for the last blades of grass.  Geese hungry, disoriented and weak and often dead are observations I started to witness. I stumbled upon (literally) the birds while monitoring South Beach. And while Mother Nature can appear harsh, I often help out when I can do so safely. Like the other evening when nearly frozen, a goose “dropped” by my neck of the woods. I wrapped it up and brought it in from the cold, put it in a basket and placed a space heater nearby. Remembering a few wildlife rehabilitation steps to take I steamed up some spinach and gently fed “O Canada”. The goose very quickly defrosted, hisssssssssed  “thanks”  and was promptly  shown the door!

This morning Karl & Lisa Eirikssen met me up East where they distributed a truck load of corn. A bit of comfort out in the cold.

 

 

Join The Club!

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With extreme wind chill and frozen pipes, wind gusts battering shingles at 65mph, and snow drifts not yet over my head-the Island is still faring well.  And as I look across the Sound and listen to northeast weather reports of historic proportion-Climate Change becomes very “in the moment” and undeniable.

 I especially find that monitoring sites here and noting environmental trends starts to become newsworthy in it self.

So for the Island Sentinels that have helped collect data with me these past Summers on Fishers Island (especially at Hay Harbor) I  simply post these strikingly different and contrasting photos. Sharing our Winter’s Local Traditional Knowledge.

Note:

No Knotted wrack covered rocks-just sheer ice.

No Asterias star fish clinging under docks-just icicles.

No wading across to Big Stony without ice cleats

No Lifeguard on Duty….

Be My Valiant Time

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Oh Time! thou art within.

 With deep heart I will adore you.

With deep breath I will spend you.

 Unwavering

 

Time, not diurnal, yet eternal -even my night in starry shining armour.

 Be my island        Time.

 On waves, into the sunsets we will ride           together.

 Every

 single

time and time again….

My Valiantime

The Ceremonial Preen

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 Off Dock Beach, Red-breasted mergansers with their saw-bills and shaggy “headdress” perform the morning ritual of preening here in West Harbor.

Both air and water temperatures continue to plunge these days-and watching area waterfowl seems to be the best natural barometer. It’s important that plumage is continually protected and feathers aligned with preen oil to achieve optimum waterproofing.