from East Quogue to Aquebogue

Although this morning was overcast rather than foggy, the local East Quogue scene was something of a repeat of yesterday with the Mute Swans puddling up the underwater mud in Swan Pond (our salt pond at low tide) apparently stirring up bits of food for their five cygnets while the whole operation was being supervised by a pair of Willets perched on the top of a scraggly Red Cedar on the far side.

The morning's expedition out of East Quogue started in the open bearberry heath just north of the Westhampton or Gabreski Airport. This area, used on weekends by model airplane fliers, is marked at its entrance off the Westhampton-Riverhead Road with a sign that says "Caution: Low Flying Planes". No low-flying planes today, model or otherwise, but a few sparrows: lots of Chipping plus singing Field and Vesper as well as that honorary sparrow known as Eastern Towhee; also Northern Mockingbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Prairie Warbler and assorted others. A surprise was the appearance of three good-sized raptors with long tails and wide wings -- probably Cooper's Hawks -- being chased by crows. As the Northern Harriers and American Kestrels disappear from our area as breeding birds, they are apparently being replaced by Turkey Vultures and Cooper's Hawks.

Our next stop was a little-known upland and coastal fringing area in Aquebogue. This beautiful property, which includes derelict structures being swallowed up by resurgent vegetation, has remained undeveloped for many years and should really be preserved as it encloses valuable wetlands and some gorgeous oldfield and savannah habitat. It appears to have had a history both as a duck farm and a shooting preserve. In its present state, it is one of the most attractive natural areas on the North Fork and would make a great addition to our parks system. For the record, the birdlife there includes Warbling Vireo (we heard at least two singing birds) and Willow Flycatcher. as well as Red-tailed Hawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Kingbirds, Cedar Waxwings (many), House Wrens, Yellow Warblers, Baltimore Orioles, various swallows, and an incredible number of Chimney Swifts coursing low over the meadows. There are also various wetlands species (Marsh Wren has nested here) and the whole area is a wild flower garden with blooming thistle, wild rose, pinks, toadflax, prickly pear cactus, elderberry and who knows what else. The presence of Willow Flycatcher is notable. This species was previously largely confined to dense dune and wetlands vegetation on the south shore but recently I have had it on the Bicycle Path off Route 51 and Harry Maas had it in Calverton. It's nice to be able to report a species whose LI range is expanding instead of contracting!

Eric Salzman