sounds from the outside

I have set up my 'office' on the screen porch and, with all the windows open, it is possible to monitor many of the local goings-on by sound. For example, there was a Royal Tern calling this morning from the creek, a distinctive sound that provided the first local evidence that these birds are here on Shinnecock Bay (they have been seen on Moriches Bay all spring and summer but the third week in July is about right for their arrival here.

Yesterday afternoon there were volleys of Osprey whistles and screams coming from the trees near the water, making me jump up, dash out and rush down to the pond. There were Ospreys all over the place and, when they saw me coming, they all took off for the other side of the creek. There were no less than four birds -- at least one adult and at least two young birds and all wheeling, whistling and screaming. One of them at least was an adult with a fish; he (or she) landed on a stub on the other side of the creek while the other birds flew up and down the edge of the creek, calling -- perhaps I can say 'complaining -- vociferously.

What was all the brouhaha about? I am almost positive that these are the birds from the Pine Neck nest with two or three young in full flight but still dependent on mom and dad. One of the adults has caught a decent-size fish but he or she is no longer willing to tear it apart and feed it to the youngsters. Go ahead and scream, seems to be the message. You can fly well enough; now learn how to dive and catch your own food. If the youngster is hungry enough, intelligent and agile enough, he or she will learn how to fish quickly enough. Consider the alternative.

Eric Salzman