an addendum

In spite of the fact that I already signed off for 2012, I did also say that I might occasionally file on something of interest. Perhaps this post falls into that category.

The release of two of my Labor/Naxos CD albums -- "The Nude Paper Sermon" and the four pieces that make up "Wiretap" (Helix, Wiretap, Larynx Music and Queens Collage) -- took place right in the middle of Hurricane Sandy! These are music-theater works: a big one for actor, Renaissance ensemble, singing voices and electronic sounds (with Stacy Keach and the Nonesuch Ensemble conducted by Josh Rifkin) and four shorter works, also featuring voices in various forms.

Even though they've just been released now, there are already some great notices. The best one is William Gibson's article in the current issue of "Signal to Noise"; I can send anyone who's interested a complete copy. But you can also get more information, hear excerpts, read reviews and find out how to order from the Labor Records site .

There's also background on these releases and the earlier "Civilization & Its Discontents" on my web site .

Hope everyone survived the storm(s) in good shape.

Cheers!

Eric Salzman

goodbye to 2012!

2012 still has a couple of months to run but our May-November East Quogue sojourn is over for the year. We survived Sandy but now have packed up and moved back to Brooklyn.

A quick rundown of this year's most notable bird events would have to include the several sightings of Bald Eagles both in the spring and in the fall, the number of rails passing through the marsh (mostly only heard but including Virginia and Clapper Rails and, most probably, Yellow Rail), a number of species new to the property (Rusty Blackbird, Short-billed Dowitcher, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Pine Siskin) or rather rare (Wilson's Snipe, Caspian Tern, several Philadelphia Vireos). The influx of large numbers of Red-breasted Nuthatches, Pine Siskins and American Goldfinches was striking and might be an advance cohort of northern finches. Plenty of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows came in towards the end of October setting the stage for an interesting winter to follow (by others, not, alas, by me).

From time to time, I'll post occasional items that I hope will be of interest in the coming months. Otherwise see you next spring!

Eric Salzman

Mike Bottini asked me to post the announcement of the first Long Island Natural History Conference which will take place Friday, November 16, and Saturday, November 17. The Friday session will be in Berkner Auditorium at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY, and will comprise a dozen presentations by leading Long Island wildlife biologists and naturalists and a keynote presentation by Peter Alden, author of the Audubon Society's regional field guide series.The conference is open to the general public and promises to be the largest regional forum for researchers, natural resource managers, students, and naturalists to present and exchange current information on the varied aspects of applied field biology (freshwater, marine, and terrestrial) and natural history of Long Island. It will serve as a premier venue to identify research and management needs, foster friendships and collegial relationships, and encourage a greater region-wide interest in Long Island’s natural history by bringing together people with diverse backgrounds. The conference is a project of the newly formed Long Island Nature Organization, committed to promoting nature studies on Long Island by sponsoring specific projects, providing opportunities like the conference to increase communication among wildlife researchers, managers, and the general public, and building a web-based clearing house for Long Island Natural History information. To view the conference schedule and to register, go to LongIslandNature.org

Sandy

Hurricane Sandy hit us pretty hard starting on Monday, the 29th of October, with a good-sized morning high tide in which the pond and marsh overflowed their banks. The electricity went out about 3:30 in the afternoon (the phones went out later) and the winds kept increasing all day with boffo hurricane gusts and a second high tide after dark that pushed the water about two-thirds of the way up the open field toward the house. Oddly enough, the clouds mostly dissipated revealing the full moon that was not only collaborating in this apocalypse but also lighting it up. A setting for a scary early Hallowe'en opera.

Well the water did not reach the house but the dawn's not-so-early light revealed the piles of wrack and debris covering the area and stretching from one patch of woods to the other. However there was surprisingly little tree damage around the house (I'll have to survey the general damage to the property later on when things are more accessible).

I did manage to do a little birding in the morning but my conclusion is that Sandy caused a lot of trouble with few rewards. Unlike Irene (which produced some wonderful tropical and pelagic birds including a Bridled Tern right on the creek), there was no real exotica in sight. I did see a Lesser Blackback Gull riding out the storm along with the Laughing, Ring-bill, Herring and Greater Black-back Gulls perched on what remained of the Aldrich Boatyard docks and there were several raptors in sight: a Cooper's Hawk and two or three Merlins (chasing, of all things, Rock Doves a.k.a. Domestic Pigeons, and reminding me that Merlins used to be called Pigeon Hawks!). There were flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos and various sparrows investigating the tidal wrack for whatever it was that they were able to find. Blue Jays were also investigating the tidal wrack, apparently finding acorns that had been blown off the trees.

The tide finally fell back on Tuesday afternoon and by Wednesday we were able to pack up and head for the city as originally planned.

Eric Salzman

waiting for the storm

There was moonlight last night but by this morning the sky was covered and the wind had come up from the northeast (although it was possible to hear the surf from the southeast). Was this because the storm was partly a nor'easter? Or was it because of the clockwise motion of the hurricane?

The early morning tide was extremely high; the pond overflowed and most of my usual paths around the pond and marsh were well under water. Most notably, there were a few hawks in the air: a medium-sized accipiter (probably a female Sharp-shinned judging by the cut of the wings), a Red-tailed Hawk over the creek being harassed by gulls, and the last of the Osprey -- presumably the same young bird that has been hanging around and overnighting on local dead trees.

Eric Salzman

calm before the storm

The past two days can be best characterized by the phrase 'calm before the storm'. The weather has been partly sunny, warm, dry and relatively windless. Although the various populations of visiting and/or wintering birds have thinned out somewhat, there are still some numbers of various species. There was a singing Marsh Wren yesterday and some Hermit Thrushes (tail wags included) as well. V-formation flocks moving overhead have all been Double-crested Cormorants. A impressive movement of seabirds on the far side of Shinnecock Bay must have extended a good half-mile along the barrier beach; although it did not take the classic V formation, it may have been D-c Cormorants (I can't think what else would be moving in such numbers at this time of year but perhaps some of the waterfowl have started to move). I haven't seen the Sapsuckers in a couple of days but the other four woodpeckers -- Hairy included -- are here (hurricanes create lots of yummy dead wood for woodpeckers).

I heard that mysterious three-note whistled song again this morning. I'm now thinking that it might be an aberrant sparrow song -- perhaps even a Song Sparrow!

Aldrich Boat Yard (our neighbor up the creek) has pulled almost all its boats out of the water and pulled in its floating docks as well. Last year, I believe some of their boats suffered significant damage during Hurricane Irene so they are taking no chances this year.

Eric Salzman

another rail call

Another mysterious rail call.

I was down at the marsh before dawn when a rail called something like the following: Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap (even) and then something similar but dropping in pitch. The tide was still fairly high and there was just so far that I could slosh around and of course I saw nothing. After waiting a while, I retreated to higher ground and heard the pattern once again, this time from a distance. This was not a Clapper Rail (although I suppose King Rail would be a possibility).

Sunrise was very striking as the fiery ball came up in a narrow opening below a heavy cloud cover. This threw an unreal reddish/orange light on the vegetation and cast the siskins and goldfinches (they were popping up all over the place) in lurid colors; it was like something a mad lighting designer might come up with. But it wasn't long before the sun vanished behind a thick layer of overcast.

Add a couple of species to the list of possible winter birds (see yesterday's blog). Small flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos and Golden-crowned Kinglets showed up this morning. Royal Terns continue to populate the creek. Now that Aldrich Boat Yard has pulled in all their boats (in advance of the predicted storms?) and even pulled up the floating docks, the terns are using the poles -- mostly occupied by gulls and cormorants until now -- as roosting places.

Eric Salzman

winter birds?

In spite of the overcast and drizzle, there were birds, birds, birds this morning -- passerines plus a woodpecker or two -- in the pine grove just in back of the pond and all along the marsh edge with chickadees and titmice, both nuthatches, a surprising number of Ruby-crowned Kinglets (no Golden-crowned), many Yellow-rumped (a.k.a. Myrtle) Warblers and the regular late October complement of sparrows -- White-throats, Song and Swamp. There are still good numbers of Pine Siskins along with lesser numbers of Am Goldfinches all around the marsh edge. And, of course, Mourning Doves, blackbirds (Red-winged and Grackles), Am Crows (with an occasional Fish Crow) and Blue Jays. Also Mockingbirds on each side of the property (they are year-rounders) and a loud Brown Thrasher or two calling from inside the woods. And the inevitable and highly successful Carolina Wrens -- also year-rounders.

I wonder how many of these birds are settled in for the winter (alas, I won't be around to check it out).

Eric Salzman