November/December 2015
Serving Stony Brook, Setauket, Port Jefferson,
Mount Sinai, Smithtown and the surrounding areas
THE FOUR HARBORS HERON
...
In
t
s
hi
i
ue
s
s
Message from the President 2
Save Plum Island 3
Second Annual Day in the Life 5
Owl Fun Facts 7
Holiday Gifts for Nature Lovers 8
Rescuing Sea Turtles 8
100 Years Plus Strong—The Christmas Bird Count 9
Don’t Put Your Gardens To Bed 9
Cooper’s or Sharpie – An Identification Dilemma 11
Bird of the Month 12
Where the Birds Are 13
Calendar of Events
11/4/15: Winter Birds on Long Island, Susan
Krause, Babylon Public Library, 7 p.m.
12/12/15: Frank Melville Memorial Park/Mill
Pond Bird Walk, 11 a.m.
11/14/15: Avalon Park and Preserve Bird Walk,
9 a.m.
12/27/15: Christmas Bird Count
11/14/15: Frank Melville Memorial Park/Mill Pond
Bird Walk, 11 a.m.
11/30/15: What’s That Bird in My Backyard?
Susan Krause, Commack Public Library,
6:30 p.m.
12/12/15: Avalon Park and Preserve Bird Walk,
9 a.m.
1/9/16: Avalon Park and Preserve Bird Walk,
9 a.m.
1/9/16: Frank Melville Memorial Park/Mill Pond
Bird Walk, 11 a.m.
2/13/16: Avalon Park and Preserve Bird Walk,
9 a.m.
2/13/16: Frank Melville Memorial Park/Mill Pond
Bird Walk, 11 a.m.
1
November/December 2015
A Message from the President
Greetings during this time of amazing fall beauty on Long Island! Just a gentle reminder to leave the
seed heads on your flowers until spring so the birds can feast all winter. Pumpkins should be put in the
bushes to be eaten by the squirrels or to decompose and enrich the soil. There is still time to plant berry
bushes or evergreens in your yard before the ground freezes (and most nurseries have bushes and trees 50
percent off at this time of year!) You will be giving the birds and other creatures food and shelter to
survive the cold. Just be sure to plant natives...
If you don't have a heated birdbath, it's a good holiday gift suggestion to give to your family or friends.
(See other ideas for the nature lover on page 8). Birds not only need water to drink, but to bathe and keep
their feathers clean, even on a cold day!
I just learned that the town I grew up in, Evanston, Illinois, has recently passed a ban on plastic bags.
Wouldn't that be a wonderful law to have instituted in our north shore neighborhoods? If you are
interested in seeing this happen, please let us know, and together we can start working on this and other
ideas to preserve this planet that we have been entrusted with.
Susan Krause
Four Harbors Audubon Society
Board
Susan Krause, President
Luci Betti-Nash, Vice President
Sue Beck, Field Trip Director
Joyann Cirigliano
Atlantic Flyway Projects Coordinator
Patrice Domeischel
Communications/Newsletter
Joe Kelly, Photographer
Jim LaRosa, Webmaster
Elaine Maas, Education Coordinator
Diane Spitz, Treasurer/Conservation Chair
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November/December 2015
SAVE PLUM ISLAND
Based on detailed census work by Audubon staff
over the past three years, over 200 bird species
have been documented as breeding or foraging
on Plum Island and adjacent coastal waters.
These include a variety of birds-of-prey, shorebirds, wading birds, waterfowl, and songbird
species. In 2009 Audubon staffers noted 7
active Osprey nests
and an active Bank
Swallow colony, a
species of bird on the
decline in New York. Of
special interest is the
presence of Piping
Plovers, a federally
threatened
species,
The approximately 90% of Plum Island that is which utilizes the shoreundeveloped holds significant ecological and line habitat for breeding
scenic sites.
purposes. The Piping
In fact, Plum Island has been recognized as:
Plover shares this
shoreline with several
dozen Roseate Terns, a federally endangered
 “Important Bird Area” –
species, and several hundred Common Terns,
Audubon, New York
a NYS threatened species, which use the island
 “Critical Natural Resource Area” –
as developmental habitat and for resting on its
US Fish and Wildlife Service
shoreline. The waters surrounding Plum Island
are rich in nutrients and are vital feeding and
 “Peconic Bay Environs Critical
courting grounds for birds such as these terns.
Environmental Area” - Suffolk County,
New York
Located less than a mile from Orient Point, the
tip of Long Island’s North Fork, lies the 840
acre, pork chop-shaped Plum Island. Wellknown from Nelson DeMille’s book of the same
title, and even more so because of the Plum
Island Animal Disease Center (“PIADC”) that
exists there, this wildlife rich island is a vital
stopover site and breeding ground for migratory
birds, seals and other species. Unfortunately,
its ecological resources are in danger of being
lost. In 2008, Congress approved sale of the
island to a private party, with plans to move the
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility to
another state.

“New York State Significant Coastal
Fish & Wildlife Habitat” –
NYS Dept. of State

“Environmental Stewardship Area” Long Island Sound Study
The Island also holds nationally-significant
artifacts and historic buildings – including the
1870 Plum Gut Lighthouse and the 1897 Fort
Terry army barracks and weapons batteries. Plum Island’s scenic value, ecological
resources and historic sites offer tremendous
potential for recreation and public education,
and make it an ideal candidate for permanent
preservation.
As has been documented at other coastal
islands and sites situated in southern New
England, Plum Island undoubtedly provides
critical stopover habitat for many fall migrant
songbird species, many of which have not been
fully documented in the census work discussed
above because no detailed census work has
taken place in late summer and autumn. Coastal
islands are known to be vital for migrating land
birds such as warblers, vireos, and thrushes,
and many other birds that take advantage of the
habitat to rest and feed (thereby refueling)
before they continue their migration over water.
3
November/December 2015
Moreover, the island and the waters surrounding it are important habitat for large congregations of numerous seabirds including several
species of loons, grebes and marine
waterfowl species such as American Black
Duck, Scaup species, Long-tailed Duck,
all three Scoter species, Bufflehead,
Common Goldeneye, Common Eider and
Red-breasted Merganser. Common Eiders,
known to breed from nearby Fisher's Island
may also breed on Plum Island; if so this would
be only the second location in the state where
this well-known sea duck breeds. Plum Island
is part of the Orient Point to Plum Island
Important Bird Area based upon the presence
of species at risk, such as the previously
mentioned Piping Plover and Common Terns
along with Least Terns and for its water bird
congregations.
seals and consistently has the largest number of
seals observed during surveys”.
The mission of the Preserve Plum Island Coalition (PPIC) is to secure the permanent protection of the significant natural and cultural
resources of Plum Island. The PPIC advocates
for comprehensive solutions that safeguard this
national treasure; this includes dedicating
Plum Island's undeveloped acreage, approximately 80% of the island, as a National Wildlife
Refuge, or creating a preserve providing equivalent protection in perpetuity. The PPIC recognizes the existence of the Plum Island Animal
Disease Center (PIADC) and the jobs supported
by this facility. If the Center is closed, and no
adaptive reuse occurs, the PPIC supports the
removal of non-historic buildings and surplus
infrastructure, the clean-up and restoration of
any impacted resources and the dedication of
The wetlands in the southwestern portion of the PIADC property as conservation lands.
the island host Snapping and Painted
Turtles. The offshore waters, especially of
Plum Gut, host large concentrations of Striped
Bass, Bluefish, Tautog, Summer Floun- HOW YOU CAN HELP
der and others. Plum Gut is a major migration  Have your organization join the Preserve
corridor for Striped Bass and Atlantic Plum Island Coalition
Salmon.
 Check the website and Facebook
Common Dolphins have been sighted off the page often for updates and announcements
waters of the island. Additionally, aerial seal
censuses conducted by staff from the Riverhead  Call or write to your elected offiFoundation for Marine Research and Preserva- cials, Senators Gillibrand and Schumer and
Congressman Zeldin, to let them know your
tion have found that the immediate offshore
rocks and the waters surrounding the island are concerns and ask them to fight to reverse the
used extensively by several dozen to as many as sale of the island
three hundred Harbor and Grey Seals during  Write letters to your local papers, as well as
the winter months. Over the past decade the
publications such as Newsday to voice your
number of seals hauling out here has increased. concerns
According to
 Share your knowledge with friends and
researchers
neighbors.
from the
Riverhead
Foundation,
“Plum Island
This article has been combined with portions of various
is one of the
Preserve Plum Island Coalition articles and reproduced
haul out sites
with permission of the Coalition.
most frequented by
4
November/December 2015
The Second Annual "Day in the Life of the Nissequogue River"
by Joyann Cirigliano
The Second Annual "Day in the Life of the
Nissequogue River" went off without a hitch again
this year. Well, maybe there was one small hitch, at
least for me. I assume Sue Krause, a fellow naturalist
and Auduboner, who was working with the Stony
Brook School at a location up the river close to the
Miller's Pond headwaters, had no issues. For me,
though, there was a bit of a hiccup. You see, two of
the schools I was scheduled to assist had overlapping
time slots. Somehow I always appear to bite off more
than I can chew. This year I signed on to help four
different schools at four different locations and times.
(If I take a day off from work, I need to make it worth
my while, after all.) What I didn't count on was that
the times at my first and second assigned sites overlapped by an hour – and while both sites were within
sight of each other, each was on opposite shores of
the river's mouth.
My first school, Gelinas Junior High School, was on
the beach by the river mouth on the east side of the
river, meeting from 8:30 to 1, but I only needed to
work with their 60+ kids until 11 or so. However, I
was due to meet my second school, Brentwood High
School, at 10 to work with their 30 to 40 students at
Nissequogue River State Park, diagonally across the
river about a half mile distant. They were to finish by
12:45. I was meeting my third group, the 50 or so
students dedicated to the Kings Park High School
S.E.A.S. Environmental Club, at the Kings Park
Bluff, a half mile north of the State Park and directly
across from The Short Beach site. They were
collecting data from 2 until 3:30. My final group was
meeting farther up the river at a little known access
site on Thatch Pond Road. This group, Students
Taking Action for Tomorrow’s Environment,
S.T.A.T.E., is a very dedicated group of four high
school volunteers from a few different school districts
in the Smithtown/Stony Brook area and working out
of Avalon Park and Preserve. Their volunteer
coordinator, Rebecca, is awesome. Their meeting
time was from 4 to 6 p.m. The afternoon schools were
no problem, but the timing of the first two was an
issue.
So, now the conundrum: while separated by only
three quarters of a mile, as the crow flies, the first two
sites were divided by a decent sized river, and the
closest crossing point was about eight miles back
upstream. Or was it downstream? Tidal estuaries are
SO confusing! Let's just say south. It would take
about 25 to 30 minutes to drive from the first site to
the second, which would waste valuable time. So the
answer is, you don't drive up and down both sides of
the river - you kayak.
I launched from the Bluff at 8:15. It was almost high
tide, so the current wasn't difficult. I paddled directly
across, beached my kayak and hiked to the buses in
the parking lot farther up Short Beach. Mr. Vorwald
and Mr. Mutter split the kids into two groups and
started mapping, measuring tidal changes and doing
water and other tests at two separate sites. Assisting
the students while they seine for aquatic fauna is
always exciting. It's even more interesting when it
rains. I mentioned to Mr. Mutter that it was only
going to rain for a short time because the break we
could see to our southwest should pass right over us,
and the dark clouds sandwiching it would pass north
and south of us. Thankfully it was just a squall - or
two - and there was no thunder. That happened later...
While Mr. Mutter and his students were thinking
about diving for the dubious cover of the closed snack
bar and pavilion about 2/3 of a mile away from the
site, I worked on the bio-blitz of the local flora and
fauna on shore. I work outside year round. I like interesting weather. Plus, I carry a rain poncho. Thankfully, the people who host the event and donate the
equipment include a notebook with waterproof paper
in every site kit.
5
November/December 2015
At 10:15, I thanked my first group for all the excellent data they were collecting and kayaked diagonally across the river to the southwest. I landed at
10:20. Sure beats driving! My second group was
already seining, and measuring water and air temperature, tidal changes, and conducting water quality tests, including pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen
and even presence of coliform bacteria. Matters
were well in hand because there were also two State
Park employees helping out, so I moved on to the
bio-blitz.
just beyond the next site near the creek mouth south
of Sunken Meadow State Park. Yes, the tide was
going out. Yes, there were a couple of strong eddies I would have to paddle back through. But there
were birds....lots of fascinating birds... and, yes, I
was remarkably weary after I fought the tide and the
current back to the docks. I dragged my kayak out
of the water, and got my car. I still had an half hour
after I loaded my kayak, so I went home, shed my
wet socks and denims, switched to rip-stop nylon
pants, changed shoes, ate a protein bar and an apple
and stopped at our local Dunkin Donuts for a wellOne of the best episodes of the day happened at
about 12:30. Three students approached their earned coffee. I was going to need the caffeine.
teacher, Mrs. Davis, saying they found a small tur- I met my local High School Enviro-club at 2:20.
tle. They said it was crawling around in a sandbank We all hiked to the new gravel spit and mussel bar
a few yards north of us. The young man held out his which was allowed to develop after Hurricane
fisted hand and opened it, and I managed to let out Sandy. Once again there was measuring, data colonly a tiny gasp of shock. Everyone else looked lection and seining. This group managed to get the
puzzled. Mrs. Davis asked what kind it was, and most biodiversity. There were sand shrimp and
the Park workers came over for a look. After a mo- shore shrimp, both species of killies, shiners, a baby
ment of silence, I asked him, "How does it feel to flounder (or was it a fluke?) and even some large
be holding an endangered species?" He looked mummichog, and small menhaden. At 3:40, I handshocked. Mrs. Davis was ecstatic. I was thrilled. ed Mr. Gelling the bio-blitz and pointed out a few
He was holding a one inch long infant Diamond- new invasive plant species. Who knew Japanese
back Terrapin. I assumed it had just hatched, so we Knotweed could survive so close to salt water?
asked the student to move back from the slope and I headed to my last group with the sky going gray. I
Mrs. Davis, the State employees, and I carefully had had a phone call earlier from Rebecca while I
searched the site. We searched for a few minutes, was working with Mr. Gelling and the Kings Park
but by then it was time for the students to leave, so crew. The sun was still shining at 3, but we were
we joined them by the water and released the turtle concerned about the possibility of heavy rain or
for its maiden voyage. Even when only minutes thunderstorms, which had been forecast for the
old, terrapins are strong swimmers. After everyone evening. We decided to meet anyway because all
left, I still had time before my next group, so I ven- the site data had to be collected on the same day and
the forecast was still "iffy". Data collection like this
tured back to where they found it, and I did manage
is critical to developing and checking the preservato find another six, which I released into the river. tion and restoration plans for these rivers, plus makThe river is much safer for them than the raccoon- ing sure water quality and biodiversity stays high. I
ridden shore. I'm still astounded that seven eggs met Rebecca and her gang at the end of Thatch
survived to hatching age.
Pond Road. We started the site mapping and the
tidal measurements and speed. I spilt off for the Bio
I paddled back north toward the Kings Park bluff
-blitz. We took out the seine net and it began to
and then decided to overshoot the dock by 1/3 of a
drizzle. We called the gang's parents for an early
mile to look at some gulls, peeps, swans, and ducks pick-up at 5:15 instead of 6.
6
November/December 2015
We counted our catch to the rumble of thunder. We
released our catch to another. We crossed our fingers,
grabbed a bucket of water for our water quality samples, packed up our gear, and pelted to my van and
Rebecca's car as the sky opened up. We did our water
quality samples under the protection of the rear hatch
of my van. By the time we finished the sky was almost as dark as night, the lightning was frequent and
the storm was getting closer. Two of the parents had
shown up at 5:15 but one parent wasn't going to be
able to make it until 5:45. It was decided that Rebecca and the student she would be dropping off would
take refuge in her car, and the other student would
wait with me in mine. I've always loved a good thunderstorm. This one was better than most. The only
thing that would have made it superior would have
been a more conducive viewing point, like where I
was just a couple of hours before, at the Kings Park
Bluff. The Bluff's vantage point is truly awe-inspiring
when a storm blows through. Meanwhile, as the rain
hammered down on my snug dry van, we spoke about
the local ecosystem and what we had just worked on
to help it. I asked her what she was thinking about
studying when she went to college. We spoke about
universities and degrees. Then she asked me if what
we worked on today is what I do for a living. By then
the lightning and thunder were almost constant,
(Awesome!), the rain more like a monsoon, (Sweet!),
the wind was whipping leaves off the trees, (Holy
Cow!) and it was as dark as pitch.(Yeah!) How do
you answer a question like that when you know this
enthusiastic young woman may want to go into this
field, where the salary is negligible, the work can be
frustrating, the jobs are few and far between, the
environmental issues are massive and there's never
quite enough funding for it all? Why DO I do it? Certainly not for the pay. For me though, the answer
was simple; you do it for the love.
For data collected on "A Day in the Life of the
Nissequogue River" go to:
http://www.portaltodiscovery.org/aday/nissequogue/
index.htm
For more info on "A Day in the Life" and how you
can be involved, please see:
http://www.portaltodiscovery.org/aday/about.htm
Owl Fun Facts
1. What is a group of owls
called?
2. How many species of owl
are there worldwide?
3. Owls can turn their head 270 degrees. How
many vertebrae do they have in their neck to
enable this feat?
4. There is only one continent on which owls
do not live. What is it?
5. What is the oldest known fossil record of an
owl?
Answers on page 13
7
November/December 2015
Holiday Gifts for Nature Lovers
by Susan Krause

Nature games-check Christmas Cards |
Adopt an Animal Gifts | Nature Gifts at
ShopNWF.org | Shop NWF
This is the time of year for gift giving. But oftentimes, we are at an impasse as to what that gift
Rescuing Sea Turtles
should be. Give something meaningful this holiday by Patrice Domeischel
season to the present and future nature lovers in your
Last winter, a
life. Needs some suggestions? Here goes…
cold-stunned sea
Adults
turtle was
discovered at
 Magazine subscriptions to Birds &
West Meadow
Blooms, Birdwatcher's Digest
Beach. The
ranger, fortui Zoo/botanical garden/Audubon membertously for the
ships
turtle, was on her daily patrol and happened upon it.
 Purchase and plant a native tree in their
During this time of year, sea turtles may remain in
yard
the warmer waters of the Sound too long before
continuing their journey to warmer climes. When
 Gardening tools or seeds
the colder weather arrives and water temperature
drops below 50 or 60 degrees, it causes this cold Landscaper's design for a bird-friendly
blooded reptile’s body to shut down, ultimately
yard
resulting in hypothermia and death.
 Plant trees in their name through a nonprofit such as Nature Conservancy or
Do you walk the beaches on Long Island? Keep
Plant with Purpose
your eyes open for stunned or dead sea turtles:
Green, Kemp’s Ridley, or Loggerhead. Look for
Youth
floating turtles in the water, on the beach to the
 Magazine subscription to Ranger Rick
water line, and under seaweed and debris. If you
find one, immediately:
 Zoo/aquarium membership
CALL THE RIVERHEAD FOUNDATION FOR
 Day trip to Sunken Forest-Fire Island
MARINE RESEARCH AND PRESERVATION
AT 631-369-9829,
 Monthly trip to their favorite park
and add this number to your cell phone contact list.
 Plant a native tree the size of your child/
grandchild, and document the growth
You may cover a large, heavy turtle with a blanket
every year with a picture of the two of
to protect it from the elements and predators. A
them
smaller turtle may be removed, and temporarily
placed in a cool, unheated area such as your car
 Field guides for
trunk until assistance arrives.
children.

Adopt an animal in
their name through
most nature organizations, i.e., Audubon, National Wildlife Federation
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WARM THE
TURTLE, and DO NOT PLACE IN WATER
which may cause irreversible damage. Your quick
action may save the life of one of these incredible
animals.
8
November/December
One Hundred Years Plus Strong – The
2015 Christmas Bird Count
Long-tailed Ducks this year, or as they was once
known, the Oldsquaw, but the counts will inevitably
vary.
Each year, Four Harbors is one of many Audubon
groups participating in a nationwide survey of
wintering birds. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC),
an all-day event, is conducted on varying days from
December 14 through January 5th. First held in
1900, this annual bird census is in its one hundred
sixteenth year. Four Harbors will hold its own
CBC on Sunday, December 27th following the same
established circles (route) it has in years past.
Total species recorded in 1987 were 103. This
year, the Four Harbor Herons will try to beat that
record. We are hoping to see a varied group of
passerines, shorebirds, waders, and raptors this
year, with a few rarities sprinkled in! Nothing is
out of the realm of possibility.
Data obtained through the observations of countless
volunteers helps researchers establish a reliable
historical perspective and to determine the health of
Let’s take a step back in time: birds seen during the
species populations, thereby enabling conservation
Four Harbors 1987 CBC and published in its news- groups to create more effective action plans to
letter at that time, “The Long Island Naturalist,”
protect these species.
included such species as the Northern Goshawk,
Evening Grosbeak, and Canvasback. One Redhead
and an Eastern Meadowlark were found at Flax
Pond, proving that unlikely species may be found at Don't Put Your Gardens to Bed
by Joyann Cirigliano
any time of year.
I know some people must always be neat and tidy.
Gardeners are no exception. Most of suburbia has
manicured lawns and trimmed shrubs. Whether we
do it ourselves, or we have a lawn and garden
service, throughout the summer lawns are mown,
dead leaves and flowers are removed, and sticks,
twigs, and other pieces of unsightly mess are usually bagged up and carted off to the local landfill.
This is not necessarily always a bad thing although I personally would rather see much less
lawn and more garden beds, for a number of different reasons, the explanation of which I'll save for
some other time.
Courtesy David Friedman
In autumn, we take out the rakes and blowers,
sharpen our shears and put our gardens "to bed" for
the winter. We cut down our ornamental grasses,
remove the dead and dying stems of our perennials,
rake up all of those annoying leaves from under our
trees and shrubs, bag all of it up, and once again,
send it off to the landfill. Unfortunately, putting
your garden beds “to bed” in the autumn is actually
rather bad for our planet's health.
Notice how the names of some species have
evolved over time. We will inevitably see many
9
November/December 2015
First, dead leaves are very useful... mulching them
(grinding them into smaller pieces), spreading a thin
½" to 1' layer of them in beds and under trees, and
then putting wood chips, shredded cedar, or other
tree mulch over them, is a nice way to both recycle
them, keep from filling up the landfill, and build soil
and beneficial insect populations. Many insects and
other things live in the soil and the leaf litter on top
of it. Some of them are pests, it's true, but many of
them are beneficial. Predatory beetles, firefly larvae,
and centipedes all help keep those pest insects in
check. Millipedes, sowbugs, and beneficial nematodes, break down the leaves – and the wood chips.
Bacteria and fungi actually help the plants absorb the
nutrients in the soil. So, using dead leaves also
replaces the need to fertilize so often.
Now let's take a look at those dead and dying grass
and perennial stems. The tops of those stems on the
perennials, especially things like our native Blackeyed Susan, Sunflowers, Coreopsis, even Coneflowers and Liatris etc., are usually loaded with seeds
where the flowers used to be. Birds love that.
Grasses usually also have seed heads. Birds love
those, too. Sometimes, there are insect larvae in the
seeds. Birds really love that! In addition to the seed
heads, the plant and grass stems also have insects
hiding inside of them. True, once again, some of
them are pests, but there are many beneficial insects,
like native bees, small predatory wasps, and others,
or their next generation, which hibernate safe and
secure in those stems...until we rip them out, bag
them up and drag them to the landfill. So now, our
next generation of insect protectors and pollinators
are buried under increasingly deeper piles of yard
waste as fall progresses until they are suffocated,
squashed, or incinerated, depending on the municipality. Of course, the top layer may survive and if
there's a hole in the bag, or the bags are removed,
they may survive. But most landfills don't have
much in the way of habitat for hungry bees and
wasps. And, since many are as small of a grain of
rice, they don't generally fly very far – about 200 to
500 yards from their nest is about average. Most
landfills I know are rather large.
Wouldn't it be better for all concerned if we could
leave those stalks in our yards?
If you are distressed about what the neighbors will
think, there are a number of ways to keep those
stems safe without creating a neighborhood
"eyesore". Grasses can be tied together with string.
Perennial stems can be staked and twined, or perhaps
plant hoops, plant supports, gathering rings, or stem
holders can be used. If you feel that their mere
winter presence will force you to pull your hair out,
rip your eyes out, or turn you into a gibbering idiot,
then, by all means, remove them. But please, try to
find a place for them behind a shed, at the top of a
mulch heap, or in some other inconspicuous spot.
Mine get spread along the top of my hundred foot
long brush pile just in front of my back fence – but I
remove my stems in mid-spring, after the early
spring pollinators have emerged. And, no, my neighbors can't see it. Neither can I, because it's about a
hundred feet from the house under my tree-line. My
lawn is still green, everything still grows well in my
beds, and I haven't had a major pest outbreak in
more than 20 years. I also haven't sprayed or fertilized in that time, aside from an occasional organic
slow-release fertilizer in my vegetable garden.
Think of all the money I'm saving in pesticides,
herbicides and fertilizers, just by using leaves and
providing habitat! I have lots of pollinators and predatory insects to keep things in control, and mulch
and compost keeps my beds healthy and productive.
It's a beautiful thing. And, I'm doing my part to
provide habitat with my yard and keep the landfill
just a tad emptier.
Here's some additional food for thought...wouldn't it
be nice if there was habitat at the landfill for whatever survives being dumped there? Some capped landfills are now being planted with native meadow
plants and occasionally trees. Perhaps one day there
will be similar things done to the edges of active
landfills....anyway, I can dream, can't I?
10
November/December 2015
COOPER’S OR SHARPIE –
THE IDENTIFICATION DILEMMA
by Patrice Domeischel

The Cooper’s has more substantial looking legs,
where the SSHA’s legs appear thinner.
 The head of a COHA seems larger in compariBirders deal with identification dilemmas throughson to body size, and may often appear to be
out the year. Autumn brings confusing fallsquarish when its’ hackles are raised. In flight,
plumaged warblers, and shorebirds sporting their
the head extends beyond the leading edge of the
pale, sometimes nondescript non-breeding plumage,
wing. The crown feathers are dark, and the
are also passing through during migration. What
feathers on the nape are paler in color. The head
about the confusing accipiters? How often have
of a SSHA appears rounded and small in comyou seen a hawk flying overhead or checking out
parison to its body size. The crown and nape
the potential prey at your bird feeder, and wonare dark.
dered, “Is it a Sharp-shinned, or is it a Cooper’s?”
Sharp-shinned Hawks (SSHA) and Cooper’s Hawks  In flight, the wing beats vary as well. A SSHA
(COHA) are very similar causing a great deal of
will quickly beat it wings a few times, than
angst amongst birders. Thus, we have the confusglide. The COHA will beat its wings several
ing accipiter dilemma. Here are some helpful hints
times also, but more slowly, than glide.
to assist you in making a determination when you
are presented with this ID predicament.
Check out this interesting blog regarding the differences between these two hawks:
 Sharp-shinned Hawks are the smallest hawk and
http://jonruddy.blog...-spent-few-html
the smallest of the three North American accipiters. The Northern Goshawk, the largest, is
rarely seen here, and will not, in any case, be
seen at your feeder. It is a bird of northern forests that may only be seen during migration or
during incursions when food is scarce. Back to
the SSHA and the COHA: size is not always a
reliable indicator for identification. In general,
female raptors are larger than males, and
Cooper’s Hawks are technically larger than
Sharpies. However, there is much variation
within each species, and female Sharpies can be
Cooper’s Hawk
almost the same size as male Cooper’s. If you
see a bird the size of a Blue Jay, though, and
other ID indicators are in agreement, you can be
pretty sure the bird is a small male SSHA.

Generally, COHAs appear to have a rounded
tail. The outer rectrices, or tail flight feathers,
are shorter than the feathers in the rest of the
tail; they graduate in length from the outer to
the middle of the tail. The white tip of a
Cooper’s tail is wider than the Sharp-shinned’s.
The Sharpie’s tail may appear to be shorter and
squared-off with a thinner white tip.
Sharp-shinned Hawk
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November/December
BIRD OF THE MONTH
THE PINE SISKIN
see these birds, during the winter, feeding in mixed
flocks of American Goldfinches and redpolls, or at
your backyard bird feeder where thistle seed and
small pieces of black oil sunflower seeds are left behind by the other birds.
They can commonly be
seen hanging upside down from the tips of trees
while foraging. Siskins can store seeds in their crop
overnight, up to 10 percent of their body weight! In
summer, they will eat insects: including aphids,
spiders, and grubs, which will then be fed to the
young.
Both sexes build a well-insulated cup nest, consisting of a thick layer of twigs and grasses that protects
the young from the cold temperatures of the northern
pine forests where they breed. The well-hidden nest
is usually located in a conifer on a horizontal branch
from 3 to 50 feet high. Siskins can accelerate their
metabolic rate up to five times their normal rate for a
The Pine Siskin is a small North American finch that period of several hours in order to survive during
breeds in coniferous forests across Canada, Alaska, cold periods.
and to some degree the western mountainous and
northern regions of the United States. It is consid- The female, incubates 2-6 eggs that hatch in about
ered an irruptive species, migrating southward when two weeks. Both parents tend the young and feed
them by regurgitating insects. In two weeks, the
food sources are scarce.
young will fledge. Siskins may produce two clutchPine Siskins, in their adult plumage, are greyish- es in a season, but their rate of productivity has sufbrown overall with paler underparts. They may be fered due to parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds.
differentiated from other similar finch family species
in several ways. Siskins have a notched tail, yellow You may call a group of finches a “charm”, a
or white wing bars, and yellow tail patches. They “company”, or a “trembling of finches.”
are heavily streaked and have a sharper bill than
Goldfinches, Purple or House Finches. Studies of
museum specimens indicate that one percent of male
Pine Siskins are considered “green morphs”. These
birds have a greater amount of yellow in their plumage, especially in the greater coverts on the wing,
sides of nape, at the base of the tail, and sometimes
in the undertail coverts. Their backs may appear
greenish.
In winter, their diet consists predominantly of seeds
(thistle, red alder, birch, and spruce), and some plant
parts (buds, soft stems and leaves of weeds) found
while foraging on trees, shrubs and weeds. You may
12
November/December 2015
ANSWERS TO OWL FUN FACTS
1. A parliament!
2. There are about 200 species of owl in the
world from the smallest, the Elf Owl, weighing 1 ounce and measuring about 5 inches, to
the largest, the Great Gray Owl, measuring
24 to 33 inches in length. In weight, however,
the Eurasian Eagle Owl and the Blakiston's
Fish Owl are larger. The female Blakiston's
weighs in at about 10 pounds!
3. Owls have 14 vertebrae; in comparison,
other birds have seven.
Where The Birds Are— Sunken
Meadow State Park
4. Antarctica
5. Fossilized owl remains have been found
from the Miocene epoch, 38-54 million years
ago. At approximately 3 feet tall, the largest
recorded fossil of an owl was Orinmegalonyx
oteroi. The fossil record seems to indicate
that two modern owl families evolved from
Orinmegalonyx. It is believed that
Orinmegalonyx may have hunted the giant
sloth and the capybara, a giant four-foot long
rodent.
there is no entry fee during the winter.
Within the park there are several areas to see
waterfowl and shorebirds. At the west end of the
by Susan Child Beck
boardwalk you will see a jetty. Near the jetty,
Fall migration is winding down, and winter will you can see American Wigeon, Brant, Dunlin,
and Sanderling. Scan the Sound to see Common
soon be upon us. For birders, it can seem like a
long wait until spring, but don’t be too discour- Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Duck, Common and Redaged. At this time of year we have the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful and en- throated Loon, as well as White-winged Scoters.
The gulls too are present: Ring-billed, Herring
tertaining species: waterfowl.
and Great Black-backed. Moving on to Sunken
Meadow Creek, there are 2 foot bridges to
Sunken Meadow State Park offers a great variety
observe the ducks. Here you might see Hooded
of waterfowl. The park is located at the northern
Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ringend of Sunken Meadow State Parkway. At the
necked Duck, Bufflehead, and Mallard. At the
park office, located in the Field 1 Bath House,
eastern end of the creek, there are Gadwall and
you can pick up a check list. The list is also
Black Duck. Be sure to look for the rare and
available on the park’s website at:
unusual; I once saw a Red-necked Grebe!
http://nysparks.com/parks/attachments/
SunkenMeadowBirdChecklist.pdf.
Happy Birding!
The park is open daily from 7am till sunset, and
Like us on Facebook:
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Follow Four Harbors on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com\4harborsAudubon
You may also e-mail us at: [email protected]
13
November/December 2015
Four Harbors Audubon
presents...
Birding in Cuba
March 14 - 26, 2016
This is a NEWLY OPENED PROGRAM!
Will fill fast!! Deposit deadline: November 15, 2015
Land cost: $3595, based on 12 participants
Air cost by charter: Tampa/Havana, $625 (includes Visa)
Highlights:

12 night accommodations; all meals (B, L, D) during itinerary.

2 guides, including Cuban national ornithologist.

Tours in Havana, and arranged onsite programs.

Birding/photography in wetlands, coastal locations, wooded areas, national parks.
We will be looking for the Cuban Trogon (Cuba's National Bird), as well as other endemic, native, and
noetropical species such as: Cuban Tody, Bee Hummingbird, Cuban Palm Crow, Cuba Grassquit,
Cuban Woodpecker, Giant Kingbird, Zapata Sparrow, Oriente Warbler. Thick-billed Vireo, Bahama
Mockingbird. Cuban Gnatcatcher, and West-Indian Whistling Duck, plus many others.
Contact Four Harbors ASAP: Elaine: (631) 751-0245
View this link for more information:
http://holbrook.travel/fourharborscuba
Coordinated and administered by Holbrook Travel,
HolbrookTravel.com, Gainesville, FL.
Debbie Sturdivant Jordan (1-866-748-6146)
14