Plum Island SAVED
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EASTERN LONG ISLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY – From the Barrens to the Bays Formerly Moriches Bay Audubon, established 1967 Spring 2021 — Vol. XLVI, No. 1 ituated a mile east of Orient Point, X A large freshwater pond in the the eastern tip of the North Fork and southwestern section of the island Plum Island Sseparated from it by Plum Gut, lies that adds visual delight and biological Plum Island, an 822-acre pork-chop shaped diversity to the island. island that is owned by you and me (being the federal taxpayers that we are). X And, of course, the ubiquitous beach plums SAVED that gave the island its name! The Island’s most well-known feature is the Plum Island Animal Disease Center For the past decade a struggle has ensued By John L. Turner (PIADC), situated in the northwestern to make right what many individuals, corner of the property, but Plum Island organizations of all sorts (including the is so much more. On the western edge more than 120-member Preserve Plum lays the Plum Island lighthouse which was Island Coalition), and many public officials built in 1869 to warn mariners of the consider a significant wrong – Congress’s treacherous currents of Plum Gut. On the order to sell Plum Island to the highest east there’s the brooding presence of Fort bidder, forever losing it as a public space. Terry, a relic of the Spanish-American War, This ill-conceived path of auctioning the with scattered evidence in the form of island was set in motion by a half-page barracks, gun batteries, and the tiny tracks paragraph buried in a several thousand- of a toy gauge railroad once used to page bill to fund government agencies move cannon shells from storage to those in 2009. Fortunately, this struggle has concrete batteries. (The cannons never been won – the wrong has been righted fired except during drills). – as language included in the recently And there’s the stuff that excites adopted 2021 budget bill for the federal naturalists: government, repeals the requirement that the General Services Administration sell X The largest seal haul-out site in the island. southern New England located at the eastern tip of the island where throngs Thank you to Senators Chuck Schumer of harbor and grey seals swim along the and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, rocky coastline or bask, like fat sausages, Senators Christopher Murphy and Richard on the off-shore rocks that punctuate Blumenthal of Connecticut and members the surface of the water. of Congress Lee Zeldin,Tom Suozzi, Rosa DeLauro and Joe Courtney! X The more than 225 different bird species, one-quarter of all the species Thank you is also due to New York State found in North America, that breed Assemblyman Steve Englebright who here (like the Bank Swallows that sponsored legislation that was signed into excavate burrows in the bluff face on law creating a Marine Mammal and Sea the south side of the island), or pass Turtle area in the waters surrounding through on their seasonal migratory Plum Island. journeys, or overwinter. While this victory is a vital and necessary X Dozens of rare plants, like ladies’- step to ultimately protect Plum Island, it tresses orchids, blackjack oak, and is a temporary and incomplete one since The lighthouse which can be seen from scotch lovage that flourish in the forests, the island can still be sold to a private Orient Point and one of the seals that haul thickets, meadows, and shorelines of party through the normal federal land out on the Island. Plum Island. Continued on page 3 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME! THE OSPREY _ Spring 2021 Page 2 THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER Into the New Year, feeders, walks and Zoom meetings Byron Young hile I write this a Cardinal is by the Downy Woodpecker and then an We will continue to publish our waiting in the shrubs for the rain occasional Hairy Woodpecker. The local Newsletter but on a quarterly basis for Wto stop or for me to put out Carolina Wren is usually announcing its the time being. I am sure that Sally would more food. The birds have been quite presence by making a racket and stopping be interested in any article, story or active at my feeders this winter. I have for a quick bite. Finally, there are the observations that you might have. a couple of Red-breasted Nuthatches surprise visitors like a Brown Creeper I hope folks are getting out to enjoy our that fly right up to the feeder as soon stopping by to see what all the fuss is local birds on their own. Setting up a as I place fresh seed. Their cousins the about. These visitors help keep away the bird feeder, if you can will attract some White-breasted Nuthatch is a bit more winter blues. See the articles on page 4 & local birds. However, there are several reserved only dropping in for food when I 5 to find out more about bird feeding. nice places to take a walk and check am a safe distance away. The Cardinals are As we move into the New Year, we hope out the overwintering waterfowl, owls, also quite shy as are the mourning doves. everyone remains healthy and safe. ELIAS and maybe one of the Bald Eagles that However, the Mourning Doves may be shy will continue to exercise the Health and seem to be popping up all around Long because of the neighborhood Coopers Safety Guidelines provided by Audubon, Island. If you get out do not forget to Hawk who is always lurking about looking State and Federal Officials. Limited bring your binoculars and your camera. to capture lunch or dinner. The ever participation field trips will be held and We are always looking for pictures to alert Blue Jays have not been completely will be announced via email notification put on the website or as candidates for successful with their warning calls about service, Constant Contact. If you are not the next iteration of the ELIAS Calendar. the Cooper’s Hawk. It is always fun to on the list, you can sign up on the website. Don’t be shy if you have a favorite bird watch the flock of Dark-eyed Juncos Our first Members Zoom meeting was photo and you are willing to share please picking up seed and chasing each other consider sending it to Sally or to me for around the yard. The White-throated held on March 1. Cara Fernandes spoke about the History of Quogue Wildlife consideration. No matter, enjoy some Sparrows tolerate the Juncos’ antics while time outside with our feathered friends. they look for their favorite seeds. The Refuge. We are working with the Quogue Chickadees and Tufted Titmice generally Wildlife Refuge staff we are trying to set Good Birding! share the hanging feeders providing a up monthly Zoom meetings and we will constant string of activity when it is announce these meetings via Constant Contact. The Refuge staff has been helping To reach Byron - his email is feeding time. The woodpeckers who stop [email protected] to share some seed or suet provide some us with the set up as we learning how to additional color. The most common is manage a Zoom meeting so bear with us To reach Sally [email protected] the Red-bellied Woodpecker, followed as we, as we familiarize ourselves with the Zoom application. “Home of the 99 cent Suet Cake” Eastern LI’s Largest Wild Bird Store 40 lbs Feathered Friend & Wild Delight Bird Seed Black Oil 100’s of Bird Feeders and Bird Houses in Stock! Sunflower $ ********* 3 off per bag Garden Center – Plants – Organic & Low Impact Remedies Must present this ad for discount Pet Food & Supplies – Beekeeping – Home Brewing – Canning Equine – Poultry – Livestock – Animal Feed – Farm & Stable Supplies Husqvarna Power Sales & Service – BBQ Fill – U-Haul Truck Rentals 1122 Osborn Ave. • Riverhead • 631.727 3100 • www.talmagefarm.com THE OSPREY _ Spring 2021 Page 3 Continued from page 1 disposition process if no government agency at the federal, state, or local level steps up to take title to the island. The Coalition’s next task, then, is to ensure that a federal agency such as the National Park Service (National Monument?), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (National Wildlife Refuge?) or the state of New York (New York State Park Preserve?) expresses a willingness to Top: Terns feeding near the dock Right: some of the accept stewardship of this magnificent remains of Fort Terry. Turkey Vultures making use of island, since they get first dibs to the one of the abandoned buildings. island if they want it. A key enticement toward this end is the $18.9 million of the island. A most worthwhile stop is commitment in the budget to clean up the island’s eastern tip where, through the few contaminated spots on the island. a wildlife blind, you enjoy watching dozens of bobbing grey and harbor of hiking in the salt air of the East End Why the sale in the first place? Since seals dotting the water amidst the many stopping at a North Fork restaurant to 1956 PIADC has been conducting top partially submerged boulders. share a chat among friends and family level research on highly communicable about what you’ve learned relating to Standing on the edge of the large, tree- animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth X this fascinating place. disease. To this end, several years ago edged pond, watching basking turtles staff developed a vaccine for this highly and birds and dragonflies flitting over This legislation has given Plum Island contagious disease that holds great the surface.