Yesterday, once the 11:00 AM Mass was over, I dropped my wife back home, after
promising to be home in time for a 3:20 movie in Mattituck. Hightailing it down
to Dune Rd., I was encouraged by the Turkey Vulture, that chose to traverse the
Jessup La. Bridge, Westhampton Beach, at the same time I did. It then landed on
the ice, a short ways west of the bridge and proceeded to dine on a dead duck -
spies unknown !
Driving west slowly to Cupsogue Co. Pk. and checking most of the pines along
the way, not a single crossbill did I see ! I did however, run into Artie
Kopplemen (Cresli) in the park's p/lot. He mentioned my recent post re: the ~
60 seal I had found there, and then told me of the 58 seals he had here
yesterday, topped by the 85 animals seen today. Artie leads seal walks on L.I.
in the winter, as well as whale watching trips during the summer months. Jim
Clinton and I were seasoned crew-hands on the Finback 2, when Artie first came
aboard. Although it was many years ago, I vividly remember the
full-bearded/afro-haired, "Captain Ahab-like" naturalist, Sam Sadove...who
ruled all, on the "watching"decks ! Sam ranted a lot, but he sure knew his
cetaceans...like the mighty Blue Whale(s) we found on each of the 2 trips out
of Montauk (morning & afternoon) on a day that was so foggy, visibility was
only ~ 50'.
I then (like Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" who 'rides the main road') again
drove all the way to Shinnicock Inlet, and while I remain Red Crossbill-less, I
did see 2 A.Bitterns, both in the ditch that runs along the n/s of Dune Road (a
little e/o Dockers Res't.) and within ~ 100 yards of each other !
Cheers,Bob...P.S. We were on time for the movie, Les Miserable, and found it to
be similar to Lincoln, epic-like ! We were very impressed with all aspects of
these productions, especially the acting !
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