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Short eared owl. Derek Rogers photo.[/caption]
By Annette Hinkle
Though we got off to a fairly mild start this year, last week’s blizzard confirmed that winter has finally arrived. While some folks are already dreaming of summer and may have even formulated an exit strategy for escaping in February, for many birds what we have to offer right here right now on the East End is nothing short of paradise.
This weekend, Frank Quevedo, executive direct of the South Fork Natural History Museum, will lead a walk along Dune Road in Hampton Bays in search of some feathered winter visitors who are typically found in more northerly climes. These are species that come here for just a short time — specifically the northern harrier, American bittern, snow bunting, snowy owl and the short eared owl.
“These Arctic birds head to Long Island and points south where there’s a lot more food for them,” explains Mr. Quevedo. “Sometimes if there’s a lot of food they will breed here. But there’s not really enough habitat anymore for them to do that, so when the light intensity changes they’ll move north.”
“These are termed specialty birds because they are migratory and will leave in late March and April,” he adds.
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Frank Quevedo birding on Shinnecock Bay.[/caption]
In addition to the five visiting Arctic species, Mr. Quevedo also hopes to spot a clapper rail, which may have lingered here. This species should be south by now, but because this winter has been comparatively warm up to this point, he thinks there’s a chance of seeing a few clapper rails that have stuck around the Shinnecock area.
While it may seem odd that a bird would ignore instinct and choose not to fly south for the winter, Mr. Quevedo notes there is actually a strategic reason for it.
“During spring migration birds are in a rush to get north to establish territory in nesting sites, but in fall, birds move south leisurely because there in no rush to get there,” he explains.
So if the weather is mild and there is sufficient food, some birds may just stay in their summer breeding area or halt their migration midway to normal wintering grounds. The evolutionary benefit of hedging their bets in this manner is that it allows those birds to get a head start on returning to the summer nesting grounds, thereby beating out the competition.
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Snowy owl. Derek Rogers photo.[/caption]
“These birds lingering around are being triggered to go south, but they’re like why should I?” asks Mr. Quevedo. “There’s food and if I stay here, I have first dibs on my breeding site.”
But these birds are taking a risk with this strategy.
“If everything freezes, they’re dead and we see that often,” continues Mr. Quevedo who finds that because they rely on shallow water for food, great blue herons are particularly susceptible when cold weather arrives quickly.
“It’s the sudden change in temperature. Last year it was mild and then in February and March we were blasted,” he says. “Snowy owls and short eared owls are fine. But great blue herons can’t get food when it freezes.”
Cold is not an issue for most of the specialty birds Mr. Quevedo will be looking for this Sunday. These are species that live and breed far to our north in the Arctic tundra or coastal wetlands of the Maritime provinces, including the snowy owl which is at the top of nearly every winter birder’s wish list.
Snowy owls start heading south in late October and early November and typically Mr. Quevedo sees two or three snowy owls along Dune Road each winter. But so far, this year is off to a slow start and Mr. Quevedo hasn’t heard of a single snowy owl being sighted in the area yet. It’s a far cry from the winter of 2013/14 when East End bird watchers enjoyed a banner year for snowy owls. It’s something Mr. Quevedo terms an “eruption year” when snowy owls were spotted everywhere from Montauk to JFK Airport.
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American bittern. Derek Rogers photo.[/caption]
“There were 15 in the Montauk area that winter as an indication of how big this eruption was,” says Mr. Quevedo who attributes the snowy owl boom to an increase in the lemming population in the tundra.
That’s because lemmings are a primary food source for snowy owls and when their population increases, owls produce larger clutches of eggs. When those young owls hatch, they must travel south in greater than average numbers in search of food.
“That eruption year we may never see again in our lifetime — it was a mega eruption year,” says Mr. Quevedo.
The reason the Shinnecock area is a good place to spot snowy owls and other winter bird specialties has to do with habitat — the scrubby dunes, barrier beaches, marshes and grasslands all mimic the birds’ northern habitat. And though many people will head out in the coming weeks to search for snowy owls in particular, Mr. Quevedo cautions that if they’re spotted, it’s important not to reveal the exact location on birding websites or other public forums. That’s because these birds are easily stressed or spooked by people approaching too closely and they will leave the area.
“If we see it, it will be from afar,” notes Mr. Quevedo. “I‘ll have a spotting scope that can greatly magnify it, so we’ll see it through that and keep our distance.”
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Northern harrier. Derek Rogers photo.[/caption]
While he can’t guarantee sightings of any specific birds — of the six targeted species Mr. Quevedo feels three or four may be spotted on Sunday’s walk. There’s also the possibility of sighting an additional unusual bird — a peregrine falcon.
“Usually they’re further north, but there’s been at the Ponquogue Bridge,” he says. “It may be establishing a nesting site.”
“They’re the fastest animal in the world. They can swoop and get above 200 mph,” says Mr. Quevedo who adds that spotting a peregrine falcon on Dune Road would involve looking for something flying very fast and parallel to the ground.
And even if people just catch a glimpse, he feels spotting a species like this can go a long way toward building enthusiastic life-long birders.
“This walk is an opportunity to go out and see these uncommon birds,” he says. “The key for me is to create programs that get young birders or beginners involved. When they see a snowy owl or a specialty bird they will get hooked.”
“You create stewardship from that experience — it benefits the birder and the wildlife.”
“Birding with Frank – Shinnecock Bird Specialties” offered by the South Fork Natural History Museum. Walk begins 10 a.m. at Shinnecock barrier beach and is open for adults and children age 10 and up. Call (631) 537-9735 or visit sofo.org for reservations or more information.
