USA > New York > Nassau County > Long Island; a history of two great counties, Nassau and Suffolk, Volume II > Part 23
USA > New York > Suffolk County > Long Island; a history of two great counties, Nassau and Suffolk, Volume II > Part 23
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sistent reports from Mastic and the Port Jefferson area. At Smith- town, Turrell reported two pair at Baiting Hollow during 1928 and a pair at Nissequogue.
LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN. This species breeds among the cat- tails and phragmites, and in the high-tide bushes (Iva) which line the ditches and grow profusely in many of our salt marshes. It is very common as a breeding bird from Jamaica Bay eastward to Oak Beech and less so eastward to Shinnecock and from there locally to Montauk. It is very much restricted or absent on the east end of both the Orient and Montauk peninsulas, perhaps due to the annual burning over of the salt meadows causing a dearth of dry grasses for a suitable nesting habitat.
SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN. The rather loud and persistent "chap-chap-chap-ch-ch-chchchrrrrr" of this small wren identifies the male which sings very often throughout the day, and at times well through the night, in the damp marshy meadows, bordering the uplands, along the South Shore. Although reported to have a breed- ing range from Idlewild locally eastward to the Mastic area, we have no recent nesting records from the latter, and the Idlewild location is now largely covered by the new airport. Recent records come almost entirely from Massapequa, with several breeding pairs reported yearly. Summering records also come from bordering uplands east of Freeport and from Lindenhurst.
CATBIRD. This is another very common bird which is well known even to small children, who in many cases imitate its cat-like calls. It is widely distributed in the thickets, and nests even more commonly than the Brown Thrasher in the dense backyard shrubbery. It is less common in the poorer sections of the pine barrens, and a local sum- mer resident along the outer strip. Although the Mockingbird was reported as nesting on Long Island by Giraud a century ago, there have been no nesting records here for a great many years. A report of a pair suspected of breeding at Montauk in 1934 was not substantiated.
BROWN THRASHER. The Thrasher needs no introduction from the time its twice-repeated phrases are heard in spring until late fall. It is widespread in our thickets and in many cases nests around our houses.
EASTERN ROBIN. The Robin is one of our most common and best-known summer residents and is a great favorite with many because of its cheery song and beneficial habits. It is widespread over Long Island from Brooklyn eastward, being less common away from houses in the scrubby barrens, and only breeds locally on the outer strip.
WOOD THRUSH. The sweet organ-tones of the Wood Thrush come to us out of the rich woodlands and is especially impressive at the close of the day. Its excited "tut, tut, tut" identifies the species once learned. It is absent where the woods are sparse and dry, in the barrens and burned over areas, and on the outer strip. Occasionally it nests along the wooded borders of our lawns and gardens. In desired habitat it is widespread over Long Island contingent with the breeding areas. Where favorable areas are comparatively infrequent
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it may occur irregularly, as at Orient, where Latham reported it several years ago as "the first nesting here in fifteen years".
EASTERN HERMIT THRUSH. Like hymns of praise during the peace- ful twilight hours come the beautiful strains of the Hermit Thrush, the sweetest singing bird in the Northeast. Strangely, its Suffolk County breeding location the only one known in the entire New York City region, except possibly in the mountains of New Jersey. On a survey of this species in 1946, I found it prefers a good sprin- kling of fairly large pitch pines with an under cover of scrub oaks ranging from about breast high to twelve or fifteen feet. Another habitat occupied by singing birds, were open vistas of pitch pines with its only under cover the glossy green carpet of bearberry (Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi).
Apparently they do not care for tall, mature scrub oaks dominat- ing the area, reviving burned-over tracts, or areas of spindly, second- growth pines. In favorable tracts a dozen or more singing males may be heard. Their range is sparingly from western Suffolk County, with a nest found at Happaugue in 1939, eastward to Coram, Manorville, Quogue and possibly Mastic (no recent reports), and on the Montauk peninsula in favorable locations.
WILSON'S THRUSH; VEERY. The Veery's haunts consist of moist, thick-foliaged woodlands with an abundance of second growth. Here, in the emerald light shining from the outside world, we more often hear its song, a silvery downward tremolo, then catch a glimpse of its retiring russet back or faint, tawny breast-markings. It is rare and local as a breeding species on Long Island, recent records com- ing from the North Shore, principally from Manhasset to Cold Spring Harbor and possibly Smithtown, and along the South Shore from Woodmere, Meadow Brook, Seaford, Massapequa and Oakdale. It also breeds on Shelter Island.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD. The winsome Bluebird is one of our favorite birds and, since the introduction of the English Sparrow and Starling, is all too uncommon with infrequent breeding records coming from Nassau County in recent years. It is a rare summer resident in the Oyster Bay area, but a common summer resident at Smithtown. It breeds in a number of localities in the Manorville, Moriches, Mastic areas, on the Montauk peninsula and on Shelter Island.
CEDAR WAXWING. This species nests late with egg dates ranging from mid-June into mid-September. Recent summering records come from Oyster Bay and Massapequa in Nassau County. It is report- edly more common in Suffolk County and has been recorded as nest- ing recently in several locations, being more consistently reported in the Orient region.
STARLING. Since sixty Starlings were liberated on March 16, 1890, in Central Park, New York City, and since the species was first noted on Gardiner's Island in 1908, it has increased until it is now very well known and widely distributed over Long Island.
WHITE-EYED VIREO. This species is common along the South Shore on the mainland, also along the Sound and is occasional inland, pre- ferring lowland thickets and those bordering ponds and streams. It is common at Massapequa, but is comparatively rare on the eastern
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end of Long Island. It does not appear to nest on the outer strip, even in the large brushy thickets at Jones Beach.
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. All our recent summering records come from the North Shore. It appears to be a rather regular, but local, summer resident at Glen Cove, Oyster Bay Cove and at Hunt- ington. It is a rare to uncommon summer resident at Smithtown and has been reported recently in mid-June at Orient. At Oyster Bay Cove where I found two or three singing males in June, 1946, they were apparently partial to enormous native elms and were located by their rich, deliberate song of two or three notes.
RED-EYED VIREO. Because of its short repeated phrases, this bird is sometimes called "the Preacher". It is very well known as a common summer resident of our deciduous woods and shaded areas of our lawns and gardens. It is widespread in such habitat over Long Island.
EASTERN WARBLING VIREO. Although a few records come from the North Shore as far east as Huntington, we have no reports from Smithtown. It is a rare or casual summer resident at Oyster Bay. Rather regular nesting reports appear from the Plandome, Manhas- set and Roslyn areas. From Bayside east to Roslyn is perhaps the best location in which to look for this small vireo and listen to its rich Purple Finch-like warble high in the large elms or other deciduous trees which it is partial to. South Shore records of nesting are very rare and irregular with one from Idlewild, a possible nesting at Massapequa and a few reports from East Hampton.
BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER. This little zebra-striped bird creeps over the inner branches and limbs of our trees. It occurs over much of the extensive oak woods of Long Island, but is rather uncommon on the Orient peninsula no doubt because of the large agricultural tracts displacing much woodland.
WORM-EATING WARBLER. This species is a rare and local breeding bird along the North Shore. There apparently are extremely few recent records except in the Cold Spring Harbor region. It perhaps breeds sparingly in other parts of the Carolinian flora from Port Jefferson westward and a record of a late spring bird comes from St. James.
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER. In recent years this species has spread eastward into Suffolk County more commonly. It breeds rather abundantly in Nassau and western Suffolk Counties and is partial to scrubby fields and woodland borders. It nests from Woodmere and Bayside eastward and over the main part of Long Island with reports scattered to Montauk and Gardiner's Island.
LAWRENCE'S WARBLER. This rare hybrid between the Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers has been reported as nesting in north- ern Queens County and a more recent record comes of one observed along the banks of Meadow Brook (north of Freeport). This bird sang like a Blue-winged Warbler and associated with a female of that species. In all probability it nested as it remained throughout the breeding season.
PARULA WARBLER. On July 4, 1946, this species was re-established as a breeding bird in the New York City region with a record,
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by this writer, of a pair of Parula Warblers feeding two or more fledgling young at Oakdale. It was once reported as a locally common summer resident on Long Island, decreasing in numbers with the dis- appearance of the Usnea lichen which at one time hung on the tree branches. Previous to 1946, the last Long Island breeding report came from Hither Woods in 1938. Although the 1946 birds were out of the nest when discovered, the parents previously had been observed entering a heavy concentration of spruce fronds caused by the inter- locking of a toppled Norway spruce against an erect one.
EASTERN YELLOW WARBLER. This species is sometimes called the "wild canary". It is fond of shrubbery and open areas along the edges of swamps and ponds, especially on the bay edges and along the Sound on the Long Island mainland. It is common at Jones Beach and in other shrub-covered areas along the outer strip. Its sprightly song is a characteristic sound in early summer coming out of the poison ivy thickets of these areas.
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. This species has been recorded by this writer as nesting for eight consecutive years around High Hill in the West or Manetto Hills, and this is perhaps the best area to hear the male singing its attractive little four-noted song in the nesting season. It has also been recorded from Half Hollow Hills where three or four singing males were heard on a day's trip in mid- June a few years ago. Elsewhere, it has been reported as a rare summer resident in the Oyster Bay area, and as local in the Smith- town area.
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. This species breeds rather consistently throughout Long Island in dry woods, or in bordering woodlands associated with brier patches and second-growth. It is well sprinkled in such habitat over Long Island except on the extreme western end and along the South Shore eastward to Massapequa. It also breeds on Gardiner's Island. Favorable habitat is somewhat restricted and it is less common on the Orient peninsula.
NORTHERN PINE WARBLER. The musical trill of the Pine Warbler sounds in the major growth of pines or in the mixed pines and oaks as it breeds over the widespread barrens of Long Island. Reports of Nassau County nestings are sporadical. During 1946, I found it regular in favorable tracts from Lindenhurst and Commack eastward in many areas to Quogue, Flanders and locally on the Montauk peninsula.
PRAIRIE WARBLER. The ascending trill of the male sounds over the fire-blackened areas of our pine barrens and it is sometimes the only bird-song heard in such locations. This is primarily a pine barrens species, with often four or five males to be heard singing at once in the dry second-growth of these and surrounding areas.
OVEN-BIRD. Because of its low-perching and ground-walking habits and its loud reiterated "teacher" song, the "teacher bird" is prominent in the drier oak woods which provide a suitable stratum of dead leaves in which it builds its oven-like nest. Anyone living near a fairly extensive area of such woods should identify this species easily and also listen for its famous flight song.
L. I .- II-14
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LOUISIANA WATER-THRUSH. Our recent breeding records come from Mill Neck, Cold Spring Harbor and Mt. Sinai, and it is report- edly occasional to Greenport. The species appears to favor streams with wide bottom lands and swampy borders vegetated with the ranker growths. Supposedly a lover of dashing, crystal streams, it does not seem to nest along the many clear, pebbly brooks on the South Shore. The Kentucky and the Hooded Warblers cannot be included in our list of breeding birds because no nesting evidence was found in one or two cases of males found in breeding season.
NORTHERN YELLOW-THROAT. This species is perhaps our most common warbler. Its "witchity, witchity, witchity" coming out of the thickets identifies the male almost as fully as the black mask on the side of his face and the bright yellow throat. They are wide- spread in the damp undergrowth and thickets even in such places as on the outer strip.
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. This largest of our warblers mimics, whistles and disports itself in clownish actions in the dense second- growth and bushy thickets where it breeds. Although reported as breeding on Gardiner's Island, recent records come from western Long Island : Beechhurst, Manhasset, Woodbury and Massapequa.
REDSTART. In our region the Redstart breeds most commonly on Shelter Island. Along the North Shore it is regular in the Port Jefferson, Mt. Sinai area and at Shoreham, and ranges irregularly westward to Queens County. It seems to favor rich woods with occasional tree-supported grape vines. Away from Shelter Island, on eastern Long Island, the bird is comparatively uncommon; recent reports come from Springs, Orient and a few elsewhere.
ENGLISH SPARROW. This bird is well known in city and country, although there is somewhat of a decrease in recent years. With an awakened interest in the maintenance of feeding stations, these adaptable birds nest about our houses and are fed in the back yards in lieu of inhabiting the diminishing numbers of manure piles since the advent of the automobile.
BOBOLINK. The rollicking song of the Bobolink is chiefly linked up with the damp meadow. Although a few breed on the Hempstead Plains, most of the nesting records come from the South Shore in the bordering upland areas. There appear to be no recent nesting records from the North Shore of western Long Island. They breed from the Jamaica Bay area, locally eastward, to Quogue and spar- ingly to Orient. This species has decreased in numbers in recent years on Long Island. They nest rather regularly at Massapequa and east of Freeport.
EASTERN MEADOWLARK, EASTERN RED-WING. Both of these species inhabit bordering marsh lands, the Meadowlark nesting in the grassy areas and the Red-wing in the wetter marshes and swamps. The Meadowlark also nests in the grassy fields. Both are well known and widely distributed.
ORCHARD ORIOLE. The full rich song of this species is heard all too seldom in recent years. Some thirty or forty years ago it was a rather common breeding bird on Long Island. Today practically all of our summering records come from the North Shore: Elmhurst
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to Northport and rather regularly and sparingly eastward. There are no recent nesting reports from Massapequa, although common there some years ago. A 1942 summering record comes from Wantagli.
BALTIMORE ORIOLE. This beautiful Oriole needs little introduc- tion being well distributed over our cultivated areas: gardens, lawns and tree-bordered roadsides where it hangs its poucli-shaped nest.
GRACKLE, COWBIRD. These common birds are widespread over Long Island, Grackles preferring evergreens in which to nest and Cowbirds depositing their eggs in the nests of other birds. The Bronzed Grackle breeds farther north. Because of plumage varia- tion of Grackles breeding on Long Island and southward, those birds called the Purple Grackle in our ornithological works appear at the present to have an uncertain status as to identification.
SCARLET TANAGER. Singing like a hoarse Robin, the scarlet and black of the male shows in the tops of our tall oaks where this species prefer to nest. Although widespread over central Long Island and nesting locally eastward to Shelter Island, it is a rare breeder west of Bellaire.
CARDINAL. This species successfully nested in Prospect Park recently and has possibly nested at Far Rockaway and at Massapequa. It has also been reported rather consistently from Roslyn and other North Shore areas.
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. We have no definite records of this species having recently nested on Long Island where it is usually comparatively uncommon during migration. It is a bird that should be searched for, because of its choice of leafy habitat making it hard to find and because its musical carol may be taken for that of the Robin.
INDIGO BUNTING. During a survey in 1946 this species was found regularly and rather commonly over the central part of Long Island through the West, Dix and Half Hollow Hills, eastward through Smithtown and the Mt. Sinai area, and southward to Yaphank, Manor- ville and Mastic. Records extend locally and sparingly westward to Manhasset and eastward to Gardiner's Island. Occasionally an influx, as in 1943, gives us summering birds along the South Shore. The Dickeissel bred commonly on Long Island up to 1842, was very rare by 1875, and there are no records of possible breeding birds since 1890.
EASTERN PURPLE FINCH. This is a rare breeding species on Long Island with records of a few pairs extending from Sands Point to Miller Place along the North Shore and from Mastic to East Hamp- ton along the South Shore. It seems to prefer mixed deciduous and coniferous growth.
HOUSE FINCH. This is a new breeding bird for Long Island, five being discovered in April, 1941, at Babylon, by this writer. This number by 1946 had increased to some fifty birds. There are smaller colonies at Westbury and at Hewlett. This western United States species, mysteriously appearing, seems to stand introduction very well and, if undisturbed, no doubt will spread over considerable territory.
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EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH. Introduced in 1878, at Hoboken, New Jersey, it was observed by this writer's parents in 1910, at Mas- sapequa. Regular reports since 1925 include this area, Garden City and along the South Shore from Massapequa to Baldwin. The species apparently has had a restriction of range within the past decade with all recent nesting records coming from the vicinity of Massapequa.
EASTERN GOLDFINCH. Its canary-like song in its late nesting season is heard usually in open country (except on the outer strip). It is widespread, being reported as nesting from Flushing eastward in favorable territory.
RED CROSSBILL. Of the two nesting records for the New York region, one is from Long Island: Millers Place, April 10, 1883 (Helme).
RED-EYED TOWHEE. This very well known bird is partial to dry woods with patches of dense undergrowth. It is widespread, even breeding on the outer strip, and its sharp "Chewink" is a very familiar sound over most of Long Island.
EASTERN SAVANNAH SPARROW. This species has increased as a breeding bird on Long Island in recent years. It has infiltrated the grassy areas of fill, caused by the construction of the ocean boule- vards and causeways, and occurs also in grassy situations locally from Jamaica Bay to Montauk, on Gardiner's Island and around Orient. There also appears to be one or two records inland north of Wantagh.
EASTERN GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. Its grasshopper-like song is heard in large grassy fields, old dry pastures and on the plains. In such areas it is rather widespread eastward over Long Island from Beechhurst and Woodmere.
EASTERN HENSLOW'S SPARROW. This shy sparrow utters its "tis- lick" song from our damp meadows, bordering the uplands, along the South Shore. During the past two decades reports have come from Idlewild, Merrick, Massapequa, Lindenhurst, Babylon and farther east from Mastic, Speonk and Quogue. Fill eliminated the Idlewild area and now breeding reports are limited from Merrick eastward with regular reports coming from Massapequa and east of the Santapogue River near the Lindenhurst, Babylon border.
SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. A breeder in the drier salt marshes, these sparrows are widely spread over such areas nesting along the South Shore to Montauk and to Orient on the North Shore in the larger more favorable marshes. Fill has eliminated much breeding territory for this species and the following, especially in Queens and Nassau Counties.
NORTHERN SEASIDE SPARROW. This species breeds commonly in the wet marshes from Jamaica Bay eastward to Fire Island on many bay islands. They nest only to Freeport and locally at Wantagh along the north side of the bays. At Patchogue suitable territory reappears along the ocean beach and they are found nesting eastward locally to Moriches and Shinnecock. They are not known to breed on the Orient peninsula or along the Sound in recent years.
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EASTERN VESPER SPARROW. This species nests most commonly on Long Island around the Hempstead Plains. Recent reports come from Lindenhurst and locally eastward. It is an open-country species.
EASTERN CHIPPING SPARROW. This bird, like the Song Sparrow, is well known, and little need be said as to its distribution and habitat. Unlike the Song Sparrow, it is rare or unknown on the outer strip as a breeding species.
FIELD SPARROW. The sweet plaintive whistle of the Field Sparrow floats over the wild, overgrown pasture lots with charming effect. It breeds over most of Long Island where such territory exists as well as in tree-bordering fields and hedgerows.
SWAMP SPARROW. This species is a rather local breeder on extreme western Long Island being reported principally from the Jamaica Bay area, Woodmere and from Flushing. Elsewhere it is regarded as an irregular nesting species with reports coming from a few locations along the South Shore and at Greenport. Most Long Island breeding areas are in or near salt or brackish marshes.
SONG SPARROW. This species is perhaps our most companion- able and beloved bird. It is widespread over Long Island, except in the congested areas and deep woods. It is a connon breeding species on the outer strip. It nests in grassy situations in scrubby open terri- tory and around houses and farm lands where its lively song is one of the first harbingers of spring.
CHAPTER XXX The Birth of Nassau County
T HE idea of dividing Queens County into urban and suburban areas did not, as was long generally supposed, stem from within New York City. As early as 1850 residents of the county were discussing the feasibility of such a division. By 1858 the matter had taken shape as a definite issue and in 1869 Queens County's Assembly- man Pearsall introduced a bill in the State Legislature calling for the creation of a county comprised of Queens' three easterly towns, Hempstead, Oyster Bay and North Hempstead, and the Suffolk County towns of Huntington (of which Babylon was then a part), Smithtown and Islip.
The matter waxed warm between proponents and opponents and finally in 1876 Assemblyman D. Cock introduced a bill providing for ยท the erection of "Ocean" County from the three easterly towns of Queens, later amended to include Huntington and also Babylon, which had been created in 1872, and changing the name of the proposed county to Nassau.
About the middle of March, 1876, the Committee on Civil Divi- sions held a public hearing at which arguments pro and con were advanced by a large delegation of citizens of Long Island. In support of the proposal were such prominent men as, from Oyster Bay, George S. Downing, supervisor; James Willetts, James Titus, James Lud- lum, E. M. Lincoln and O. S. Jones; from North Hempstead, Samuel Willetts, supervisor; Stephen Taber, John M. Clark and Isaac H. Cocks, and from Babylon, Ex-Judge John R. Reid, D. S. S. Sammis and Charles T. Duryea.
The opposition was headed by John M. Crane, W. S. Cogswell, Herman U. Rider, John O'Donnell, all of Jamaica; former Congress- man Henry A. Reeves of Greenport, David Carll of Huntington and Elbert Carll, supervisor of the new town of Babylon. There was a second and final hearing later in March after which the measure was killed in committee. The Long Island Democrat of May 22, 1877, printed an item to the effect that Assemblyman Jones had had the Nassau bill placed on third reading and that the scheme to divide the counties of Suffolk and Queens had failed by a vote of 42 to 56.
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