New Years Nature

Happy New Years!

Here is an interesting little story.

New Years morning my husband and I rose early and took our little boat out for a drive.  He had been trying to get out to see the seals sunning themselves by Moriches Inlet for a couple of weeks but every time we were available the weather would not cooperate.  So we bundled up and told some friends so they would know what we were up to.  It was very lovely and clear.  It was a little chilly but we've been out in colder weather on the boat.  On our ride from Patersquash Creek to the inlet we saw quite a few winter ducks but they were all quite nervous and wouldn't let us get too close.  I guess the hunters shooting at them every morning has made an impression.  We only saw two other boats with a total of 3 people during our whole ride.  Unfortunately we didn't see any seals.  The scenery was stark and beautiful though and Michael had a good time so it wasn't a wasted trip.

Looking West while we traveled East through the Narrows Bay

Mastic Beach along Riviera east of Marina 1

The west rocky entrance to the Moriches Inlet

Duck Hunter Blind Near  Patersquash Creek

Much later that day Michael was out in the yard puttering around as dusk fell when he came running in and demanded that I and our daughter come out quickly to see something and bring the binoculars ( which I luckily never put away from our seal hunt).  When we got out onto the back porch he pointed out a large owl at the top of a tall tree on the next street behind us.  It was hooting.  One quick look even without the binoculars and I could tell by the size and shape it was a Great Horned Owl.  As we were watching it and oohing and aahing, to the west of our property an even larger owl swooped into another tree and started to hoot.  With the binoculars I could see it had a white neck and was a Great Horned Owl and was probably larger than the first owl.  The two birds hooted back and forth for a minute or two and then they both flew off to the north east toward Patersquash Creek.  It was all very dramatic.

Picture Borrowed from
: http://www.wildlifesouth.com/Featured/2011/Great_Horned_Owl.html

Learn More:

1. Owl Pages: Great Horned Owl

2. Cornell Lab  Ornithology - Great Horned Owl

3. International Owl Center

4.  Seals in Moriches Bay