Welcome back, everyone! I am super excited for this weeks entry and to tell you all about Seatuck- Suffolk County Environmental Center! So, a few weeks ago I stumbled upon Seatuck online while looking for birding spots within Suffolk county since we wanted to stay close to home for our next trip. I happened upon the website for Seatuck and at first, did not really know what to think. Like many places I come upon there is limited information to be found online- or at least limited information relating to what I am specifically looking for. I called around to some friends of mine who have lived in Suffolk County for a longer time than I have ( Most of my life was spent in Nassau after all) but no one I reached out to had heard of it either. This was starting to have me concerned. This would not be the first time I found a place online that seemed to be a cool spot and drove out to find nothing but a dead end or even worse, a residential home where a park was promised to be. But, I reminded myself that this was not a random social media post or blurb on an unknown site, this was a legitimate website with supporters and a registered non-profit ID, there had to be something there to see. My biggest concern now was being turned away at the gate; was it for members only or by reservation/permit/ resident card? I explained to Steven that I didn’t know what we were about to find but we thought it deserved a try and decided to head and to investigate. After all, the website did mention a “salt marsh” which to me is pretty much the equivalent of saying candy to a baby!
When we pulled up to the entrance there were no attendants checking stickers or taking fees, which allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief and we pulled into a large, nearly-empty, parking lot. We carefully looked around for signs explaining that we were not allowed to park, that we would be towed away, that we had to go somewhere to pay our parking fee and get a ticket, but there was nothing, just a glorious view of an old estate home and outbuildings, a reconstructed display raptor nest, and the beautiful sound of about 1,000 songbirds calling from the trees! We walked up to the property in amazement, the view was breathtaking and we hardly knew where to begin. How was there no charge to come here but other areas offering less than half the experience were, and even more shocking- how had we not heard of this place before?
We walked up a paved walkway to the estate in complete awe. It was overwhelming in its quiet regalness. A park map was posted directly out front which clearly laid out the different trails and points of interest. We studied the large map as if we were in a toy store, eager to run in every direction and having trouble deciding where to go first. From behind us, a friendly woman working at the property asked if we needed any assistance. I am ashamed to admit it but my inner dialogue was saying ” yup, here it comes, we are about to get kicked out or be told that we need to be a member to be on the grounds, etc.” ( I think we have just gotten so used to there being hoops to jump through just in order to enjoy the outdoors. So many times we are faced with permit requirements, resident stickers needed, parking fees, etc. that I guess I have become a bit jaded) Steven and I thanked her and explained that we were just trying to decide on which trail to take. She smiled and commented that we were lucky, that the weather was so beautiful for a hike. I felt my muscles relax and pointed to the trail I wanted to start with, nothing was going to stop us now! “The Marsh Trail”- come on, was there really any question?
Before heading right out to the trailhead we walked about the front property for a bit, looking over the lay of the land and getting a few photos of the estate. To the left of the home was an open yard with a few education displays, a scattering of trees and a circular formation of stones around a sunken area of land that seemed like it was likely once a fountain or pond. American Robins were our first species spotted of the trip- as they typically are, running about investigating the stones and fallen branches. A Downy Woodpecker darted past us in search of a suitable tree trunk while a Tufted Titmouse and Northern Cardinal rooted about the grass. A Black-capped Chickadee landed upon the arrangement of stones and explored in the shining spring sunlight. We continued on, the trail-head just a bit further past the back of the estate. Two more employees worked in the back of the property, waving as we walked past and I couldn’t help but feel that this was one of the most welcoming spots I had gone birding in quite a long time. At the back of the home the path split, one fork leading to the trailhead the other leading around the back of the home and assumingly to one of the other trails, but between them stood a clustering of bird feeders and oh, what a commotion they were attracting! Downy Woodpeckers swooped down from close-by branches to tear at suet blocks then scatter back to cover to enjoy while Black-capped Chickadees raced around the floor, gathering the bounty of seeds raining down from the shaking feeders. Tufted Titmice hopped from feeder to feeder sampling their buffet and soon a Dark-eyed Junco emerged from the brush to join the cleanup on the floor.
Excitement raced through my veins as we approached the post marking the beginning of the Marsh Trail and the path below our feet turned over to wooden boards, disappearing into a tunnel of towering reeds. when the sky appeared again from out of the wall of beach-grass we were greeted by an Osprey nest perched atop a barren tree. To our left a small, seemingly shallow, pond sat looking relatively inactive except for a Hairy Woodpecker drilling away at a thin tree lining an island at its center. As well as an Eastern Phoebe that sat perfectly still on a thin outstretched branch. To our right, a magnificent Osprey returned to the nest we had previously spotted and through a thick wall of reeds and bramble, we could catch glimpses of the salt marsh just beyond the trail.
A little further and the view opened up and I saw for the first time the Salt Marsh I had been promised, it did not disappoint. My jaw nearly hit the floor as my eyes devoured the view, a marsh the sprawled on as far as I could see, unlike any I had seen before. A road lined with utility wires up ahead of us, beyond the property, seemed to cut the marsh in half. On the wires perched about a dozen European Starlings, hoping down to either side of the divided marshland and then returning to their lookout. The familiar call of Red-winged Blackbirds echoed all around us and their beautiful flash of color popped from all about the golden grass. Numerous nesting boxes scattered throughout the marsh and soon the beautiful serenade of a Song Sparrow rang out from a nearby sapling. Off in the distance, Great Egrets strolled elegantly through the sunny waves of gold.
Sadly, despite there being so much salt marsh available, there is very little access for visitors to view it from the trail. (It appears that the road cutting through would give a lot more viewing access, perhaps an idea for another day!) So, after a good long while of waiting for new arrivals to come and land within our view of the marsh, we decided to move on and give our attention once more to the pond to our left which the trail bent to follow around. The sky above us was abuzz with Mallards, Great Egrets and constant European Starlings jetting back and forth. A lone Mute Swan waded silently about the water. Continuing on along the boardwalk the pond looked less and less as so and more and more as a wetland of its own, complete with pockets of water amidst reeded walls and streams winding through muddy shallows and bramble. Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows continued to flit about the muddy shore, darting in and out of view as a pair of mallards drifted serenely along the wall of tangles grasses lining the water’s edge. A Blue Jay perched on a low branch overlooking the boardwalk as the trail led away from the water and back to the estate yard from where we began.
As you have probably heard me mention before, I often have a hard time leaving parks that I like, especially if I find that the trail was very short. It did not take long for me to convince Steven to go through it with me once more, after all the walk was quick and easy and there was plenty of potential for new sightings! We walked across the yard to the trailhead once again, spotting a Golden-crowned Kinglet on a low pine branch as we went. American Robins continued to scurry about the lawn and a White-breasted Nuthatch raced along a nearby tree trunk. A Red-Bellied Woodpecker sat curiously above the trail entrance, watching intently as we went along. Lastly, a Black-capped Chickadee sat along the edge of a bush, our last sighting before our view disappeared within the wall of tall grasses that lined the beginning of the trail.
When we returned to the spot on the trail where we could see the Osprey nest we were pleased to see that there were now two as opposed to one! Tree Swallows danced over the Salt Marsh in an aerial Ballet, swooping and diving gracefully and seeming never to tire. Great Egrets continued to wander about the marsh and after a long while of waiting and wondering we finally agreed that we had seen all there was to see for the day and began to head back to the car, an echo of Red-winged Blackbirds ringing out at our backs.
I honestly hated to go, I find any marshes/wetlands to be absolutely fascinating and by far my favorite places to go birding. I could have stayed here all day, and nearly did. I highly recommend coming and checking this place out for yourself if you feel similarly, just keep in mind that if you are looking for a long hike this trail is not the one for you (though I cannot speak to the other trails on the property). I hope you are all getting out and enjoying this amazing spring weather and enjoying all that this amazing island has to offer! And remember, if you are seeing any god birds or visiting any fun new spots please leave me a message in the comments, I would love to hear all about it! Until next time my friends, Happy Birding!
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Fabulous article Jackie! Love, love, love the picture of the Kinglet taking flight!
Don’t miss the annual Seatuck Birding Challenge in September!
Form a team and see how many birds you find across Long Island in a day. Details at http://www.seatuck.org
I enjoyed your article, thank you!
I happen to volunteer at Seatuck and I am also on their Board if Directors. I’d be interested in speaking with you about things we could do to enhance bird watching among other things. Please get back to me when you can, I look forward to the opportunity to better Seatuck with your input.
Thanks
Ken