LET'S GO "DUCKING" on the North Fork with Jody
WINTER DUCKS ON THE NORTH FORK
FORT CORCHAUG
CUTCHOGUE
Fort Corchaug is a relatively new addition to the preserved areas on the North Fork. Still a work in process, as a joint venture of the Peconic Land Trust & Southold Town, Fort Corchaug’s main goal will be as an educational, nature & archeological resource center. Recently, a building was erected towards that end and its exhibits will soon take shape. The center has also put up a few bird feeders and has a sightings register.
Corchaug Indians once utilized the site and a large part of the reserve is closed to the public to protect it from being disturbed. In more recent times, it was a farm and some evidence of that activity still remains. Any objects found while in the preserve should remain where they are. Work is ongoing to return the area to a more natural state by removing invasive trees and plants.
Fort Corchaug is located on Route 25, in between the villages of Cutchogue and Mattituck on the south side of the road; approximately .8 miles west of the light in Cutchogue Village and approximately 2.1 miles east of the light in Mattituck by the Waldbaum’s Shopping Plaza. The entrance is a bit tricky, so use care. Off a sizable gravel/dirt parking area is the above mentioned resource building and a single trailhead. The trails are marked with station numbers and an accompanying guide is sometimes available in a box at the trailhead. The paths are color-coded and in reasonably good shape. The eastern section of the loop of the Red Green trail has a change in elevation and some root protrusion. A new trail was cut in 2004 on the western edge and it still needs smoothing out a bit.
The preserve is a small place, so it can be easily covered. I’ve spent as little as half an hour up to 2 ½ hours when the birding was good. As I have been reviewing my notes to compile this profile, I’ve seen that it’s a place on which I just drop by on my way home or before going somewhere else. It is not the migration mecca spot of the North Fork; however, the mature trees on the west side, along the red-green main trail and an old farm road, invite small numbers of warblers and vireos. Even though it is not a large place, there are varied habitats so a variety of birds can be present. There is a small window of view over-looking Down’s Creek, lots of brambles and poison ivy, with reeds along the creek, some white oak, pine & hickory and a view looking out onto our present day version of agriculture – grape vines. Scattered through out are wren houses, three benches for that ”pause that refreshes” and a recently added demonstration of an Indian dwelling. Off the parking lot are picnic tables.
For me, the beauty of Fort Corchaug is in its nesting species. It is a great spot to go and listen to the varied songs, chatters and chips of Baltimore Orioles, Great-crested Flycatchers, House and Carolina Wrens, Yellow and Common Yellowthroat Warblers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Catbirds and Towhees. In fact, at times, the sounds of all that bird song can be quite deafening! A battle of the bands, so to speak. Also present are resident woodpeckers, Chickadees, Titmouse and Goldfinch, which make for year round birding outings. In fall/winter, some ducks may be seen on the creek. Although not known as a spot for waders or shorebirds, egrets, herons and yellowlegs may be glimpsed on occasion.
As the work to restore this lovely spot to a more natural state continues, I have hopes that the reclamation will encourage more wildlife activity of all kinds. I look forward to getting to know more fully this evolving place!
Good Birding, Jody
FORT CORCHAUG LIST
MIGRANTS:
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Parula
Redstart
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black & White Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Ovenbird
Canada Warbler
Least Flycatcher
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
White-eyed Vireo
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Brown Creeper
Scarlet Tanager
Red-eyed Vireo
Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo
ON THE CREEK:
Herring Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Mallard
Swan
Geese
Black Duck
Bufflehead
SUMMER RESIDENTS:
Great-crested Flycatcher
Catbird
Towhee
House Wren
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Baltimore Oriole
Cedar Waxwing
Prairie Warbler
Red-winged Blackbird
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Red-tailed Hawk
Swan
Geese
Grackles
YEAR ROUND RESIDENTS:
Chickadee
Titmouse
Cardinal
Blue Jay
American Crow
Robin
Downy WP
Red-bellied WP
Hairy WP
Carolina Wren
Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Northern Flicker
Mourning Dove
