bayidge closing, The Leader, Locust Valley, Bayville, Glen cove, centre island, brooay

Oh, Deer! Deer Sightings
on the North Shore

A Centre Island resident reported the presence of two unexpected visitors on his property early Wednesday morning: two female doe feeding on newly planted shrubs caused an alarm bell to ring on Centre Island. In fact, deer in general are not normally found along Nassau County's North Shore, but the two doe were not relegated to visiting Centre Island. Roughly an hour or so later, Michael Bandow was at the helm of an oyster boat in Oyster Bay when he spotted something swimming in the water. "The two deer were swimming south from Brickyard Point and ended up leaving the water near the Waterfront Center," Bandow explained. Bandow, a native of Locust Valley currently residing in Greenport and employed by Frank M. Flowers & Sons, was not completely shocked by the sight. "Deer have been known to swim all the way across the Sound but usually further out east." Bandow provided some insight into the larger population of deer in Suffolk County and explained that it is "rare to see them in the [North Shore] area." Bandow concluded that he had even heard that "some deer had been sighted in the Locust Valley" area as well. One resident also told The Leader of a deer sighting right on Weir Lane, a few months back, and a pair at Beaver Lake in the past few weeks. A large buck on Centre Island? - this too has been reported - so what does it mean for the residents and the deer?
Deer, long inhabitants of North America, can pose potential concerns for communities. Deer can feed on flowers, gardens and crops and also pose a risk to themselves and motorists on dark roads. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website, www.dec.ny.gov, "New Yorkers greatly appreciate white-tailed deer…however, deer often cause problems for farmers, homeowners and foresters and can cause road hazards." New York State Department of Environmental Conservation closely follows trends and populations of deer throughout the state and assists communities in developing plans on deer management.
Deer, as pointed out by Bandow, are "territorial animals," so their presence may be a new fixture in our local area.

• Adam Grohman