It’s harder to admit the drawbacks of global warming when you’re sprawled out in the sand, soaking up the January sunshine. And we humans are not the only ones being fooled by this winter’s gentle touch. From the dolphins leaping in and out of waves to the daffodils peeking their pretty heads out of the unfrozen earth, we are all falling victim to the trickery that is the winter of 2006-2007.

This untimely blooming makes the usually ominous Hamptons winter seem a lot less daunting. I can bear being here at the end of the earth if it’s clothed in eternal springtime. I have never been one to complain about the cherry blossoms dusting the streets, but there’s something jarring about this pink carpet on New Year’s Day. So what exactly is the environmental impact of this unseasonably warm winter on our ecosystems?

Upon investigation, I learned that some aspects of the environment will remain relatively unaffected, while others will be thrown out of whack. The cherry blossoms, for example, will fare fine from this strange weather. According to Jim Grimes of Fort Pond Native Plants in Montauk, “Cherry trees normally bloom at odd times because cherries are native to Asia and Japan in particular.” So, this weather is actually more consistent with the cherry trees’ native climate than the extreme colds of winter and extreme heat of summer. Another precarious victory for global warming.

Birds, like the woodcock, are actually benefiting from the warmth. These animals feed exclusively off grubs and, at this time of year, these grubs would usually be frozen underground. Since they are still accessible, the woodcocks are still thriving in this area, even though they would have migrated south by now had their feed reserve dried up. One has to wonder though, if the woodcocks are thriving and the grubs are unprotected, how will this decrease in grubs and increase in woodcocks affect the ecosystem in years to come?

Larry Penny, of the East Hampton Natural Resources Department, says that the woodcocks aren’t going to affect the earthworm population too much, because there are plenty of winter birds here who still would have been feeding on the grubs. However, woodcocks usually breed in March, and due to the warm weather, they could start breeding early this year. If it were then to get very cold, that would be a problem for the young.

This early breeding is actually one of the most common threats to many species. Spring is when mating is supposed to happen, but when winter feels like spring, everything gets confused. One frightening result of this premature spawning, Mr. Penny explained, is that the egg and sperm may not be at the proper stage of development. Then we could have poorly fertilized eggs that could result in weaker offspring. For example, alewives usually come to breed in our waters in late March, but if the water stays warm, they may come earlier.

The recent sightings of whales and dolphins has also been delightful. Everyone loves to see these sea mammals in their natural habitats and they have been drawn to the unseasonably warm waters of the East End. The whales are here for the mackerel and herring that are feeding off Montauk. Whales often pass through the area this time of year on their winter migration, but a large number of finbacks have chosen to stick around.

Dolphins, too, have been lured in by the warm waters and the abundance of fish. About fifty dolphins have been spotted in Northwest Harbor, and they are not rushing to continue on with their southward migration. Dolphins usually pass by on their annual journeys south, but this year they took a detour into Gardiner’s Bay. So far there’s no reason for concern. They are indulging in feeding frenzies and enjoying the scenery of the East End, just as the debutantes and movie stars do each summer. Hopefully, when they do decide to leave, the transition will be as easy as a Jitney back to their winter home. There is some threat that they will be thwarted by sand bars and dropping tides and local environmentalists are staying closely attuned to the communication between the dolphins to make sure they are not experiencing difficulties.

However, as happy as we are to be visited by whales and dolphins, many of us are forgetting a usually exciting visitor who has not made its way down to these tropical waters — the seal. By this time, there are usually seals sprawled across jetties in Montauk, but the water is too warm for them. Also, winter flounders should be abundant by now, but the water is still up in the mid-40s. These fish need the water to be below 40 degrees to start spawning, so their whole cycle is interrupted.

We talk a lot about the things that could happen as a result of global warming, but Larry Penny made an interesting point. “If the temperature is too high, a lot of things aren’t going to happen,” he said of the current situation. Perhaps we should be more concerned with all the things that won’t get done.

Another interesting perspective on the warming trend came from Richard Hendrickson, who has been recording the temperatures and precipitation on the East End every day since 1930. Yes, you read that right. Mr. Hendrickon has one of the most comprehensive weather logs in the country. According to data that he acquired from another weather sage, between 1900 and 1917, there were only 12 days where the temperatures rose above 90 degrees. According to Mr. Hendrickson’s own data, the first part of this century has been markedly different. Between 2000 and 2006, there were 41 days where the thermometer surpassed 90 degrees. That’s more than three times as many blazing days in one-third the amount of time!

These environmental effects are all signposts on the road to the serious implications of global warming. Plant and animal range shifts, along with rising water temperatures, are direct results of global warming, which is no longer a hypothetical problem. We are no longer thinking of what might happen to our children’s children’s children. We are dealing with what is going to happen to us. We rely on the ocean for our livelihood and these seemingly harmless changes are harbingers of a precarious future that we need to face.

.