When it comes to capturing nature in photography, Charlie Fineran never quite knows when the opportunity will arise. His column this week could be a drama, comedy, or perhaps most appropriate, a combination of both.

Is it not amazing, how a story’s place in time, may control, just how we look at and even analyze those stories?  Take for example, “No Fear” Or a “A Real Dummy.” Or – “Better Look Where You Are Going.”

I felt those words were appropriate recently when describing what I had witnessed with the Wildlife Player’s behavior during a short, exciting, and unexpected incident in my Aunt’s backyard, which originally occurred in July 2012.

If I were to simply forward this ‘same incident’ today I could see myself, changing the subject to ‘A Special Wildlife Memory/Moment at the Shore’ – ‘The Challenges of Photographing Wildlife’, or a ‘A Wonderful Backyard Experience’!  I believe the following comments will bolster this point of view.

STORY BEHIND THIS STORY

I was looking through my email archives and came across this story, which instantly brought back some special memories!  FIRST, Memories of those special moments, when wildlife (a large hawk) visits your backyard.  SECONDLY, Memories of the many unforeseen challenges and little things that can go wrong or awry trying to take photos of wildlife within in a time sensitive setting. THIRDLY, an ongoing pure luck scenario throughout the incident where even, with changes in positions and circumstances, the original opportunity remained intake. And then, was enhanced by the introduction of other Wildlife (squirrels) into a setting that would a best be called a surreal wildlife situation! ***Just some good ole fashion, “At the right place, At the right time AND with a little bit of luck!!***

THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

The ole saying is that a picture equals a thousand words, in this case, I believe it raises some interesting questions! These comments and the subject titles above suit the second photo well!!  BUT I would like to throw out some other words to describe the three to four minutes that preceded that photo, Startled!! Anxiety!!  Frustration!! There are no photos of that time frame, that will be my story. 

To set the stage let me introduce the characters, Aunt Viv, age 89, nephew me, one large Hawk and two squirrels.  All characters experienced multiple sessions of STRESS during this brief time of continuous OCCURENCES!

We had just returned to my Aunt’s home from lunch.  Entering the little porch between the house and the attached garage my Aunt asked if I would mind putting some birdseed into the bird-feeder in the backyard.  I looked into the paper bag containing the seed and it was almost empty so I took the small tin can she uses to fill the feeder and started to carefully pour the seed into the tin can.  Now I am focused on the pouring and not really aware of where my Aunt was, I actually thought she had gone into the house.  I opened the door to the backyard and just started down the stairs. Keep in mind I was not paying attention to anything but the stairs when I heard my Aunt loudly in a startled voice call out “What is That?”  I look up to see this large bird, long wings outstretched heading up into a tree. 

The hawk was perched on the white fence near the bird bath and the bird feeder is a little bit beyond that hanging about a foot above the fence – the tree where the hawk landed is only a few feet away from the fence!). 

That is a Hawk!!  My Aunt asks, “Does that also eat seed?” Nephew: It eats what comes to eat your seed!

I am now getting a little anxiety because I see a good chance to get a photo, BUT, my camera is back in my car out in front of the garage!  I hand my Aunt the bag, Don’t move I’ll be right back with my camera!  I get my camera and entering the backyard again I notice that my Aunt did move closer to the bird feeder, BUT, the hawk is still right above her in the tree!!  I can’t believe this, every time I approach these hawks in the wild they are really hard to get close to!

Pushing the button to start my camera, ITS NOT STARTING! I can’t believe this. What the heck is wrong?? Finally the camera starts and I am just ready to click my first photo AND beep-beep-beep – You Gotta be kidding me the BLANK BLANK battery is dead! I go back again to my car. I wonder if that hawk will still be there when I get back. I change the battery and entering the yard. My Aunt is worried about putting seed out for the birds and also now worrying about letting her cat out later on! I look up and the hawk is still there!

Start my camera, look at the screen to line up my picture and I see something else moving on the screen!  Put the camera down to look and there is a squirrel casually walking across a branch, THE SAME BRANCH THE HAWK IS ON!  I don’t think the hawk sees it yet. Then I notice hawk’s head turn toward the squirrel and I hear that familiar high pitch call that those hawks give!  I wonder if that is a startled type of call or is that a thanks for joining me for dinner call?

I kind of feel a little sorry for the hawk. It was minding its own business sitting on a fence and was startled by my Aunt and now once again, sitting minding its own business and now also bothered, BY A SQUIRREL!  So now we have a hawk looking at the squirrel. It was quite obvious that at that moment the squirrel either got the verbal message or saw the BIG PICTURE!!

It was at that very moment picture # 2 was taken!  Folks, then things began to unravel – The hawk took off, the squirrel headed back the way he originally came AND almost crashed into ANOTHER squirrel about three feet away! Keep in mind here that when the hawk took off and made a right turn paralleling the squirrel’s exit! The hawk came to rest in a tree in the neighbor’s yard.

Long story short, my Aunt didn’t put any seed out! I didn’t see the hawk again so it must have moved on and the squirrels were looking around the bird feeder for food!! 

AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY!

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space
Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission Allamuchy Historical Society – President