Began one of my “Looking for Stuff” trips about noon today, Thursday, Jan. 2. Not even out of my backyard area and see a Great Blue Heron hunting the drainage ditch off Youngs Island Road.  By the time I got my camera, though, he had just taken off!! WOW!! I just started and I was already seeing stuff!

Work my way to Hope and stop for a bowl of soup at Hope Market.  There, I’m planning my trip. “Where am I going to go?” As with most of these “Looking for Stuff” trips, I can’t just say “are we there yet!?” because, I don’t even know where I am going – but – I do need to be on the move. One thing for sure, I will be driving slowly, scanning the tree lines, perusing the hills, dales, forests and fields!!  

Charlie’s Tips: If you’re ever doing this type of driving around, be conscious of your surroundings, speed limits, and your rearview so you maintain safety and can pull over and let other drivers pass by!

Driving slowly down Serepta Road in Blairstown and notice a huge bird in a tree down the road from me. Pull over, get my camera and start taking some telephoto shots. Get a bunch of photos and he takes off, landing again, further into the field, a better lighting situation. I now know this is a fully grown immature bald eagle who doesn’t have his white head and tail yet.

He takes off again, flying back along Serepta Road where I came from. I turn around to try to follow him but lost him. BUT, that’s when I notice a flock of Snow Geese out in the field. Turning around again, work my way to Upper Serepta Road and notice the sign for Beaver Brook Wildlife Management Area. I pull into the little parking area, get out of my car and notice several Black Vultures sitting in a tree across the field! Walk into the adjacent field and hear a lot of commotion in the sky, look up and there are waves and waves of Snow Geese, high in the sky!

Bald Eagles go through many molts in their life. Molting is a natural process for birds, lizards, and other animals and is when they lose their feathers or skin to make room for new growth. Bald Eagles usually gain their iconic white head and tail feathers during molts in their fourth to fifth years.

You know, these “Looking for Stuff” trips really work sometimes!

Beaver Brook Wildlife Management Area is a beautiful location atop the mountain!! This is a 681.57 acre site consisting of fields and forest that is worth a visit.

A recap on today’s trip: looking for stuff, Great Blue Heron, immature Bald Eagle, Snow Geese in a field, Black Vultures and then multiple large waves of Snow Geese overhead. Not too shabby! Enjoy! I sure did!

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space
Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman
Allamuchy Historica Society – President