Charlie Fineran’s Photo of the Week Measures Up

The bird chart titled ‘What is Your Wingspan?’ has served as a popular attraction over the years at various events, where I set up display tables celebrating and showing off our region’s beautiful Open Space & Wildlife!  These displays are all part of Allamuchy Township’s Open Space Program, where I am Director Open Space.  The chart has been a great success, attracting passersby of all ages to stop and then check out their own ‘wingspans’ to those wingspans of our larger native birds!  It is always enjoyable and fun watching the public check their wingspans and then summon the rest of the group over and hear the remarks about just how big these birds are!!! 

DIRECTIONS on how the chart works:  Every bird on the chart has two labeled photos. The distance between their photos is the maximum wingspan of that bird!  Most people have seen these birds out amid the open spaces, BUT, most don’t realize just how large these birds actually are, UNTIL, the chart makes it a ‘CLOSE AND PERSONAL’ experience!  The Bald Eagle and Mute Swans with wingspans nearing eight feet are always making an impression!  The other large birds also really impress and bring home the point of wingspan size!!

Story behind the creation of the chart:  I was visiting the Pocono Environmental Educational Center in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area.  On the wall, I noticed the outline of a condor, ten feet wingtip to wingtip!!  The chart had names of other large birds: Eagles, Hawks, etc., with lines going down from the name and the distance between those lines was the bird’s wingspan!  I was impressed!!  AND, I took a photo!  (NOTE:  Keep this place in mind!!  It is a wonderful visit and runs many great programs and activities!! See link below.) 

I got to thinking, this would make a wonderful, fun educational experience for people attending the various events where I set up tables showing photos and giving out brochures about Open Space.  I am on a mission.  I decided to downsize the chart to an eight-foot long by five-foot high banner.  Using labeled photos of the birds would make identification easier.  My game plan was to get a heavy cloth, draw an outline of a Bald Eagle, and then attach laminated photos with Velcro.  I decided to ask Jaehnel Hanisak, art teacher at the Allamuchy Elementary School, if she and her classes might be interested in helping me out!  She said they would and what a great job they did—an actual drawing of a bald eagle with title ‘What is Your Wingspan’ across the top. 

One more chore to be done and I’d be ready to display the banner. I needed two sleeves created across the top and bottom of the material, so I could slide metal rods through, allowing the heavy material to stay taut for display.  I went to the Crafty Ladies, who are a part of Friends and Neighbors of Allamuchy.  These ladies sew, create, and sell wonderful crafts, and then make donations to various organizations throughout the community!!  A member of Crafty Ladies, the late Monna Mattiace, had the needed heavy sewing tools and created sleeves across the top and bottom.  Thus, my project was completed with the help from a lot of friends throughout the Community!

Please visit my Flickr site for ‘Birds in Our Backyard’ photos.

Link to Pocono Environmental Educational Center in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area.

Enjoy Your Open Space,

Charlie Fineran