You never know what kind of wildlife you’ll see in Warren County. Charlie Fineran and many others were surprised – and thrilled – when a Snowy Owl made its way to Merrill Creek in 2012.

I was going through my photo archives and while perusing through my Merrill Creek files, came across photos from three visits I made there back in February 4^th, 6^th & 18^th 2012. Those visits were to go and see THE SNOWY OWL!!  A visitor from the arctic, whose rare appearance at Merrill Creek had created quite a stir among wildlife enthusiasts and the news-media in the Northeast! During my three visits I witnessed visitors from 5 different states that came to Merrill Creek with the sole intention of seeing the Snowy Owl.

I believe I have found my next Photo of the Week article! My next step, was to check my email archives where I found a couple of emails I sent out about my visits. 

MOTUS OPERANDI – I will copy and paste my original emails about my visits as this will give you the full story with all my observations just as I had presented them exactly back then!

FIRST VISIT’S EMAIL – February 4^th, 2012

Hi Everyone:

Hope this message finds you all well!  What about this weather!  The Winter that never came, at least here in the northeast of the USA.  Punxsutawney Phil, says six more weeks of Winter!  What Winter, if it stays like this, I think most of you will all be happy!!   ( To my foreign friends, Phil is a famous rodent, weather specialist and ‘Star Personality’ for our Groundhog Day.  —— Do you do stuff like this? ) 

OK, enough about groundhogs, although, I’m wondering, maybe he could actually fit into this story, ——–  as the “Main Menu”?? 

Our trip takes place at Merrill Creek Reservoir, one of my favorite places! The ‘ Star attraction ‘ for today’s visit, a special visitor from the Arctic, a Snowy Owl.  This year the owls have migrated further South than normal, way further South!  We have been very fortunate that one owl has picked Merrill Creek and boy has he/she really created an ongoing visitor frenzy!!  I had planned to go on a hike sponsored by the Musconetcong Watershed Association, they always conduct interesting and enjoyable Family friendly hikes to great places and this would be extra special if we see the owl!  The game plan, hike from the boat launch area on the NE corner of the reservoir and go down along the east shore to the main dam, that dam is along the south shore and is the location for most sightings.  We are ready to depart and I change my plans, my back feels a little stiff, instead of the hike to the main dam and back, I am going to opt for several shorter visits!  I am recovering from some back issues and this is my first hike, I kind of want to test the water gradually!  The MWA hikers take off and I drive to the base of the main dam.  They will see the owl from the top, I will see it from the bottom.  If we are lucky!

One point to keep in mind about Merrill Creek, it is definitely user friendly, a wonderful visitor center, great trails and many access points just off the roadways which follow alongside the perimeter of the reservoir, this allows you to make many visits and control your distances.  My second stop, is a parking area at the end of Low’s Hollow Road coming off of Route 57, from there, it is just a short walk to the base of the main dam.  I no sooner get out of my car and a little girl runs up telling me how they saw the owl!!  Her mother and father mentioned they also saw an eagle flying overhead!  “The owl is just sitting there in plain view!” Either my back had loosened or I forgot about it hearing about the owl, I’m off!!  This is a cool site and sight!  You are looking up at this huge dam from a narrow tree lined glen with a pristine cold stream running back down along the roadway!

I couldn’t get over the number of people and the equipment! Nobody had to point out where the owl was, as a matter of fact, I mentioned, it almost looked too perfect, a gentleman agreed followed by, ” I saw him turn his head through my glasses! ”  Returning to my car I noticed some furry looking deposits on the road near the dam,  I think owls periodically cleanout their stomachs by throwing up indigestible food in clumps like this, I included the photo, maybe some of my friends from the Sussex County Bird Club will have the answer!

My next stop is another parking area and entrance located off Fox Farm Road. This gives the visitor access to the dam road (closed to vehicles) and also access to the Black Trail, which is the five mile loop around the reservoir. I take a short hike into the reservoir to a bench along a scenic beach area, this site is downhill a ways off the Black Trail, always quiet.  I then walk in the maintenance road which will take me atop the main dam.  I can’t believe it, that owl is still in the same place!  Well, I know my friends on the MWA hike must be thrilled, ‘Mission Accomplished’!  I also find it hard to believe that no-one tried getting real close to the owl for a better photo,  although, I don’t think I would want to be that person if they scared the owl away!  The weather I thought was supposed to be clear, but it stayed cloudy, yet no wind, the reservoir was like a mirror, really nice for some photo shots.

It is about 2:20PM and I will make one more stop, the Intake Center and dam off Fox Farm Road.  This is also another neat place, great views of the reservoir, don’t even have to leave your car, then turn and face west, you are looking into Pennsylvania from high atop the mountain, just beautiful!

This has been my lucky day!!  I just start to walk along the dam and a fisherman calls out from the fishing dock, “Want to see a couple of eagles??!!”  He pointed them out, he had watched them both land and perch in the distant tree.  One then took off, the other stayed!  I am getting ready to leave, can’t wait to get home and see how the photos come out!  My owl photos aren’t the greatest, I only have 30 optical fixed zoom!  Google Snowy Owl, Merrill Creek and you will be treated to some great photos!

What a great day!  Hope you enjoyed your visit! I really enjoyed mine!!!!

FOLLOW UP EMAIL –

Hi Again Everyone:

Consider this a follow up of my previous email, you will also probably consider this one of the most unusual reasons for a person making a trip!!  Let me carefully craft my wording trying to explain and tie together my two trips.  Reviewing all the factors, all be it some unusual factors, I think you may see the merit for making the attempt!!  At this point I am going to throw in some of ‘ Charlie’s quotes ‘, “You can never have a bad visit to a quality site!” “Always keep your eyes peeled and always expect to see something!” and “Don’t be afraid to include and or ask about items you see but are not sure about, throw it out there and see what information comes back!!”  I believe that after reading this story and reviewing these photos you will see the merit of my motivation and also make the connection with the prior quotes! 

While reading this, reflect on your own unique or unusual incidents, reflect on your own region’s beauty and potentials, AND, think about how you might, “Push the Envelope” developing an incident that would be  inclusive of other people and/or groups!!  You get a ‘Silver Star’ for your efforts going on a visit, upgrade to a ‘Gold Star’ by adding a ‘Show & Tell’!!

Well, here we go!  Referring to my first message, I included a photo of some ‘matter’ on the road near the owl’s location, then I mentioned how owls have a digestive strategy, removing unwanted waste remnants from their stomachs by regurgitating this ‘matter’.  I didn’t know the exact terminology for the ‘matter’.  I received and email from my friend, Tim Frederiks, Superintendent Allamuchy Township Schools, stating the terminology is ‘Pellets’ and he further advised that these are often collected and then sold to schools, for use in the lab, students can discover what the owl has eaten!  I didn’t know that!!!  I was immediately wondering, “Hmm, maybe that is still there!”  I wouldn’t mind donating that to our school, then make a connection with the Audubon Society or NJ Fish & Game – Non Game & Endangered Species, what a neat joint project, what a great learning experience, especially exciting considering it would be referencing a ‘Current Events Topic – The Snowy Owl!’  Just as an added note:  Our school has many projects with those two groups, so we would be building upon our existing active networking! 

My earliest opportunity to begin my quest was 11:30AM Monday after therapy for my back!!  Deep Blue Sky!!!, Bright Sun!!!!, Therapist said hiking is a good exercise!!!!, Neat project if that stuff, err, pellets is still there!!

I thinking even if ‘ IT ‘ isn’t there, I will get another view of the owl under different conditions + Merrill Creek Reservoir is always a great visit for some photos!!!  I’M OUTTA HERE!!!  

Long Story Short:  Somebody beat me to the pellets – GONE!!  OK I’m 0 for 1, BUT WAIT!! I am looking up at this BRIGHT WHITE HUGE DAM with a DEEP, DEEP BLUE CLOUDLESS SKY as a backdrop, the owl is amid the rocks on the dam and if I do a little bit of climbing up the trail and go to the wood line I will get a nice view of the owl – This is going to be a great day and I’m just starting! 

My photos will finish this report,  I made a new friend, a photographer, and showed him around to some of my favorite places here!  I met an old friend, Kent Hardmeyer and his wife at several sites, we saw an eagle almost where I had seen them on my last visit but the sun’s position wasn’t good for a photo!!  What a great trip!! 

In closing, I hope these two visits might be the sealing factor in your decision to make this location with its ‘Special Guest’ a Family Visit!!  Go for it, you won’t be disappointed!!!

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space

Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission

Allamuchy Historical Society – President