Hi Everyone, let me begin with the STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO OF THE WEEK. 

It is Thursday, August 6: Today had a WONDERFUL BEGINNING. At 12:05 a.m., my power came back on after Hurricane Isaias knocked it out on Tuesday. At 10:39 a.m., I am returning back to my house after breakfast out and dropping off the mail at Allamuchy Town Hall. Driving down Youngs Island Road, I’m looking at farm fields that are still partially flooded from the storm and I notice something out in the field! 

I stop. Lower the passenger window and zoom in with my camera. It is a hawk on the ground … NO, WAIT … there are two hawks.  And THEN, in the same instant, another hawk enters my view shed. Three Hawks together!

Long story short, I got this photo of the two hawks!! 

Now I am monitoring same and switch over to my binoculars.  Kind of unusual for them all to be on the ground and I don’t see anything obvious they would be eating on.  They fly off into another adjacent field and I back my car up and go down a dirt farm lane to see if I can see them again. There they are! I am now taking photos of hawks on the ground AND flying to and from low perches like farm equipment and wooden pallets!! 

This flooding of the farm fields has created a hunting opportunity for the hawks and they have adjusted their hunting techniques to fit this new wet ecosystem!! 

All in all, I probably spent two hours driving back and forth, watching over the different fields and their many diverse bird guests: Hawks, ducks, killdeer, sandpipers, crows, yellow finches, and who knows what else.  These fields have really come alive with this recent flooding!! 

Later, in the early afternoon, I am heading back out along Youngs Island Road and see my resident Red-tailed Hawk, too. Sitting atop one of the telephone poles, he has not changed his hunting technique. It is still the ‘Perch & Swoop-down’ technique for him! 

I’m beginning to formulate a plan for my Photo of the Week article! What shall I title this article? AFTER THE STORM? Too dramatic and some of my friends might still be without power or might not have recovered from not having power! DAY OF THE HAWKS? That’s not gonna work. I want the article to remind us about just how much our weather can vary. The hawks are a result of the weather change. 

Back and forth – forth and back. Finally **WEATHER:  Ends of the Dry vs Wet Spectrum**

Dry vs Wet in Allamuchy Township

Our setting will be the ‘muckland’ farm fields in Allamuchy Township, my backyard.  This is a great place to observe the results of all kinds of weather, along with observing all kinds of wildlife!!  Hard to believe several weeks ago I was witnessing huge sprays of water being pumped out over the fields, keeping sod fields moist and green! 

Now, these same fields are under water! 

Keep in mind, when I mention water on the fields, I am actually talking about ground water levels. This is not classic puddling from a fast rainfall sitting atop the field. There is a little irrigation pond just off Youngs Island Road; I always use this as my water gauge. Earlier this summer, this was way down. Now. the water level is the same as the field level!! 

When talking weather, remember, we always go through these cycles of very dry to very wet. It is just how things are!!  Hurricanes, tropical storms, thunderstorms, and northeasters, to mention a few, are nature’s way of re-distributing water, heat, and energy, in order to maintain a balance throughout the world.  We often look at these events in a negative way due to damage ‘we humans’ incur because of such events, not realizing the bigger picture of transferring water, energy, and heat!! 

Nature has no timelines. There is an action and whatever transpires just works its way through the system. Benefits are derived as they develop and when they develop. Even if the full benefit isn’t realized until a hundred years later, that’s life! 

Flooding is the same way. Nature has no favorites. Something is destroyed and what is destroyed works its way back into the system. Maybe as a habitat. Our hawks and the other wildlife I observed were actually treated to a few days of easy pickin’s by the flooding.  They could walk along the wet grounds and pick off many small meals using very little of their energy because of the bonanza of various insects, beetles, grasshoppers, earthworms, snails, etc. These are not their main diet but, when presented in numerous occurrences, they will adapt until the presentation is over!! 

NOTE:  We tend to rate Natural occurrences by what they do to mankind’s creations and then bemoan, ‘Wish that had never happened.’ Be careful what you wish for!!  We don’t think about all the natural positives that far outweigh any negative spin we place on them!

Please visit my Flickr site for articles and photos of this area of Great Meadows in Allamuchy. 

This great meadows/muckland area is a very special and fascinating place!! Just like every other location in the world, weather controls its daily activities and events!!

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Charlie Fineran is Allamuchy’s Director of Open Space, Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission Chairman and Allamuchy Historical Society President.