The True Beauty Behind this Research
Omar Abukwaik, author of this note, joined Woodcock Watch NJ last spring and will be returning in the spring to continue monitoring woodcock in urban areas.
Before I was given the privilege to join Kathleen Farley on her Woodcock watch, I never really admired the diversity of birds or nature like I do now. Throughout my life I would hear birds chirps of all kinds and wouldn’t really care to try and differentiate the different birds songs and chirps going on during the morning or late in the evening. However, that all changed once I went out in the field with Kathleen. I didn't think much of at it at first, we were just out looking for a specific bird, the Woodcock, hoping to catch a glimpse or hear its chirp and take note of it. But I was wrong: it was much more than that. The first day out on the field, Kathleen explained to me what differentiates the Woodcock from other birds, from their looks to the way they display when ready to mate. I found it amusing, I wanted to see it for myself. I was given a clipboard and was told to take note of my surroundings, the different birds, any animals crossing my path, the change in the sky, the moon phase. Basically I was told to take note of my surroundings throughout my time on the field. I realized as the days passed and the more I went on the field, the more attention I paid to my surroundings, I was starting to get familiar with the different bird sounds, when specific birds would come out, whether they are on the ground or chirping up on the tree branches. I started to realize the true beauty behind this research, it wasn’t just me looking for Woodcock at this point, It was me admiring the beauty around me, the habitat and the life in the woods I was in. The different fields we went to were never the same, I learned that the habitat and its surroundings had a deep impact on the birds from their movement to their living and ability to mate in certain areas. Unfortunately, I was never able to spot a Woodcock myself, but I gained much more than I expected to ever gain from going out on the field with Kathleen.
It didn’t end there, nor did I want it to. The next step after the mating season was over was to analyze woodcock abundance and availability in surround areas that Kathleen has pointed out for us. We went digging for worms! It didn’t really seem like a fun task at first, getting to dig up worms from the dirt and taking it back to the lab didn’t seem too much fun. Again, I was wrong. I got to go out to fields of different kinds, I was able to get a first hand experience in noticing how every field, again, is different from the other. Some places where we went was filled with different individuals talking their dogs out on walks with their families, other places were abandoned and polluted. I was able to experience how each place was impacted by the nature it was surrounded by, by the availability of life, from the tree shrubs available, to the birds present and the abundance of worms we were able to retrieve. It wasn’t just digging up worms, it was me getting an opportunity to experience and value the nature that I have around me.
Now I know the value of life, the value of nature that is out there. This research allowed me to open my eyes and discover the beauty of life. It pushed me to always gain more knowledge and insight on the life that is going on around me and to respect this life and value these creations by keeping them intact and doing my part in keeping them preserved, and keeping my environment safe.
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