Death of a Hot Spot

The field in happier times

It was only a matter of time. A large open space in Lakewood lasting as a large open space? Impossible. But for a while, ever since the Wawa on Route 9 in Lakewood opened, the field next to it was always a reliable spot to find Killdeer in all seasons. This year, in January, on the jetty in Point Pleasant, I was talking to an obsessive birder who mentioned that he hadn't seen a Killdeer yet this year (it was only the 4th or 5th of the year), so I told him to go over to the Wawa in Lakewood; there was sure to be one there. An hour late, while I was walking around a trail in Brick I got a call from him: success.

Killdeer chick in the field in happier times

But today on my way back from getting the car inspected (and what a joke car inspection is in NJ--it takes longer for them to scrape off your windshield decal and reapply the new one than it does to "inspect" the car), I stopped at the Wawa and found that the field had been scraped clean of every blade of grass, replaced with dirt, mud, puddles, a surveyor and heavy construction equipment. Even though Killdeer use to breed in that field, the species is not on any threatened lists and I doubt if any form documentation has been done to prove their breeding status. In any case, there was no way to stop development of this patch of private property.

Too bad Sometimes I used to go out of my way and get off the Parkway early so I could stop at the Lakewood Wawa just to put Killdeer on the day list. Looks like that detour will be take less often, although...maybe, if that field stays as is for a while...it looks like perfect Horned Lark habitat, since larks seems to gravitate to the least inviting fields around (like the old dump behind the Manahawkin Costco), or, the last two Rock Wrens in NJ have been found on construction sites so maybe I will occasionally take that more northern exit.

But for now we're left with a barren landscape and the prospect of more traffic on Route 70.