(PRINCETON, NJ) -- “Bird Woman of the Sourlands – Hanna Suthers Bird Banding”, --dramatic close-up portraits of Hanna Suthers and her legendary bird-banding program--, are available in D&R Greenway’s Olivia Rainbow Gallery through June 16. Princeton Day School student, Erica Walsh, secured these stunning images at Hannah Suthers’ Featherbed Lane banding station. Erica is a student of PDS’ catalytic photography teacher, Eileen Hohmuth-Lemonick.
It was her teacher’s suggestion that Erica join Ms. Suthers and her team of volunteers and graduate students, as they began their seasonal dawn patrol of migrating birds deep in a Sourland forest. Intimate views of rare species, briefly wrapped in mist nets, vie for attention with studies of Hannah Suthers’ intense gaze and venerable hands, as she directs capture and release. The all-seeing lens wielded by Erica Walsh also entered Ms. Suthers’ study, where she is licensed to rehabilitate injured and/or orphaned birds brought in all seasons.
The Featherbed Lane Bird Banding Station Important Bird Area (IBA) is a research and monitoring project was initiated by biologist Hannah Suthers in 1977, the FLBBS is among the longest-running bird banding stations in the United States.
For decades, D&R Greenway has been known for intense concentration upon preserving essential Hopewell Sourland acreage. The park now covers 3,025 acres (12.24 km2). The name "Sourland" may derive from the soil, described as "sorrel-land" (reddish-brown); or perceived as ‘sour’ because its rockiness renders cultivation difficult to impossible. Hikers report red fox, grey fox, coyote, and significant numbers and species of birds, especially passerines (perching birds.) The ridge is studded with impressive diabase boulders, deposited during the igneous event that produced both the New Jersey Palisades and the Watchung Mountains.
This contiguous forest sources essential water supplies, as well protecting and nourishing countless bird species. Hannah Suthers’ research proved the value of the Sourlands not only in breeding season, but throughout challenging spring and fall migrations. For decades, Hanna Suthers rode her horse along Hopewell’s Featherbed Lane, tallying birds in the changing forest, before commuting to Princeton University for her position as a research assistant. Suthers’ spreadsheets maintained over many years became crucial evidence as D&R Greenway Land Trust and others began linking preserved open space along the Ridge. Bands affixed in the Sourlands were returned from Costa Rica, where crucial species flew to winter. Washington Crossing Audubon Society funds two bird-monitoring sites in central New Jersey and in Costa Rica, providing data on both breeding and wintering populations of vulnerable neotropical migratory songbirds.
Erica Walsh, Princeton Day School senior, began photography in freshman year, with legendary teacher Eileen Hohmuth-Lemonick. Erica not only produced this important body of work at the banding station, but also “is tremendously grateful for having been given this opportunity to learn during days spent helping Hannah.” The photographer will continue her photography studies at Bard College in the autumn.
Erica Walsh’s significant art, vividly documenting the science upon which critical land preservation is based, may be viewed from 9:30 to 5 weekdays, in D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, Princeton, New Jersey. For further information: 609-924-4646.
