I'm in mourning.
One day last week, I got up especially early to pay my first spring visit to a favorite birding locale, Peck's Lake. It was just the right conditions for a possible drop-in of Franklin's Gull, a bird that had thus far eluded me.
Peck's Lake is a small miracle in No. AZ. It's formed through a diversion of the Verde River and its outflow moistens Tavasci Marsh. I say "miracle" because any large natural body of water in the desert is a miracle, not least of which to the birds who flock there. It's flanked to its north by limestone cliffs along which soar raven, hawk, vulture and eagle. To the south it's punctuated by the awesome Anasazi ruins called Tuzigoot.
Since moving here in the fall of '00, I've birded there a lot, in every season. Peck's Lake has been the site for the following life birds: Loggerhead Shrike, Virginia's Warbler, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, MacGillivray's Warbler, Gila Woodpecker, Marsh Wren, Cinnamon Teal, Green-tailed Towhee, Virginia Rail, Eared Grebe, Lesser Nighthawk and Barn Owl. It's been the site for freak occurences of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Sabine's Gull and Harris' Hawk. And, tho not confirmed recently, the lake and marsh have been breeding grounds for the endangered SW Willow Flycatcher and the Yuma Clapper Rail.
So imagine my bitter surprise to find the "official" roads in gated and padlocked and the "unofficial" ones blocked by high dirt berms.
You see, Peck's Lake, tho managed (not very well) by AZ Game and Fish, is actually owned by the Phelps Dodge Corporation, a mining and other land-rape concern. PDC has reached deep into their imagination and decided this fantastic habitat would best serve humanity as...a golfing community. As I understand it, this venture has been put off for some time over environmental concerns. I suppose these concerns have been overcome. I'm trying to get in touch with someone who will know the details and I'll report back soon.
But in the meantime, it's like a friend has been cruelly snatched away. The lake is busy on weekends, but a personal haven, free of human activity, on weekday mornings. It's habitat is so varied, it always has the potential to produce a spectacular bird. But no more.
Do any of you have stories of favorite birding spots whicked away by the winds of change?
Posted by MadMonk at March 28, 2004 03:21 PMThat's a shame. I had a birding spot near where I lived in LA - small concrete-lined stream that ran through a rough area of grass. I discovered it one fall with vagrants such as waterthrush, Blackpoll etc and even a Chestnut-collared Longspur one morning. That winter, the parks dept. decided to clean it up and mow all the grass. Never been the same since to the extent I don't go birding there anymore.
Posted by: andy at March 28, 2004 05:40 PM