That'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.