Sorry I was not at the Cayuga Bird Club meeting on Monday. Perhaps this got mentioned, but I want to spread the word to others who missed the meeting as well. Rick Manning of the Cayuga Waterfront Initiative and Friends of Stewart Park has asked the Cayuga Bird Club for input about Stewart Park management generally and about a couple of proposed signs in particular. Club President Linda Orkin, Historian Jane Graves, and I will be meeting with him later this month.
The sites for signs could be somewhere along the lakeshore to discuss birding on the lake, and at the entrance(s) to Renwick Wildwood such as along the curving boardwalk or where the trail along the east side of the woods emerges. Ideas for content are welcome, such as info for the general public or info for birders new to the area.
Another issue is how can Stewart Park best be managed for birds as well as people. Birds and birding are recognized as important here, and park proponents want to help, not hurt, as they proceed. What practices are good? What could be better? What is valuable about the habitats? How can landscaping be optimized for birds, birding, and non-birding activities? Sometimes well-intentioned landscapers want to "clean up" places using an aesthetic which is unaware of bird habitats or ecology. Thus in recent years we have seen many shrubs bottomed out or removed, the widening of the path around the swan pond to bring in lawnmowers, a huge project to remove and grind up logs and driftwood from the lakeshore, and the removal of any tree which falla into the lagoon. There is talk of removing aquatic vegetation from the lake. What should management policies be around the Fuertes Sanctuary (aka Swan Pond)? What should policies be in Renwick Wildwood? What is your opinion as a birder?
Note that there are also proposals for development in Stewart Park. The building now used by DPW next to the Large Pavilion may become a museum about the few years a century ago when it was used as a silent film studio. The concrete ramp into the lake between those buildings may become the site of an amphitheater. DPW's activities may be moved to a new building at the southeast corner of the park, just south of where the road makes a sharp turn. The path along the lakeshore and Fall Creek may be extended as a loop along the south side of Stewart Park. Again, birding concerns should be voiced.
A related narrow anti-bird concern is goose feces on paths, lawns and play areas. Ideas for discouraging or limiting the areas where geese graze and defecate, or ways of cleaning up after them are welcome too.
Rick has referenced his 2009 Stewart Park Rehabilitation Action Plan, which includes a fine description of birding. Although attachments are not allowed on this list serve, I may be able to send a copy to anyone who requests it.
--Dave Nutter
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