Dear Barbara, I don't know if you're the proper person to whom I should
voice my concern. If you are not, I apologize and wonder if you could let me
know the proper person for me to contact.

I am a birder and a frequent visitor to the Union Bay Natural Area. I have
noticed that in the past couple of weeks, CUH staff have systematically
mowed and trimmed a great deal of the brush and grasslands on the site. I'm
not sure why this was done, but the effects on the bird life have been
extremely negative:

1. Two savannah sparrow broods were mowed out of existence.
2. All resident savannah sparrows have lost significant amounts of
groundcover, making them more vulnerable to predation.
3. All migrating savannah sparrows (due to arrive in the next several weeks)
will be adversely affected by this loss of habitat.
4. Non-native European starlings have had their habitat improved, which will
lead to higher survival rates of this pest. The result of higher survival
rates of starlings in the fall and winter will be more nest parasitism in
the spring, leading to declines in native songbirds which are already
heavily pressured.
5. Significant amounts of cover for Bewick's wrens, song sparrows and
spotted towhees have been cut down in the poplar grove on the southwest side
of Wahkiakum Trail, as all low branches were cut off last week.
6. The lack of cover in the poplar grove will affect the survival of
Lincoln's sparrows, due to arrive from their mountain nesting areas in a few
weeks.
7. Dense cover for fox sparrows and hermit thrushes has become almost
nonexistent. I have seen only one fox sparrow and one hermit thrush in more
than a year of regular birding. I used to see nesting fox sparrows and
hermit thrushes, but no more.
8. Almost all thistles were cut down everywhere on the site, removing an
important source of food from resident American goldfinch populations.
9. Hunting has been made easier for the feral cat population, which preys
upon ground-nesting birds and clueless fledglings of all sorts.


My understanding of the management of this site is that it is in part
supposed to be managed for the benefit of the native wildlife. I don't
believe the recent round of mowing and cutting has helped native wildlife in
any way. On the contrary, it has harmed many bird species.

The site is also supposed to be managed for multiuse by humans, but the
humans are supposed to stay on established trails. I don't understand how
widespread removal of habitat helps the humans to enjoy the site in a
sustainable way. I worry that cutting down tall grasses and lopping off low
branches will only encourage humans to go off the established paths even
more, because the site has come to resemble a typical city park.

The Montlake Fill is not a typical city park, and I hope it never becomes
one. Rather, it is one of the premiere birding sites in the state. It is, in
fact, famous around the world for the diversity of bird species and for the
occasional rarities that are attracted to the variety of habitats here.

I myself have birded the Fill for almost 20 years. I have seen more than 140
different bird species. I have led numerous walks around the Fill for
Seattle Audubon and Tahoma Audubon. I have introduced large numbers of
children to the wonders of nature that can be found here.

I haven't always agreed with the decisions made by CUH regarding plant
removals and additions. But I have never before voiced my concerns because I
always had faith that the CUH staffers had the wildlife's best interests at
heart. My faith has been severely shaken in the last three weeks. Is anybody
at CUH thinking about the birds? - Connie Sidles, 4532 48th NE, Seattle
98105; 206-522-7513.