By Andy Birch

Originally published by Los Angeles Audubon Society in the Western Tanager Vol. 86 No. 4 March-April 2020.

Birders have recognized the value of Silver Lake Reservoir for over a century, with the reservoir playing a role in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, dating as far back as 1916 and even rarities such as Tundra Swan being recorded there in 1919.

The reservoir was taken out of service by DWP in 2008 and ever since then, the heated political debate about what to do with the land has not ceased. As the plans for active recreational development of the reservoir has come to the fore in recent years, and with the reservoir being in my 5MR (5 Mile Radius), I was curious what sorts of waterfowl numbers that regular watching would yield. Starting in 2018, I made a concerted effort to do regular, detailed counts. The reservoir's size and location, adjacent to the LA River, enveloped by urban development and only a couple of miles from downtown LA, suggested it could be quite a magnet for migrating waterfowl.

Over 170 species have now been recorded at this urban site, including astonishing finds such as Elegant Tern, Bald Eagle and Long-tailed Duck. On peak days during the winter, over 3000 birds use the undisturbed, fresh water of the reservoir to rest and fuel up. This past winter, we had some of the highest counts for LA County for a number of waterfowl species. Most notable, triple digit numbers of Ring-necked Duck (170), Lesser Scaup (75), Ruddy Duck (950), Northern Shoveler (150), Redhead and Canvasback. Scarcities this winter included a lingering and confiding Greater Scaup, Mew Gull and our current wintering Gray Flycatcher. Flocks of over 2000 California Gulls can be seen in the late afternoon and among them, Iceland (Thayer’s) and Glaucous-winged Gulls are regularly found. The wintering waterfowl habitat at Silver Lake is reliant on a large body of open water and a lack of human disturbance in the water. To lose this habitat would clearly be a major loss to wintering waterfowl on a county level for species that are already facing habitat pressures throughout their summer, winter and migration ranges.

LA Audubon's statement regarding the reservoir is that the two most important features as a habitat for birds are the presence of water in the reservoir and the presence and maintenance of a fence that limits disturbance within the water: The presence and maintenance of the fence, keeping people away from the water and water’s edge, maximizes the value of the site as a wildlife refuge. Humans and pets disturb birds, such that birds can abandon a site, and the fence is the single most important conservation management tool at the site after the presence of water.

The current development plans for active recreational use don't look good for waterfowl and include boardwalks in to the reservoir, paddle boats, kayaking, a swim beach and a swimming pool in the reservoir itself. As is happening across the waterways of LA County, developers and city landscape architects are trying to aesthetically "improve" water habitats and promote human access as much as possible through active recreational plans. We are seeing these types of plans being formulated at some of the best birding sites all along the LA River. Likewise, the Silver Lake plans, in general, promote human access to most areas of the water with a small nod to wildlife through aesthetically pleasing "improvements" such as wetland plantings and floating islands. And of course, local architects and developers are being forceful to push the construction plans through, dismissing dissenting voices that are pro-conservation as a “vocal minority.”

Encouragingly though, many in the local Silver Lake community recognize the value of the reservoir as an important wildlife habitat that deserves conserving for passive recreation use only. There are even calls to turn it in to a nature reserve. An online poll conducted by the city showed that the clear majority (65%) of respondents wanted to “enjoy nature” above everything else at the reservoir. Interestingly, 30% wanted birdwatching classes to be offered! So, there is a chance that enough momentum could build to convince the city to scale back its active recreation plans. If you would like to make sure that habitat conservation for wintering waterfowl is considered, please email the SLR master plan group at eng.slrcmp@lacity.org and let them know of the importance of the reservoir remaining undisturbed for wintering waterfowl.

This is a moment for a local LA community and visionary policy-makers to reverse the tide of habitat loss, provide inspiration for other cities around the nation and create a true urban wildlife sanctuary in the heart of one of the largest cities in the world; a wildlife refuge with the emphasis on habitat conservation, passive recreation rather than development for active recreation.