Male Brewer’s Blackbird calling from an old fence post – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Every year when I make my first trip to Farmington Bay WMA in the fall I dread the changes that inevitably happen. This year I knew that there was construction going on just before the turn into the WMA. No one that goes to the Eccles Wildlife Education Center or the WMA is happy that they are building the West Davis Corridor freeway so close to this oasis of wildness.
This will affect the birds and wildlife that make Farmington Bay WMA and the wetlands their home. There is no doubt about that. The people who care fought hard against the West Davis Corridor but the people that make these decisions just callously didn’t. It is going to be ugly, noisy, smelly, and yes, it will kill birds and wildlife.
There are huge, tall piles of fill on the west side of S 1525 W just before the intersection at W Glover Lane which indicates to me that anyone who in the past enjoyed photographing birds at Glover Pond are going to have to deal with noise, shadows, and more noise. What used to be peaceful will no longer be. It isn’t now.
That actually that started changing when they started building more McMansions to the north of Glover Pond earlier. The trucks that are bringing fill and construction materials to that new section of the subdivision there are belching pollution all day long and provide a steady roar of engines. Those trucks are a nonstop, thunderous convoy during the day. You simply can’t ignore them when you are trying to enjoy the birds at Glover Pond.
Male Brewer’s Blackbird shaking his feathers on an old fence post – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 800, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
In 1983 the area where those new homes are being built was underwater. I think those people buying those houses had better make sure they have ample flood insurance. Oh, and before long we’ll hear about those homeowners complaining about the wildlife that is in their yards.
“Help, I have coyotes/voles/birds/raccoons/insects or whatever in my yard!” will be headlines in the news. I wish the news would not cover those kind of stories. The animals lived there first and they didn’t whine.
When I first moved to Utah in 2009 I enjoyed making the drive to Farmington Bay because it felt like it was out in the country. It does not feel that way any more even when you are out on the WMA or at the Nature Center. You will always hear the loud and obnoxious noise of humans. Their cars, their trucks, plus those damn back up alarm beeps from construction equipment.
Sure, one day the construction will end and the noises from that will too but the noise from all the traffic on the West Davis Corridor won’t. Neither will the stench of pollution, the needless killing of birds and animals, or the intense feelings we’ll have about the loss of nature and wildlife in the area.
It will never be as it once was again.
Mia
By the way, I am not happy that all the old wooden fence posts, seen above in my photos, were removed from the east side of Glover Pond either. Don’t ask me why they were removed because I don’t know. removing them was not necessary.
Click here to see more of my Brewer’s Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.
I am so very sorry (and angry) that this story is repeated across the world.
It is the same all over, not just in Utah. The more property tax dollars the city or state/province can make is the bottom line. They don’t care about nature or wetlands. Yes, we are the pests & yes, it is SAD.
Yeah, I didn’t even want to read your blog when I saw the title in my email. Try growing up in the area and it being your sanction. Part of why I can’t go back to live, visits are damaging my soul as is.
Visits there are certainly depressing now.
SAD. When will we learn?
Probably not in our lifetime.
Whenever I read stories like this I can’t help but think that humans are the most invasive “pest” animal on the planet. sigh
We are the pests, aren’t we.