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Birding Brevard: The Clock Tolls for Viera WetlandsBy Dave FreelandIf you bird at Viera Wetlands and environs, you can't help but notice the subtle changes occurring that presage the future of this Brevard County hotspot. Most notable these days is the dramatic change in the environment at the sod fields that border Viera Wetlands' west and north edges. As the Duda people whittle back on their decades-long farming and ranching operations there, the developers – as carefully monitored as they are by our community's best interests – are moving forward with magnificent plans for the pine flatwoods and former sod farm. "Magnificent" is the developers' word for what conservationists might call "pillaging." The signs on the fencing along the dirt road to River Lakes Conservation Area carry their ominous message to us all: "NO TRESPASSING" The sod fields are turning to weed patches, covered by Florida toadflax said my friend Jim Stahl, a very capable biologist whose knowledge of botany far exceeds mine. (Did you know that this species of weed was only recently separated from blue toadflax, its more northern relative? Sort of like Florida Scrub-Jay is now a full species separate from the Western and Island Scrub-Jays that once shared its space in textbooks.) Before long, the sod fields will be developed into housing areas as will the pine flatwoods and other bird habitats we now enjoy. The Eastern Meadowlark field at the end of the River Lakes road will surely be history. The last few Bachman’s Sparrows will disappear from the pine flatwoods. We will no longer need to watch for Upland Sandpipers, American Golden-Plovers and Buff-breasted Sandpipers in the sod fields. Fortunately, the little island known as Viera Wetlands will remain as a target for water birds. But the Limpkin feeding area at the spillway alongside the River Lakes road is likely to disappear. The final few pairs of Burrowing Owls in Brevard County will be relocated to Moccasin Island and, hopefully, extend their tenuous existence among us. Development is a certainty in many areas of our county, and the West Viera area was targeted for change long ago. As carefully monitored as it is, we can expect change of the type that has converted much of Merritt Island from marsh, woods and fields to shopping malls and suburbia. Some long-time residents can remember how Merritt Island once looked, just 30 years ago. Those of us who have 30 years ahead of us can do well to retain the images of today’s Viera Wetlands and surroundings and compare them to what's to come. The birds will simply go somewhere else. Bird of the Month: For casual observer and veteran birder alike, the emergence of a family of Great Horned Owls at the Viera Government Center became a "made for TV" event. We wish the young family well and assume they won’t grow up thinking that’s what life for Great Horned Owls will always be like. Where to Go: Since we're into Viera so much this issue, I recommend a family trip to the portion of that area that will survive the onslaught of humanity – the water treatment plant known as Viera Wetlands at the west end of Wickham Road. It’s still one of our region's most exciting bird environments, now rich with the creation of new life among the Common Moorhens, Pied-billed Grebes, Boat-tailed Grackles and other nesting species. |