The Editor,
I was delighted to read the results of the Richmond News web poll, regarding the Terra Nova playground proposal. The proposal was voted down 93 per cent to seven per cent.
I often wonder who is responsible for the destruction of this nature reserve.
My son and I are devoted ornithologists and over the last four years have spent many happy and enjoyable hours photographing the great array of resident birds.
A lot of people who visited the park will remember Nigel the pheasant who would follow you as you walked along. He is no longer seen. We try to visit the park twice a week, but it has lost its sparkle with huge empty areas; it is a shell of the place it used to be.
You could always locate a pair of great horned owls. Recently, we located one young one over a period of months.
In the past, you could observe redtailed hawks, northern harrier, rough legged hawks, merlin sharp shinned hawks, barn owls, barred owls, short eared owls, not to mention the song birds who made their home here, such as northern flickers, cedar waxwings, gold finches, warblers etc.
The common yellow throat was a sight to be seen with his black mask nested on the ground in the small grass areas, which are now completely cleared of grass.
We still have a pair of coopers hawks nesting in the wood, but for how long? With a project of this size and in a sensitive area, should they not call in a naturalist to evaluate the damage it may do to the bird and animal environment?
I would like to think they did.
John Syred Richmond
