On this cold, windy day, I hiked through a few of Columbus' urban ravines.  These ravines are not only out of the wind and near feeders, but they also have moving water that draws in thirsty birds.  Unfortunately, today that last property had a dangerous twist.  As I got out of the car above Glen Echo ravine, I could smell something pungent and out-of-place.  There was apparently an oil spill into Glen Echo creek upstream from the park, where the stream runs through an industrial area.  You could see the sheen on the stream and smell the vapors all over the neighborhood.  Suddenly, watching all of the birds foraging around the ravine took on a different meaning.  I worried that these birds with their poor sense of smell wouldn't be aware of the potential danger from the water.  I even spent about 15-20 minutes running and clapping along one stretch of the creek to dissuade a flock of House Finches and Goldfinches from dropping down to get a drink.  Who knows how many birds and other animals got sick from drinking or bathing in the stream.  I felt foolish and mad, trying to deprive these thirsty birds of a drink until the sheen had diluted, but what could you do?  Even worse, the budget-slashed and understaffed Columbus Rec & Parks Dept couldn't muster a very fast response, although they did promise to pass the complaint along to the EPA.  Potential polluters may even know of the lax enforcement and may be emboldened to make such 'holiday drops'.  In any case, we the park users will probably need to be more vigilant in our parks in the near future in order to discourage or catch such events.

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