I went up to the northern Delaware County site of the reddish egret both
yesterday and today. Others who have been there will remember a titanic
earthen wall completely enclosed by sturdy--and very
permanent-looking--prison-style fencing. There is still a little work
going on, and a lot of construction equipment is parked inside the
impoundment, which a company is paying just to store there. The
embankment is five miles long. It has been flooded since last fall, and
I am told already has excellent populations of fishes.
        Both yesterday and today there were groups of birders looking for the
rare egret, maybe thirty in all while I was around. Each day we saw guys
drive up in otherwise-unmarked white trucks and tell everyone to stay
outside the (open) gates. There is NO signage forbidding entry. Today
half a dozen birders (who had walked into the area inside the fence
earlier) were escorted out, the gate locked, and others warned to stay
out. I talked with the person chasing people out today. He could not
explain why a simple sign had not been put up to forbid entry, and we
exchanged words; I must admit he was politer overall than I in our
exchange. I tried to be persuasive, but I did use the word "Nazi," just
once.
        I gather that this, now the largest upground reservoir in the state,
will never be open to the public. Early plans had mentioned the usual
activities for such reservoirs, excepting boating and fishing (the pool
has an expensive plastic liner), but promised settings for birding and
other nature study overlooking the reservoir and a restored prairie, as
well as picnicking, etc. Apparently these plans have been abandoned, and
you can now bird the reservoir only from an airplane or balloon. The guy
I talked with offered the pathetic opportunity to view from the road
birds in the two small lagoons outside the fence on the north side.
        No one was able to explain why signs prohibiting entry had not been
placed, and I assume if you go there and there are no signs and no
self-appointed guardians you can walk in blameless until someone escorts
you out--and, one hopes, explains why this reservoir is so secret and
special that birders can't visit. Historically, upground reservoirs have
been magnets for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, especially just
after they're flooded, but simply visiting to see these birds here is
forbidden for inexplicable reasons. For now, though I don't know much
about law enforcement, I see no reason why you couldn't go through open
gates in the imposing fence unless someone official tells you not to; as
I said there are *no* "No Trespassing" signs as of today, which is
pretty strange for a site being treated like a military setting.
        I was able to talk informally with a contract employee, who told me
some back-channel stuff off the record, which I offer without further
evidence. I heard that Delaware County officials resented being dictated
to by the city folks in Columbus, and that some nearby property-owners
resented the facility, and even that Homeland Security folks got
involved, recommending a walled-off reservoir in case terrorists tried
to poison us down in Columbus. Oh, yeah. The eventual decision was to
disallow fishing, birding, picnicking, nature study, poetry readings,
astronomy, and square-dancing by the public. The reservoir is designed
to pump in water from the Scioto River and store it until Columbus needs
it, whereupon the water will be pumped back in to the river so the city
can recover it. Really.
        It's all a mess, but I imagine the frustrated desires of a few weirdos
to add a species to their Ohio bird lists is the least of the
indignities involved. If you go to this site, you might have a pleasant
and productive visit, but be prepared for something else.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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