Birding: New dredge deposit at Lorain Impoundment produces welcome surprise

It was in 2005 that I first heard of the Lorain Impoundment — a time before a resolute interest in birds. I was in Leadership Lorain County that year and one of our field trips was to Lorain. We met then-police chief Cel Rivera, had lunch at a local eatery and heard a presentation about the Lorain Impound. I was fascinated how such a large property could have been created from the dredging of the Black River. The 58-acre property is a confined disposal facility (CDF) and next to the mile-long pier and Oasis Marina. It is also known as Lakeside Landing. It is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Lorain Port Authority. The Lorain Harbor is not only an Important Bird Area as designed by National Audubon, but it is also part of the popular Lake Erie Birding Trail and an eBird hot spot. The Ohio Department of Resources describes it, "The spoil impoundment just east of the harbor's east pier can be good for songbirds in migration. The willows lure many species of warblers, flycatchers and other species, and oddities such as Barn Owl can even turn up. The dense stands of giant reed (Phragmites) and smartweeds sometimes host large numbers of sparrows of several species in October. Conditions change from year to year, but if mudflats are present nearly every regularly occurring species of shorebird can turn up." The last sentence has been prophetic, as the dredging returned this year and was deposited in the water area of the property — completely changing the landscape. It pushed water out and created a large, marvelous mudflat. The species that have showed up since the mudflat was created has been simply amazing — not only local rarities, but also species well out of their typical range. This spring and summer birders have seen such species as American avocet, western sandpiper, least sandpiper, marbled godwit and stilt sandpiper on the mudflat. The swallows love the availability of fresh mud,and killdeer have indulged the flat as well. Naturalists and birders are often inclined to oppose any environmental disturbance and eyebrows were certainly raised when the dredging started filling the water area. But in this case, the unintended consequence has been the creation of this mudflat. The most valuable mudflats are intertidal estuaries which provide precious habitats and resting areas that support birds and fish. Unfortunately, they are declining at a concerning pace. In "Why Mud Matters," James Lowen writes, "Intertidal mudflats are quietly becoming one of the world's most endangered habitats. Between 1984 and 2016, one-sixth of all mudflats disappeared – more than 20,000 square kilometers. This is terrible news for migratory shorebirds needing sustenance. Mudflats do not speak to people in the way that mountains do, or rainforests. Oozing and inaccessible, aesthetically constrained and seemingly endless, this habitat is often left unprotected and vulnerable to development." The shorebirds at the Lorain Impoundment will find this to be much safer than the Lorain finger piers where they were often seen in the mud puddles of the rocky area of the eastern finger pier — but are subject to cars and human traffic. The Lorain Impound mudflat is quiet, except for the line of photographers enjoying their beauty. The Lorain Impoundment has long been a birder's paradise due to its location and the habitats it provides. There are no dedicated trails or boardwalks — paths around the area are created by birders, photographers and others who enjoy nature. An abundance of Canada geese is usually around to welcome visitors, and even among the Canada geese you might see something special like a Giant Canada goose or leucistic Canada goose. It is a popular place to see snowy owls when they irrupt into Ohio and a vast number of rarities that stop over or are blown off course. During migration, numerous songbirds stop to recuperate before flying over the lake. Some favorites include scarlet tanager, hooded warbler, American redstart, Tennessee warbler, blackpoll warbler, blackburian warbler, black and white warbler, Nashville warbler and Cape May warbler. A prairie warbler thrilled hundreds of birders this spring with great looks. It is busy year-round — from gulls and ducks in winter, songbirds during migration, to shorebirds and raptors. Other favorite species and rarities include bald eagle, least bittern, white-faced and glossy ibises, white egret, sora, purple gallinule and peregrine falcon. The area is also a wonderful place to see sparrows and the astounding blackbird murmuration. It is one of those places where you never know what you might see on any given day. In total, 279 species have been seen at the Lorain Impoundment. The Lorain Impoundment will always be special a place for me as the start of my interest in birding — when we visited that fateful December day back in 2016 to see the snowy owl and was captivated by common red polls. We were mesmerized that evening by the spectacle of our first blackbird murmuration. As an active site, its future fosters much speculation and apprehension. Let us hope it remains as it is — an environmental and wildlife treasure.