Forbidden Zone Blackburnian Warbler

[countylines]

Hello everyone,
This morning at the Forbidden portion of River Legacy Park, there were almost no migrants. Actually, I think there were two. Fortunately they consisted of a female Blackburnian Warbler and a singing Alder Flycatcher.
The ponds had more birds than almost any day this spring, including 8 Hudsonian Godwits, 2 Wilson's Phalaropes, 2 Semipalmated Plovers, 125+ White-rumped Sandpipers and a Short-billed Dowitcher that was gracious enough to call. Eight Least Terns, including a courting pair, were present as well. Oddly, there was no sign of them on the way out but they were conspicuous on the way back. Speaking of the way back, that was when the deluge started....
Steve Glover
Keller

[OldTimer]

I have heard so many times the Forbidden portion of RL Park...Could someone please post where this is, how you get on the correct way to get on it...how far befoe the ponds.

[countylines]

Hi all,
Laura posted excellent directions to the Forbidden area in the past few days. I think if you start at my post on 5/11 you can find it in the replies. The ponds are probably only a quarter mile or so from the parking lot. To get a good view you will need to cross about 10 yards or so of weeds. You may be able to find the spots where I am wearing a path. It helps to walk further along and look from other openings to see the most birds. You will definitely want a scope as the birds are not close, especially since the close ponds have dried up.
Good luck!
Steve Glover

[JimJones]

The term 'Forbidden Zone' is a carry-over from almost 10 years ago. The official name is River Legacy Park East. The old nickname probably should be dropped for the sake of our new readership, but some like to continue to call it Forbidden Zone giving the trail a sense of mystery.

For many years Audubon members used the original River Legacy trail system in River Legacy Park West (this is the park you access from Green Oaks Blvd.) The original park had a walking and bicycle trail system which included a stretch along the river for about 2.2 miles.

Then about 2001 or 2, the Arlington parks department began construction to extend the trail system east towards HWY 360. The construction included a new foot bridge and parking area west of HWY 157 / Collins, (which you now access from HWY 157 / N. Collins Street) and a new walking / bicycle trail which follows the river banks going under HWY 157 and goes east for another 4 miles. There are mile markers on the trail system and for many years the marker at the eastern most end was 7 miles. (Note: this is 7 miles from the original '0' mile marker over in River Legacy Park West, not from the new parking area on HWY 157) In the last few years a new dirt trail was added which continues beyond the 7 mile marker and goes over to HWY 360. Here is the city link to the trail system map:
http://www.riverlegacy.org/Trail%20Distance%20Maps.pdf


Audubon members began calling this section Forbidden Zone because the city did not want people out there due to insurance liability. But we being birders looking up and not paying attention to our actual location, some of us ended up on the new trail section before it opened. There were some run-ins with employees and the name started. The city parks department was not ready to officially open that trail system for almost a year or two after construction began. There were also Do Not Trespass signs all along the new trail east of HWY 157 on the north side. This stretch of land and ponds are the responsibility of the Army Corp of Engineers as a flood plain. But people fishing would sneak over from the river to get to the ponds and again here was a liability issue if they got hurt. Also some members were concerned that if you were out there alone you could have a run-in with some unsavory characters. That warning still goes today.

The larger section north of the flood plain (and east of HWY 157) was owned by the city of Arlington. When I moved to Texas in 1998 I remember reading on the city's website that several developers submitted proposals to build a huge housing development on this property. I downloaded one of the proposals out of curiosity because it amazed me that someone thought people would buy $300-thousand dollar homes across the street from a landfill. But maybe that's just me...

The current construction that you see north of the ponds was started about 2005. The developer came to one of our board meetings and showed us their plans. This company had a history specializing in Green Projects and asked that FWAS be listed as approviong of their project. I recall we considered and thought their plans met our environmental concerns. But we really are not a club that has strong opinions either way about construction like this, or maybe we just were beaten down after so many towns around the Metroplex don't really care what we think. So for the last four years they have been moving along on grading the land and other things. If nothing else they did succeed in stopping all of the illeagle 4-wheelers who were out there tearing up the habitat.

The trail is worth visiting becasue the habitat on both north and south sides is so diverse.

[lulubelle]

Jim, thanks for the history of the name and area! I like to use the nickname to differentiate between the park areas personally...does sound cool & mysterious too!! I hope you don't mind, but I combinedmy directions & your historical account into 1 post for those who are unfamiliar with that area.

Steve, I had actually thought about meeting you, but the thought of sleeping in was sooo attractive! I have had just about zero luck with migrants this year - no matter where I have gone to find them!! I did drive over to the Collins entrance of RLP and went the end of the parking lot to bird the grassy area there. Had just stopped raining and as I got out into the open area, I found 18 Orchard Orioles (male & females)!! They flew off to a tree farther away so I ran back to get my scope and as soon as I got back to the open area, those winds hit out of the blue and then more rain! Were you still looking at shorebirds when that hit?! I can't imagine having to run back to your car, though the underpass is a convenient (although unattractive) spot to wait the rains out!

Hoping tomorrow will be better - no rain or wind and lots of migrants!