Predation in Armacost Park

To The Editor:
The predators in Armacost Park disrupting bird mating and bird nesting are no longer the usual suspects, coyote, fox, feral cat, raccoon, and skunk. They are of the two-legged variety.
On March 19, persons from Windward Consultants of Clinton, the Avalon borough administrator, and members of the county Mosquito Department entered the park at 73rd Street.
They proceeded to cut down greenbriar and vines in a 567 sq. ft. area and in an adjacent 400 sq. ft. area. The borough council promised the residents and other concerned citizens at several borough council meetings over the winter that they would not enter the park during bird mating and nesting time and the experimental plots would be only five feet square or 25 sq. ft. If you gave your credit card to your child and they promised to only spend $50 but instead, they spent nearly a $1,000, you would be upset.
Resident cardinals and other beautiful birds are mating and nest building now. Cardinals nest three feet to eight feet off the ground in poison ivy, Virginia creeper, and greenbriar thickets.
This is what protects them from the aforementioned four-legged predators. They produce up to four clutches of eggs per season per mating pair.
Armacost Park is a veritable “cardinal farm.” Their primary nest building material is the bark from Virginia creeper and wild grape because it is so flexible. These plants also produce an abundance of berries and seeds comprising the food source for cardinals and many other species. These are the vines the borough is cutting down in the interest of science.
I am not a scientist. My degree is in psychology, not ornithology or ecology. However, I have observed and documented the bird and wildlife behavior from my residence in the center of the park for 30 years.
It is also migrating time for a host of other beautiful birds grosbeaks, tohees, indigo bunting, Baltimore orioles, scarlet tanagers to name but a few.
With the mild winter, activity is starting early this spring. Egrets are already in the marshes. If there is human encroachment when the egrets and herons attempt to roost, there will again be no shore birds in. the park. In the past, egret and heron roosting has been observed as early as April 3.
If Windward Consultants does not know these facts, then they are not educated enough to consult on this project. If they do know these facts, then this effort appears to be to secure a multi-million dollar contract at the expense of the very wildlife they are claiming to protect. Please, call off the dogs.
DONALD J. PFANSTIEL
Avalon