Tuesday, Echo Park Lake: I hadn't been to the park much in recent weeks, and, perhaps because of reports of prostitution in the public bathrooms and an uptick in graffiti, I am surprised to find the park looking better than ever -- and cleaner in two ways. First, the dry-ground parts of the park have been groomed. The putrid, dank garbage and muck filled basin at the northeast corner of the lake has, for the first time I have seen, been cleaned out, the slime and styrofoam takeout containers scraped away somehow to reveal the welcome sight of sun-dried concrete at the bottom of the ramp leading ot some kind of filtration bunker. And all around the park, the grounds have been combed and trash removed. Didn't take a look at the bathrooms. Maybe they're more cheerful, too.

Even more surprising: the water in the lake itself is looking clearer. Martin Cox, Chicken Corner's famous waterfowl correspondent, told me this, but I had to see it for my own eyes -- and I did. The water is clearer. It's no illusion. Ever since the heavy rains of 2004/2005 the water had been an opaque green-brown-black, but we may be seeing a reversal of the trend. Dare to dream.

There were scores of water birds -- ducks, geese, cormorants, coots, seagulls. But there were few wild -- i.e., migrating -- ducks. I guess they are back on the road, so to speak.

Meantime, Martin emailed me a report of the lake, which contains some alarming and some sad news. I had heard a report form a friend of a Canada goose's nest, and Martin felt strongly that I not give away the location.

I really would ask you to think long and hard before broadcasting nesting information. There are egg stealers who [operate by cover of darkness] and if the goose gets spooked by over-interested boaters [during daylight] she will abandon the nest. Her cover was thicker last year.

Not that I see a connection between media and death, but the famous Brownie has vanished. So too did the Franken Duck and Cleo. All missing for over a month now.

Redhead made a brief reappearance, the Ross's Goose is still there.

As they always do, the American Wigeon are headed off to where ever they go, just a few left and almost all Ruddies have departed, we're down to one I think.

Currently there are 8 (yes 8!) Male ring neck ducks and one female, all floating about in the lotus area.

Other news, as I said, is that the lake has significantly cleared in the last day or so, you can see five feet down now. It was literally inches for almost 2 years. You can now clearly see rusty poles, traffic cones, encrusted trash barrels, shopping carts from stores that no longer exist, it's Atlantis down there!

The clearing began in mid January and has continued at quite a pace. My unscientific understanding is that huge amounts silt and muck washed in to the lake during the winter storms of 04/05. Ever since then the silt lay over the lotus beds causing uneven growth. It also saw the end of the visits to the lake by the Osprey who dive for prey, with zero visibility there was no way to hunt from the sky. Now we are set for a return of the rare aerial hunters and who knows what else from down below will bloom now that sunlight can once again penetrate the green murk of Echo Park Lake.

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Gluttons for punishment: State senator Shiela Kuehl is working on a bill that would compell law enforcement to classify instances of animal abuse with other forms of domestic abuse. Her office wants stories to bolster its case. According to one post on the Echo Park Animal Alliance list:

The "Inclusion of Animals in Domestic Violence Protection Orders," SB 353, would be a huge step in beginning to get the help of law enforcement for this aspect of domestic violence. At this time, Senator Kuehl's office is collecting stories (one paragraph) from those who have experienced animal cruelty/death as victims of domestic violence.

Kuehl's fax: 916-324-4823. Address: Office of Senator Sheila Kuehl, State Capitol, Room 5108, Sacramento, CA 95814.