Newport Beach residents are calling for the city’s plans to remove a tree which a large number of nesting Great blue herons call home.
The tree in question, an extremely old eucalyptus tree, sits behind the Newport Beach Public Library on the Balboa Peninsula. For years, it’s acted as a popular spot for the herons during mating season.
“The males are bringing in the twigs to remodel and rebuild their home for their lady, you know, to attract their mate,” said Debbie McGuire, Director of the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center. “It is mating season, so that’s why they’re so active right now.”
Though they’ve been a stable in the area year in and year out during winter, a number of planned changes have put their temporary refuge at risk.
“I hope not,” said one resident. “It’s a landmark.”
“You can’t just say, ‘Good luck, birds,'” said Kathy Frazier, another resident who lives about a block away from the tree’s location “No. The city needs to have a plan. They need to have a bigger plan than they have of just chopping the tree down and hoping the birds can hop around and find another place.”