California / IN BRIEF : SOLANA BEACH : Landlord Charged in Nest Site Destruction

A landlord who allegedly destroyed a heron rookery by trimming a eucalyptus tree despite the pleas of neighbors will be charged with 37 misdemeanor counts, San Diego County Deputy Dist. Atty. Kelly Rand said. The 50-foot tree was home to dozens of baby black-crowned night herons. The landlord, Bruce Berend, had complained about the constant squawking of the birds and the mess they made, neighbors said. Berend will be charged with violating the state Fish and Game Code, Rand said. The case received widespread publicity after local newscasts aired a videotape shot by a neighbor that showed a young bird falling to its death.