The Nature Conservancy is building a walkway into the rookery at Lake Martin. This will allow a nice view of the nesting birds and the alligators that protect them. All should be finished before the birds start nesting next month and if as promised, the Nature Conservancy pumps the water in to replace what was drained off this past fall the birds should return. It is common knowledge that the birds nest and roost over water because the water holds the alligators and the alligators will eat anything that tries to swim out and prey upon the birds. The drainage of the water, as well as the application of herbicides to control the floating mats of aquatic plants and the presence of swamp tour boats in the rookery are all suspected of being the cause of the mysterious disappearance of the birds at Lake Martin a few years ago. In spite of numerous swamp tour businesses operating in the rookery and the application of herbicides there, I never noticed that the birds were leaving untill the water was being drained off every year. The true cause of the nesting birds disappearance is a subject of great disagreement amoung all parties concerned. I personally would like to see what would happen if they would not drain the lake. Maybe the birds would come back.
