Oceanside harbor Torrey Pines

Hello fellow birders
While walking the dog this evening at the harbor down by the Jolly Roger, I saw that the harbor department had cut down and removed the two huge Torrey Pines that had served as roosts and nest sites for Great Egrets, Double-crested Cormorants and Great Blue Herons for years. These trees were still in use, prior to being cut down.
The trees had died, presumably from the burden of being rookeries for the above listed birds, and were considered a hazard to the public. I heard nothing  in advance about this event, which doesn’t surprise me considering it’s Oceanside (my town of residence).
The ficus trees in the parking lot of the Jolly Roger remain, although some have been radically pruned. Black-crowned Night Herons and more recently Snowy Egrets have used these trees as nesting sites.
Whether the Torrey Pines are planned to be replaced is unknown. Even if they are, it will be at least a decade before they reach sufficient size to be suitable as rookery trees. The local boat owners I talked to were pleased, thinking that it meant that bird poop on their boats will be greatly reduced. I doubt it.
Another loss for local bird life.
Michael Martin
Oceanside, CA
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports