We’ve discussed this
before and I’m sure it’ll come up again but the topic of the so-called
"putrid pathway” at White Rock Lake keeps coming up — probably because
it’s starting to feel like winter, which is when it gets really bad …
Many
of us who use the lake have come to accept the area along its trail,
past Mockingbird bridge near the West Lawther curve, that stinks — and
when I say STINKS, I mean that it makes the dog park smell like roses.
It is the spot where the fish-gobbling double-crested cormorants roost
when they migrate here for the winter. They live on fish from the lake
and they poop a bunch, at least that’s how it’s been explained to me.
Wanna hear what they sound like? Check this out.
Anyway,
I received an e-mail from a reader last week urging us Advocate editors
to “get some commotion stirred up about those nasty birds (a.k.a. water
turkeys) on the northwest shore of the lake, right before you get to
Mockingbird … their pooh all over the tree's emits a retched fishy odor
and it is slowly killing the tree's because the leaves can not absorb
any sunlight,” he wrote.
I don’t know that I can do anything to
rid our walkways of the dirty birds. But I suppose I can do my part to
raise awareness. Here’s my advice: when you come upon the area in
question — oh you’ll know when you are there — step off the path and up
on to the road for a few feet. It’s just a slight detour. Or just hold
your breath and run real fast through the section. Whatever you do,
don’t look up.