Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Egrets/Algae bloom

I have a ten year old, spring fed lake in East Texas that is about 7 acres. The water has always been VERY clear with visibility down to 6 or 7 feet at times. I have read this forum for years and understand that in order to start the "food chain" in the best way possible (for big Bass) that I should start by creating an algae bloom that would result in the visibility down in the 18 to 22 inch range. Anyway, I have never been successful in creating a bloom even after adding some fertilizer that was recommended on this site. About 6 or 8 weeks ago, however, I noticed that "By Damn" I did have a nice green bloom even though I had kind of "givin up" on trying to create one. At about the same time, I noticed that 10 or 12 Egrets were showing up and roosting on some tree stumps on the far side of the lake. My questions is; could these Egrets (and their droppings) be the reason for this new algae bloom? If so, is that an exceptable type of nutrient that i should be thankful for? If not, should I try to get these Egrets to move out of there? Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

If you fertilized and no bloom I would check water for ph and hardness..... may have to add lime to make the fertilizer work

East Texas BOW tend to be infertile & acidic. Certainly mine was that way, even with four tons of lime per acre, until added another 2.5 tons per acre last fall. Acidic water won't properly support bloom even when fertilized; usually the fertilizer just encourages more plant growth, including stuff you don't want.

I don't know how ten or twelve egrets could cause a bloom all by themselves in a seven acre lake. Maybe something else is going on re watershed or temperature changes. However, it is good to shoo away the birds if you can so you can leave the pond with no egrets.

+1 Anth on both counts.

Just curious are they black in color egrets or the white ones? Are you sure they are not commorants? No egrets Ant... I get it.

Flame, they are white Egrets. I have an occasional commorant and i try and run those off. Before i added the fertilizer i did add 14 tons of lime (2 pounds/acre). I don't live out there but will start to fire a shot gun over the Egrets on the weekends to try and move them out. Thanks guys.