What is happening at Wayne Frady Park in Lewisville can be a shock to the senses. Hundreds of egrets have taken over a portion of the park.
"They're all over the place," said Rudy Duron, a resident.
This migration of Egrets is nothing new to the park. The birds also nested at the park in 2015.
"We're glad they're in Lewisville, we just wish they hadn't chosen this particular spot," said James Kunke with the city.
The city park sits next to a neighborhood. In some areas homes back up to that park. John Washington has lived in the neighborhood since 2001.
"Smells like curdled milk," he said.
Egret droppings are pungent. It makes everything look like a Jackson Pollock painting. The city made every attempt to scare away the egrets before they nested. Kunke says someone in the parks department shot off noisemakers several times weekly.
"It worked through March and worked through April but they stuck in May and now they're here," said Kunke.
Kunke says the park is the perfect place for the egrets. A combination of high canopy and a water source make the spot ideal. Once the egrets started laying eggs they were federally protected. John says soon enough those eggs will hatch and the babies will fall to the ground.
"They just wander around...some make it, some don't," said Washington.
John was nice enough to take a handful over to wildlife rehab last year. The egrets will now stay through late August or early September.
"We might as well get used to them...they're gonna be our neighbors you know," Duran laughed.
The city is considering putting up a fence at a portion of the park to keep people away from the nests.