Men Charged with Animal Cruelty for Allegedly Cutting Tree with Nesting Birds

Two men were charged today with cutting down a tree in Newport Beach, causing the deaths of five newborn birds that are protected species.

Stephen John Esser, 47, of Dana Point and David Roger Stanley, 40, of Downey face up to 18 months in jail if convicted of misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, unlawful possession and destruction of bird nests/eggs, unlawful taking of migratory nongame birds and harassing a bird or mammal.

Esser and Stanley, who were working for Tim Greenleaf Engineering at the time, allegedly ignored the pleas of neighbors about migratory birds nests and chopped down a ficus tree May 28, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

There were about eight to nine nests of snowy egrets and black-crowned night herons in the tree, prosecutors said. About a dozen nestlings tumbled out of the tree, and five died, prosecutors said.

Seven baby birds were rescued by neighbors and taken to the Westlands and Wildlife Center in Huntington Beach, where they were nursed back to health after six weeks.

Esser and Stanley are scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 28 at the Harbor Justice Center.

City News Service; Photo: City of newport Beach