Shangri La’s Ruby Lake has become a heronry for as many as 17 species of birds that nest there at various times of the year. These birds have chosen this spot because they are close to food supplies, and the cypress trees protect them from predators while they are nesting. Although H.J. Lutcher Stark likely never imagined this heronry when he created the lake in his original Shangri-La, nature has found a wonderful use for it.