Seagulls a serious pest?

[Delka]

Seagulls are becoming dangerous around here and they're very feared, they're often seen eating road kill of other birds and seagulls and a good friend of mine and her daughter saw a group kill and eat a pigeon just two weeks ago, then about a month before that someone got attacked on a local housing street and had chunks of hair and skin off of their scalp, lucky they ducked otherwise it could have been so much worse, thank god it wasn't an elderly or a young person!

[knocker]

Yes indeed they are highly intelligent and can spot an Emmet at 50m.

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

There is a 'team' of seagulls who reside on the roof areas around Clifford Street in central London.

One of them has developed a personal grudge against suited males, and on one particular day against me when I had been working on the roof...

On the day in question - upon leaving the building - one of the offending birds started swooping down and squalking at me. Not realising at first I just ignored it but then it released a 'payload' (yes - you can guess what!) and got me all over the head and the back of my coat!

This onslaught continued until I could get indoors again. What's more, it seemed to remember my face, because I was back up the street 15 minutes later and before I knew it, the little b**std was swooping down and trying to get me again!

Happened on my next visit too - and I've seen a couple of them 'attack' several other people. It was nothing violent but these seagulls are very intelligent and potentially quite dangerous birds due to their size so I definately would say you've got to be careful around them.

[Methuselah]

23 minutes ago, Flash bang flash bang etc said:

There is a 'team' of seagulls who reside on the roof areas around Clifford Street in central London.

One of them has developed a personal grudge against suited males, and on one particular day against me when I had been working on the roof...

On the day in question - upon leaving the building - one of the offending birds started swooping down and squalking at me. Not realising at first I just ignored it but then it released a 'payload' (yes - you can guess what!) and got me all over the head and the back of my coat!

This onslaught continued until I could get indoors again. What's more, it seemed to remember my face, because I was back up the street 15 minutes later and before I knew it, the little b**std was swooping down and trying to get me again!

Happened on my next visit too - and I've seen a couple of them 'attack' several other people. It was nothing violent but these seagulls are very intelligent and potentially quite dangerous birds due to their size so I definately would say you've got to be careful around them.

Any chance of luring Liam Fox down there? If ever there was someone in need of being crapped-on from a great height, Liam's your man!

[karyo]

30 minutes ago, Flash bang flash bang etc said:

There is a 'team' of seagulls who reside on the roof areas around Clifford Street in central London.

One of them has developed a personal grudge against suited males, and on one particular day against me when I had been working on the roof...

On the day in question - upon leaving the building - one of the offending birds started swooping down and squalking at me. Not realising at first I just ignored it but then it released a 'payload' (yes - you can guess what!) and got me all over the head and the back of my coat!

This onslaught continued until I could get indoors again. What's more, it seemed to remember my face, because I was back up the street 15 minutes later and before I knew it, the little b**std was swooping down and trying to get me again!

Happened on my next visit too - and I've seen a couple of them 'attack' several other people. It was nothing violent but these seagulls are very intelligent and potentially quite dangerous birds due to their size so I definately would say you've got to be careful around them.

You should hold an open umbrella every time you go out. This way the umbrella will get it instead.

[Snipper]

This is the thread with the RSPB

Charlotte,

 

I am amazed at your response. Do you ever go further than your office?

 

This plague is, as the subject line suggests about Herring Gulls. So why on Earth are they on the endangered list?

 

My mother's cottage is slowly being swamped in guano, which is far from healthy. 

 

It strikes me the RSPB must be too blinkered or uninformed as to what the situation actually is so it passes over your heads. 

 

I was expecting a response that actually responded to the problem in a positive way. 

 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

 

Kind regards

On 3 Aug 2017, at 17:15, Wildlife <Wildlife@rspb.org.uk> wrote:
 

Dear Snipper

Thank you for contacting the RSPB.

 All seven breeding gull species are birds of conservation concern. The herring gull is now red listed due to the severe declines in its national breeding population, and the other species are amber listed for differing reasons. The Mediterranean gull is the only species whose numbers are currently not declining.

Kittiwake numbers are declining primarily because of shortage of their preferred prey of sand eels. It is thought that this is being driven by climate change.

The cause of the declines in other species is not yet known, but could be the result of changes in their maritime environment, including pollution or changes in commercial fishing practices. Research is urgently needed to establish the causes of these declines so that measures to reverse them can be set out. 

For more information see here:https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/gardening-for-wildlife/animal-deterrents/gulls/gull-breeding-habitats-and-nest-sites/#oaB8xxjpLkpP6YX3.99

Kind Regards

Charlotte Ambrose  Supporter Services (Wildlife

Subject: Seagulls (herring gulls)

Been to Southwold, in Suffolk today. I have visited there over many years. Amazed and disgusted at the vast number of seagulls that are now polluting the place. 

Their droppings or should I say blooming great dollops of their poo covers everything. Houses, roads, cars and I am sorry to say I saw one poor person. They also strut around, squark and thieve.

I am not encouraged to return to this lovely place soon, which I have been visiting since the 1960's when there was not a problem. 

If they were furry with long tails they would be subject to a total eradication programme. 

Your comments please as I am puzzled at the reasons for their protection. 

Regards

Edited August 3, 2017 by Snipper

[knocker]

1 hour ago, Snipper said:

 

Been to Southwold, in Suffolk today. I have visited there over many years. Amazed and disgusted at the vast number of seagulls that are now polluting the place. 

Their droppings or should I say blooming great dollops of their poo covers everything. Houses, roads, cars and I am sorry to say I saw one poor person. They also strut around, squark and thieve.

I am not encouraged to return to this lovely place soon, which I have been visiting since the 1960's when there was not a problem. 

If they were furry with long tails they would be subject to a total eradication programme. 

Your comments please as I am puzzled at the reasons for their protection. 

Regards

We seem to have a much worse problem than seagulls in these parts and it's getting worse. And of course it gives the gulls some incentive

UK beach litter rises by a third, report finds

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/23/uk-beach-litter-rises-by-a-third-report-finds

 Huge amounts of rubbish have reportedly been left on Cornish beaches after people flocked to the seaside in the hot weather.

https://www.piratefm.co.uk/news/latest-news/2313512/photos-rubbish-littered-on-beach-in-heatwave/

And the bigger picture

https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2017/06/08/ocean-trash-numbers/

 

[Mokidugway]

9 minutes ago, knocker said:

We seem to have a much worse problem than seagulls in these parts and it's getting worse. And of course it gives the gulls some incentive

UK beach litter rises by a third, report finds

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/23/uk-beach-litter-rises-by-a-third-report-finds

 Huge amounts of rubbish have reportedly been left on Cornish beaches after people flocked to the seaside in the hot weather.

https://www.piratefm.co.uk/news/latest-news/2313512/photos-rubbish-littered-on-beach-in-heatwave/

And the bigger picture

https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2017/06/08/ocean-trash-numbers/

 

Never understood why people can't pick up their rubbish , Glastonbury festival at the end of a day looks like the corporation tip .

[knocker]

1 minute ago, Mokidugway said:

Never understood why people can't pick up their rubbish , Glastonbury festival at the end of a day looks like the corporation tip .

The other morning I came across a trailer that had been dumped overnight in a pond in the local country park.

[Mokidugway]

4 minutes ago, knocker said:

The other morning I came across a trailer that had been dumped overnight in a pond in the local country park.

It's shocking, we had a ton asbestos sheets dumped on our land last year ,300 quid to get rid of 

[lassie23]

Moby dick is the real pest

[Mokidugway]

Just now, lassie23 said:

Moby dick is the real pest

Thought you called me a dick then 

[lassie23]

Just now, Mokidugway said:

Thought you called me a dick then 

one typo away and it would have been

[Mokidugway]

Lol 

[Snipper]

24 minutes ago, Mokidugway said:

Never understood why people can't pick up their rubbish , Glastonbury festival at the end of a day looks like the corporation tip .

Because many from recent generations are ignorant pigs who's parents never instilled them some reasonable values. 

[AderynCoch]

Got a soft spot for seagulls myself. Human habitats provide copious food sources and living spaces for them and they've taken full advantage. I totally understand people's grievances with them (I've been on the receiving end myself more than once) but I like to take the rough with the smooth. You don't get many opportunities to get up close to such large, formidable birds and the herring gull long call is arguably the most evocative sound of the British coast. It was the most noticeable thing when I arrived back in Liverpool a few weeks ago and it's one of the things I miss living out here.

Just be grateful the great black-backed gull hasn't decided to move into the city yet. If that happens you may need to protect your cats and dogs.

Edited August 3, 2017 by AderynCoch

[Mokidugway]

8 minutes ago, AderynCoch said:

Got a soft spot for seagulls myself. Human habitats provide copious food sources and living spaces for them and they've taken full advantage. I totally understand people's grievances with them (I've been on the receiving end myself more than once) but I like to take the rough with the smooth. You don't get many opportunities to get up close to such large, formidable birds and the herring gull long call is arguably the most evocative sound of the British coast. It was the most noticeable thing when I arrived back in Liverpool a few weeks ago and it's one of the things I miss living out here.

Just be grateful the great black-backed gull hasn't decided to move into the city yet. If that happens you may need to protect your cats and dogs.

Lol maybe not

Edited August 3, 2017 by Mokidugway

[karyo]

12 hours ago, AderynCoch said:

Got a soft spot for seagulls myself. Human habitats provide copious food sources and living spaces for them and they've taken full advantage. I totally understand people's grievances with them (I've been on the receiving end myself more than once) but I like to take the rough with the smooth. You don't get many opportunities to get up close to such large, formidable birds and the herring gull long call is arguably the most evocative sound of the British coast. It was the most noticeable thing when I arrived back in Liverpool a few weeks ago and it's one of the things I miss living out here.

Just be grateful the great black-backed gull hasn't decided to move into the city yet. If that happens you may need to protect your cats and dogs.

I couldn't agree more! There is very little wildlife left in this country, we should stop moaning and make sure we protect it. After all, the seagulls are moving into the cities because of human activity.

[A.J]

1 hour ago, karyo said:

I couldn't agree more! There is very little wildlife left in this country, we should stop moaning and make sure we protect it. After all, the seagulls are moving into the cities because of human activity.

Protect seagulls?......are you mad?

[karyo]

1 minute ago, ajpoolshark said:

Protect seagulls?......are you mad?

Probably but it is a good kind of madness! 

[Methuselah]

I have a soft spot for rats...I must be mad too!

[karyo]

2 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

I have a soft spot for rats...I must be mad too!

Don't worry, sanity is not fun!

[davehsug]

Just back from a few days in Blackpool and kept an eye on them, after seeing this thread. There are plenty of them and lots of their droppings of course, but I saw no interaction between them and people, apart from a few chips being thrown down for them. There was none of the harassment or agression I've read about and seen clips of.

Maybe Blackpool seagulls are a bit slow-learning, or perhaps there's more than enough food without the need for mugging!

[Snipper]

Been to Southwold today. No sea gulls. 

A falconer has been employed together with his big raptor. Solved the problem for the time being. 

Just need a remedy for scaring away Travellers.