Protection of the Herring Gull.

How can we justify the protection of this species where/when they nest 'too close' to an urban population for their own security?

'OK'! I blame the fisheries (fishermen) for leading herring gulls to our ports and land regions, but the fact that we protect this species means that we also 'protect' the 'species' without condition.

I'm currently faced with a ground 'nest' at my front door. That's OK in that I don't need to use this  means of transit as I have a 'side door' that I can use. However, that ingress/exit takes me within 4ft of the ground nest which also invokes an 'aggressive attitude' from the 'parenting/nesting couple' for this ground-space. I avoid this 'agression' by feeding the couple with an acceptable form of food (white fish) at an optimal time during their occupation.  I should 'not' need to do this to safely enter/exit my home! These raptors can inflict injury that may induce a bacterial/viral infection where/when a 'broken skin' scenario evolves from a confrontational encounter, so how are they not 'vermin' in this scenario?

That said, this nesting couple isn't likely to be sucsesful in their endeavour to procreate due to the local population of urban fox.

How can anyone manage this scenario without the implication of the £2,000 fine for nesting disruption, or the added cost/inconvenience of cohabitation with this species. Many of us can't afford to 'live' with this 'inconvenience'.

Kind regards, Ray.

  • Have you tryed doing it from photo library rather than files to see if that works?
    Press rich formatting and then the landscape icon then press photo library. Click on the photo and then once it’s loaded press send or post

  • Thanks Zo, but posting from a 'photo library' would be 'unreal' if I understand you correctly. No, the 'photos' are taken from my mobile phone. However, I just re-discovered that I set my mobile to turn off 'Bluetooth' in an effort to reduce battery drain. Doh! I'll make these photos available in the main thread.
    In the meantime, both chicks have hatched a couple of days ago from writing this message. A 'dog walker' with their dog 'off lead' put the 'frighteners' on the family from my front gate and the chicks hid beneath the ramp for my mobility scooter that I installed at my front door (as you'll see from my photos). These guys are not so stupid!
    Kind regards, Ray Dart.
  • PS.
    I get too much 'spam' to check the 'Notify box'.
    Kind regards, Ray Dart.
  • I think I've got the 'photo issue' sorted. Let's see.

    First photo is looking down from the window in my porch next to the door. Second photo is looking across from my 'car port' to my front door. Third photo is looking into my 'car port' showing measures I've taken to restrict chick/fledgeling ingress. Fourth photo shows measures taken to permit chick/fledgeling ingress to the 'alley' opposite my 'car port' as a 'safer region' away from the public footpath whilst prohibiting ingress to my 'vegetable patch'.

    Kind regards, Ray.

  • photos people  take are automatically stored in a app called photos and the phone calls it a photo library. The screenshot is from my phone. You can send photos from files or photo library. But I think a lot of people save them to files and send there photos from  files instead.  I thought since you were struggling with files that it might be easyer to photo library so I was just makeing a suggestion. But you have worked out how to send photos now so don’t worry.  Well done for working out how to send the photos 

  • With the gulls and there young I think youv done a good job. With the loose dog and the young gulls you can tell like you said they definitely arnt so stupid. It was quiet wise to hide from the loose dog. And they are actually quiet clever birds. And interestingly when there in a big flock or a large colony they have a complex social hierarchy. Thanks for sending the photos
  • Thanks for your comments Zo, but the refusal of this site to display my posts leads me to believe that this site is 'compromised'. I wish you well in all your endeavours.

    Kindest regards, Ray Dart.
  • No it isn’t compromised. The website has probloms with file size sometimes but people are usually able to send there posts. In fact you will see people share what Wildlife they have seen quiet often. if you ever have any probloms people here are willing to help.
    with what you said about spam your not going to get spam in your email unless you show your email address to everyone publicly cause it’s a public site. 
    for email notifications you can turn them off and only get notifications on the site. Or you can turn them off entirely.

    With the gull I was just giveing you advice. and I think what you are doing so far is the best you can do for now.

  • Yes, I get the main gist of your post.

    Yes, your advice has been really helpful. However---.

    Today I discovered that one of the chicks died.

    The image may be difficult to understand, but there's a dead chick there. I interrupted an incident where a parent Gull attacked, what looked like, a rat.

    It's apparent to me that 'ground nesting' within an 'urban environment' should be exempted from protections. These guys need to be protected within an environment that can sustain their familial attributes and not 'protected' into extinction by default.

    Kind regards, Ray.

  • Do you mean one of the gull Chicks?