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.
ok. Il look forward to your post.
Sorry. I didn’t get a notification so I didn’t know you finally wrote that post. I do usually grt notified though. Don’t worry your posts havnt been deleated there still here. It might that your post went on a different page But now you have bumped it up so it’s back to the top again
That’s very interesting what you have written.
I think it’s very interesting what you said about the food similarity’s and preferences the good news about the food side is that I found out that the RSPB have considered banning the feeding of gulls entirely to try to tackle the food problem since people still feed them even though they advise not to feed on land. though I havnt heard anything since then. If I do find out what else there doing about it I will let you know.
If you don’t want gulls to nest at your house again next year the RSPB advises takeing measure before breeding season
People don’t usually get gulls on there doorstep. They usually get them on there roof
so you were just very unlucky. You could give the RSPB another call and ask how you can disencourage them from
nesting on your house or on this rare occasion on your doorstep next year they couldn’t help before cause
they had already started but you could ask what you can do for next year
www.rspb.org.uk/.../ Being serious in curtain circumstances gulls can be controlled as a last resort. And this link works!.
Regards,
Ian.