Feel Free To Shame Them North Devon Inhabitants!

So what is largely an anti social behaviour issue (mentioned at the bottom of the article), is blamed on starlings and given a nonsense health and safety angle to boot. I despair, I really do.

My starlings are always anti social ... I love them for it ...

Council management speak and clap trap I suspect!

Ant

I've asked the HSE on twitter to comment the the H&S angle, just to make sure it isn't another of the 'kids needs safety glasses to play conkers' myths. and before you ask, that was all nonsense.

I suspect there are financial reasons behind this. Starlings are messy birds, we all know that just by looking at what they leave behind in our gardens, and their nests. I imagine the council has been asked to pay for cleaning up the areas where there are too many droppings, which will cost money every time they do this. The H&S aspect and anti-social behaviour in the area are just red herrings. Everything comes down to money in the end.

Maybe they should have turned it all into a tourist attraction to raise money to pay for it!

A lot of years ago Bradford City council spent a lot of time and money in deterrring Starlings fron the city centre.This included putting wires on the nesting ledges and playing both distress calls and birds of prey calls.The mess on the buildings and footpaths was terrible and,sad to say,dangerous to walk on.

I do understand the safety issue of potential slips, I really do. I worked on a large construction site where starlings in big numbers used to perch on the pylons in the car park. My car was well and truly DUMPED on once, but this was offset by being able to watch them murmurate (is that a word?) practically every day. I think Sparrow hit the nail on the head, money is a biggie, now more than ever, but we need to create a balance and destruction of habitat isn't  a balanced option without trying the other methods first. In all fairness, it doesn't state clearly whether this is a first or last resort. Interesting stuff though (I'm new )

There are, indubitably, health risks around faeces of any sort, just as there is with spitting. Perhaps councils need to remove all areas where people roost as well? Why is it that the natural world always comes off second best?

Think people going to see the Starlings was perhaps the problem as guess the locals complained about parking etc.

H&S is always dragged up by 'authorities'.  There is an army cadet hut near me where they teach the youngsters army skills, go on night hikes etc.  The council fitted lights in to guide them up there along the 10 foot wide pathway (cost of thousands).  I did ask a councillor why they didn't buy 20 torches from the local garage (at £2 each) and hand them out.   I am getting old.

Join me in room 101 Bob.