Has anyone else been attacked by a seagull?
In the summer I visited the doctor's to pick up a prescription. The surgery is on a corner of a busy road, car park is always full, so I parked on the other side of the road right opposite. As I crossed the road, I didn't hear anything but I felt the hair on the top of my head lift up... luckily for me there wasn't any cars coming as I just stopped walking and was standing in the middle of the road. The feeling was really weird, there wasn't any wind, a really warm day. All of a sudden I heard the raucous cry of a seagull, looked up and it was swooping towards me! Well at this I literally sprinted (normally I don't do sprinting!!) across the road and threw myself through the door of the surgery. Recptionist wasn't please at all. Apologising profusely I explained that I had just been dived bombed by a seagull!. Apparently this particular pair nest between the chiminey stacks of the surgery and have been doing so for the last two years. Nearly all the patients have had an encounter with the seagulls. In fact one elderly gent who lives nearby received a nasty peck to the top of his head (it even made the local newspaper). After I collected the prescription I stood in the porch of the surgery and had to wait a good few minutes for the seagull to disappear at which point I had to do another sprint (oh my) to the car whilst frantically pressing the unlock button on my key fob.
Fantastic birds, always majestic when in flight but good grief I hope I'm not sick during the next breeding season!!
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
hi Lloyd
Thank you for answering my queries from my last post.
I now know the seriousness of Gulls being protected at all times.
I know that Yellow Legged Gulls are rare to Menorca (and in general) and they are few and far between. So now i know all about the issues attached!
We will go to Menorca, and we are now more knowledgeable about the facts attached to YLG's existance there.{thumbs up}
Kathy and Dave
Unknown said: All species of gull are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. This makes it illegal to intentionally or, in Scotland, recklessly injure or kill any gull or damage or destroy an active nest or its contents. In Scotland, it is also illegal to prevent birds from accessing their nest, and in Northern Ireland it is illegal to disturb any nesting bird. In addition, the Mediterranean gull is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, making it illegal to intentionally or recklessly disturb the birds at or close to their nest in Britain or to disturb their dependent young. Correct identification of the gull species is vitally important from a conservation stance. YLGs for example, are "Protected at all times", yet nests of these and other gull species are perhaps removed all to often for illegitimate reasons, as to the layman, different gull species are lumped together as "Sea-gulls". The law does recognise that in certain circumstances control measures may be necessary. The UK statutory administrations can issue specific licences, permitting nests to be destroyed or even birds to be killed if there is no non-lethal solution, and if it is done to prevent serious damage to agriculture, the spread of disease, to preserve public health and safety and air safety, or to conserve other wild birds. Simple nuisance or minor damage to property are not legally sanctioned reasons to kill gulls. In the case of the herring, lesser and great black-backed gulls only, lethal control can be carried out under lethal control can be carried out under general licences granted annually by the country administrations for use by an ‘authorised person’ (usually the landowner, occupier or someone authorised by them). The general licences and their terms and conditions vary in different parts of the UK, and they can be altered or withdrawn at any time. Consequently, details are not included here, and anyone considering action against any gull must first consult the appropriate country agency for the current licence terms and conditions. England/Natural England, Scotland/Scottish Natural Heritage, Wales/Countryside Council of Wales and Northern Ireland/Environmental Heritage Service of Northern Ireland.
All species of gull are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. This makes it illegal to intentionally or, in Scotland, recklessly injure or kill any gull or damage or destroy an active nest or its contents. In Scotland, it is also illegal to prevent birds from accessing their nest, and in Northern Ireland it is illegal to disturb any nesting bird. In addition, the Mediterranean gull is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, making it illegal to intentionally or recklessly disturb the birds at or close to their nest in Britain or to disturb their dependent young.
Correct identification of the gull species is vitally important from a conservation stance. YLGs for example, are "Protected at all times", yet nests of these and other gull species are perhaps removed all to often for illegitimate reasons, as to the layman, different gull species are lumped together as "Sea-gulls".
The law does recognise that in certain circumstances control measures may be necessary.
The UK statutory administrations can issue specific licences, permitting nests to be destroyed or even birds to be killed if there is no non-lethal solution, and if it is done to prevent serious damage to agriculture, the spread of disease, to preserve public health and safety and air safety, or to conserve other wild birds.
Simple nuisance or minor damage to property are not legally sanctioned reasons to kill gulls. In the case of the herring, lesser and great black-backed gulls
only, lethal control can be carried out under lethal control can be carried out under general licences granted annually by the country administrations for use by an ‘authorised person’ (usually the landowner, occupier or someone authorised by them).
The general licences and their terms and conditions vary in different parts of the UK, and they can be altered or withdrawn at any time. Consequently, details are not included here, and anyone considering action against any gull must first consult the appropriate country agency for the current licence terms and conditions. England/Natural England, Scotland/Scottish Natural Heritage, Wales/Countryside Council of Wales and Northern Ireland/Environmental Heritage Service of Northern Ireland.
Hi there
I found this slightly older news article about Gulls, and their habits
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/aug/19/seagulls-birdwatching-stephen-moss
It makes for some interesting reading (sorry need to get the hang of the links on here)
It shows what Gulls as perceived as in general by people. To be honest we really need to get our thoughts put together about what we really feel about them as bird species. Positive would be best of all.