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Winged rats



mikeyjh

Well-known member
Dec 17, 2008
4,473
Llanymawddwy
Inadvertently posted in 'other'.....

What, legally, can one do about seagulls? I understand that while most people think they're more of a pest than rats, they're actually protected. I've dealt with a couple with a stone or to but while our house and our neighbours have all the netting and stuff, some people down the road don't, and the dirty winged bstards are getting aggressive this time of year. Ideas?
 


Peteinblack

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jun 3, 2004
3,577
Bath, Somerset.
No suggestions, but you have my total sympathy.

There are literally hundred of the b*stards every summer down here in Bath, and several pairs regularly nest on the roof of our terrace. Right now, when the chicks are young and vulnerable, they are really aggressive (we get dive-bombed just stepping out of the house, sometimes).

But what I really hate about these Gulls is the incessant noise; they screech and squawk from 4 in the morning until it gets dark again. We sat out in our garden last weekend, and their screaming was non-stop; absolutely horrible, and so loud.

Oh, and they crap (copiously) on everything - paths, windows, cars, etc. Vile, stinking, paint-corroding shite.

Generally, I like wild-life and encourage ordinary birds in our garden, but I really would happily shoot Gulls. except that they are protected (via the 1981 Countryside and Wildlife Act).

Sadly, they can live for up to 35 years, and return to the name nesting site every year, producing up to 3 chicks every time, so their numbers are likely to increase relentlessly.
 


tomfitz12

CTRL+W to change this
Nov 25, 2012
1,107
southwick
one ate my bake potato yesterday when I left it for 1 min... saw it later with food around its beak but it now makes great target practice for my footy skills :thumbsup:
 


sams dad

I hate Palarse
Feb 7, 2004
6,383
The Hill of The Gun
Live and let live. Sometimes they make a bit of noise, sometimes they shit on the washing, and they get a bit aggressive when they've got young. It's no big deal is it?
I can't believe people get so worked up about them.
 


mikeyjh

Well-known member
Dec 17, 2008
4,473
Llanymawddwy
No suggestions, but you have my total sympathy.

There are literally hundred of the b*stards every summer down here in Bath, and several pairs regularly nest on the roof of our terrace. Right now, when the chicks are young and vulnerable, they are really aggressive (we get dive-bombed just stepping out of the house, sometimes).

But what I really hate about these Gulls is the incessant noise; they screech and squawk from 4 in the morning until it gets dark again. We sat out in our garden last weekend, and their screaming was non-stop; absolutely horrible, and so loud.

Oh, and they crap (copiously) on everything - paths, windows, cars, etc. Vile, stinking, paint-corroding shite.

Generally, I like wild-life and encourage ordinary birds in our garden, but I really would happily shoot Gulls. except that they are protected (via the 1981 Countryside and Wildlife Act).

Sadly, they can live for up to 35 years, and return to the name nesting site every year, producing up to 3 chicks every time, so their numbers are likely to increase relentlessly.

Cheers - We're very alike! We have finches, tits, robins, blackbirds, squirrels, frogs, mice, hedgehogs etc etc and everything lives in harmony apart from the frigging seagulls. They're just so frigging aggressive...
 




pipkin112

New member
Aug 10, 2011
1,605
sompting
Inadvertently posted in 'other'.....

What, legally, can one do about seagulls? I understand that while most people think they're more of a pest than rats, they're actually protected. I've dealt with a couple with a stone or to but while our house and our neighbours have all the netting and stuff, some people down the road don't, and the dirty winged bstards are getting aggressive this time of year. Ideas?


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Templeton Peck

Faceman
Jul 15, 2009
107
Brighton
Men Kind in Churchill Square next to Debenhams do a water cannon that connects to your hose and shoots pretty far... Does a decent job of keeping them away without hurting them.
 






glasfryn

cleaning up cat sick
Nov 29, 2005
20,261
somewhere in Eastbourne
they have very long memories
 


Shy Talk

Active member
Mar 3, 2012
908
Brighton
Inadvertently posted in 'other'.....

What, legally, can one do about seagulls? I understand that while most people think they're more of a pest than rats, they're actually protected. I've dealt with a couple with a stone or to but while our house and our neighbours have all the netting and stuff, some people down the road don't, and the dirty winged bstards are getting aggressive this time of year. Ideas?
Move inland. They may be increasing where you are, but their numbers are decreasing overall.They're a protected species.
 




vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
27,866
Did once hear about a method of "pacification" that involved inserting an Alka Seltzer tablet in to a food offering for the Gull and then hiding under an umbrella.
 


MissGull

New member
Apr 1, 2013
1,994
I actually quite like them. We used to have one that tapped on the window every day at roughly the same time, we never fed it or anything so assumed it was just being friendly. The cats used to growl at it, and it would carry on standing there with no fear.

During the winter months there was a pair of seagulls nesting, and just watching the whole process was fascinating. Especially the building of the nest and the guarding of it. Some really strong winds on a high roof but the female just stayed rooted to the nest.

They are apparently monogamous, and I think they are also rather clever birds. Sounds a bit spring watch I know!
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,722
Brighton
Live and let live. Sometimes they make a bit of noise, sometimes they shit on the washing, and they get a bit aggressive when they've got young. It's no big deal is it?
I can't believe people get so worked up about them.

They go further than that, if you walk near their nests around this time of year. A mate of mine was taken to A&E with a chunk taken out of his ear, I also had some genuinely scary experiences a few years ago where I had to abort jogs because I was getting dive bombed by seagulls. They can be absolutely vicious.
 




grubbyhands

Well-known member
Dec 8, 2011
2,283
Godalming
My Geordie mate has a great expression, he says " I'm just going for a seagulls breakfast" which he joyfully informs me is a shit and a good look round. Makes me smile every time.
 


Peteinblack

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jun 3, 2004
3,577
Bath, Somerset.
Move inland. They may be increasing where you are, but their numbers are decreasing overall.They're a protected species.

Bath is inland :shrug:
 




Shy Talk

Active member
Mar 3, 2012
908
Brighton
Bath is inland :shrug:

The OP is in Shoreham. Anyway, they are protected, so y'can't hurt them once they've laid eggs, but there are things you can do to stop them nesting on your roof. They are certainly less objectionable than many of my neighbours and their many dogs!
 









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