Seagulls settle in Hove garden (From The Argus)
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Seagulls settle in Hove garden
6:21pm Wednesday 12th May 2010 in
A pair of seagulls have abandoned the high life to set up home at the bottom of a garden.
The seabirds, which usually choose the highest point they can find to set up home, have chosen a spot on the grass in Rosemary Howat’s Hove garden to start their family.
Seagull expert Tim McKenzie said the case was extremely unusual and he had never heard of seagulls choosing to build their nest on the ground before.
Now conservationists are considering installing an electric fence around the nest to protect the endangered birds.
The gulls had been visiting the garden for several days when they started building a nest on the ground.
Then on Monday the female laid an egg. The love birds are nowfiercely guarding their precious charge.
Mrs Howat, of Livingstone Road, said: “The seagull had been coming and going for a while, but then on Monday morning I noticed she had laid the egg right on the ground and made her nest there.
“I have been trying not to get too close because they will probably be quite territorial. Both of them have been guarding it quite fiercely.”
Keen to keep her new feathered friends happy, Mrs Howat has been feeding them pieces of bread and fish and said even the family’s pet has been keeping clear.
She said: “I was worried that my cat would try and go for them, but it’s been keeping well out of their way.”
Mrs Howat’s visitor is a herring gull, but all kinds of seagulls are protected species meaning the bird, their eggs and nests need looking after.
Mr McKenzie, of the National Gull Rescue and Protection charity, said: “This must be a first.
“I have never heard of a gull making its nest on the ground before – it’s unheard of.
“The worry is as soon as it hatches a fox or a cat will help themselves.
“I cannot think of any reason why a gull would do this.
“We may have to look at putting an electric fence around it to keep them away.
“Moving the nest could result in a £5,000 fine and up to six months in jail.”
Comments(29)
Whitedot
says...
7:29pm Wed 12 May 10
On_the_Level wrote:Well they don't live in the sea if that's what you're thinking.
Seagulls should be encouraged to return to their native environment, which is not a back garden.
Mr Numptyhead
says...
7:42pm Wed 12 May 10
Christophe Hawtree
says...
7:56pm Wed 12 May 10
kkj
says...
7:57pm Wed 12 May 10
Mr Numptyhead wrote:Perhaps they mean endangered by foxes or cats?
Seagulls are an endangered bird? I don't suppose the Argus could cite it's source for this, or anyone else confirm?
cheezburger
says...
8:07pm Wed 12 May 10
Gaz the great
says...
8:18pm Wed 12 May 10
cheezburger wrote:No I did not know they could live to 30. Feed a couple of them at work, not quite the anti-social birds they are touted to be.
The article desn't say they endangered. It says protected. And herring gulls arent really a common site. Did you know gulls can live for 30 years.
Mr Numptyhead
says...
8:45pm Wed 12 May 10
cheezburger wrote:Mr Cheez, you often seem to have a problem seeing things and understanding them. I assume this is not intentional, so for your benefit I will lift the bit of the article where it does say they are endangered.
The article desn't say they endangered. It says protected. And herring gulls arent really a common site. Did you know gulls can live for 30 years.
"Now conservationists are considering installing an electric fence around the nest to protect the endangered birds."
cheezburger
says...
9:23pm Wed 12 May 10
Mr Numptyhead wrote:Are you being obtuse on purpose? Of course THOSE birds are endangered if they nesting in a garden! Do you really not have anything else to do?
cheezburger wrote: The article desn't say they endangered. It says protected. And herring gulls arent really a common site. Did you know gulls can live for 30 years.Mr Cheez, you often seem to have a problem seeing things and understanding them. I assume this is not intentional, so for your benefit I will lift the bit of the article where it does say they are endangered. "Now conservationists are considering installing an electric fence around the nest to protect the endangered birds."
pat of worthing
says...
10:01pm Wed 12 May 10
Metro Reader
says...
11:28pm Wed 12 May 10
DONT MAKE ME LAUGH, they are virmin, they may be protected but god knows why, kill the darn things.
Make my skin craw.
Metro Reader
says...
11:30pm Wed 12 May 10
ICantThinkOfAName
says...
11:33pm Wed 12 May 10
PeteBrighton
says...
8:08am Thu 13 May 10
thelastword
says...
8:59am Thu 13 May 10
ha ha ha ha ha
thelastword
says...
8:59am Thu 13 May 10
ha ha ha ha ha
Mike D P
says...
9:06am Thu 13 May 10
tombraider59
says...
9:41am Thu 13 May 10
cheezburger
says...
9:53am Thu 13 May 10
thelastword wrote:Making a typo isn't the same as being stupid, as you regularly show.
aer you being obtuse?
ha ha ha ha ha
kennydoit
says...
10:12am Thu 13 May 10
Spanners
says...
10:26am Thu 13 May 10
kennydoit wrote:Patience kennydoit - it is still early, plenty of time for today's Lucas loving story
I'm surprised the Argus didn't suggest that this was due to Caroline Lucas being elected and making the city greener and safer for all residents.
thelastword
says...
10:27am Thu 13 May 10
tombraider59
says...
11:25am Thu 13 May 10
cheezburger wrote:How is it that these threads often end up as slanging matches between participants?
thelastword wrote: aer you being obtuse? ha ha ha ha haMaking a typo isn't the same as being stupid, as you regularly show.
Personally, I think it makes it much more interesting!
toldsloth
says...
2:18pm Thu 13 May 10
puddingandpi
says...
6:33pm Thu 13 May 10
cheezburger wrote:"Now conservationists are considering installing an electric fence around the nest to protect the endangered birds. "
The article desn't say they endangered. It says protected. And herring gulls arent really a common site. Did you know gulls can live for 30 years.
Yes it does. I can't stand the bloody things! I'm not surprised the cat's staying away from them. My cat's phobic after one landed on our balcony railing & screamed in his face. I feel very sorry for him but it *was* funny...
Bryan G Sewering
says...
10:35am Fri 14 May 10
tombraider59
says...
7:15pm Fri 14 May 10
Bryan G Sewering wrote:Just about ANYTHING has got to be better than living in Croydon surely?
We moved away from croydon and so far dont mind the gulls at all
RottingdeanRant
says...
11:53am Fri 21 May 10
anonandonandon
says...
2:45pm Fri 21 May 10
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Rosemary Howat whose garden is now home to two nesting seagulls
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On_the_Level says...
6:53pm Wed 12 May 10