Pests or needing protection? (From The Argus)

Pests or needing protection?

3:15pm Wednesday 28th July 2010 in Your Argus

Early this evening I was called out to pick up a herring gull which had been shot off a roof in Nevill Avenue, and take it to a vet.

As I drove away its mate was just landing on the roof. This wicked and illegal act by some thoughtless thug has now left one gull to rear the chicks.

Perhaps this person isn’t aware that gull numbers have declined by 40% over the past year with only approximately 250,000 now left in the whole of the UK.

Herring gulls are now on the endangered “red list”, meaning that any act meant to harm them is punishable by six months in prison or a £20,000 fine or both.

Anyone witnessing violence against gulls, or who knows of anyone shooting or harming them in any way, should call the police and a wildlife officer will deal with the case.

Gulls are part of the seaside and if people can’t tolerate them for a few short months of the year while they nest and rear their young, perhaps they’d be better off moving inland.

And please remember that gulls can’t move swiftly out the way of cars, so slow down, especially when the young leave the nest and walk into the road.

It only takes a moment of your life but could mean the end of theirs.

Sue Baumgardt
Stoneham Road, Hove

I have lived here since 1948 and grew up with seagulls. As a youngster I do not recall gull problems in Brighton as there are now.

Nowadays, due to people who feed the damned things near where I live we are pestered by them. My roof looks like a guano colony, my car is a mess and we are constantly woken up by their screaming in the early hours.

I honestly believe there are too many of the things and a cull is called for.

I welcome small birds into my garden and I have three nest boxes but as far as I am concerned gulls are sea birds, not town roof dwellers.

Rod Ackers
Lucerne Close, Portslade