I have just witnessed a car drive straight into a herring gull on New Church Road. If the driver is reading this, your thoughtless and inconsiderate action has taken away the life of one of a breeding pair at a critical time, with chicks in the nest.

Several birds were swooping round some food in the road, the traffic was slow and you had plenty of time to use your brakes. Instead you showed complete indifference, hit it and didn’t even stop to check its condition. Before I could reach it another car drove along with a clear view of the bird but chose to drive straight over it. Herring gulls are now on the amber list as numbers are declining but never mind, you got to where you were going a few minutes earlier than if you had stopped to let this bird fly on.

Drivers please note, gulls need time to lift off, unlike many smaller birds, so watch out for them and especially their chicks who can’t always fly when they leave the nest.

Sue Baumgardt
Stoneham Road, Hove