Dawlish Discussion

BELOW is an email that have sent to Teignbridge Council, DEFRA, The Post and Anne-Marie Morris our M.P. today.

My partner and I live in Golden Terrace, Dawlish and the seagulls that are nesting on the roof tops have become more prevalent and more of a nuisance this Spring.

It is irritating enough with their constant litter dropping from the roof tops whilst building their nests which we constantly have to clear-up. They mess on our clean washing hanging out to dry and our patio area.

They discard and drop chicken bones etc and home in on anything that is in a plastic bag such as your shopping whilst putting on your step whilst taking into the house and we feel we are unable now to sit outside as we have done in the past and eat for fear of being attacked.

Furthermore this morning a gull has been stalking our cat and swooped on the cat and my partner several times whilst they were walking up the terrace.

I telephoned Derek the Waterfowl Warden who informed me he is powerless to do anything.

What does it need to get a reaction to these problems?

A baby,child or adult (or even our cat) attacked with the risk of serious infection from a wound inflicted.

Only this week tourist have had their fish & chips, pasties and ice-creams snatched down on the front? My co-worker in the Mini Golf kiosk informed me of this, this week!

Furthermore fines should be imposed for anyone feeding the gulls?as should dog fouling. Not polite notices asking people (which the tourists ignore) "Please do not feed the Seagulls and Do not let your dog foul the park and footpaths" which is another problem in our terrace whilst people walk their dogs.

I envisage the response will be that the gulls are protected and your hands are tied, and if I were to attack a gull that was attacking me or my cat I would not have the same protected rights and would be prosecuted?

It seems the lunatics have taken over the asylum.

Seagulls have become vermin!!!!!!! they are thugs and vandals, attacking people and property!!!!! its time for this outdated law to be rescinded, its us humans that need protecting. all follow goldenlads excampleI email as well, Im sure the warden will appreciate it!!!!!

I agree people should be fined for feeding them and the dog warden is non excistant, if I dropped a cig butt Im sure I would soon be fined !!!!!

Brilliant email, please let us know the response you get.

It's such a shame it is no longer safe to have a picnic on the lawn. Also the ducks and swans (an attraction to Dawlish) are suffering, not only are they having their eggs pinched no sooner they are laid but also its impossible to take children to feed the ducks now as you get attacked by seagulls. As a child I remember my mother always saving our crusts and it would be a fun afternoon out walking along the brook feeding it to the ducks and swans.

I appreciate it is mainly humans fault for littering and feeding them which has brought them in land, but the problem is now here and is the same along the coast, it must be sorted ASAP before somebody is seriously injured.

How true is the old story about wrapping baking powder in bread balls and feeding it to them. Apparently the effects are quite cruel but finally satisfying. Failing that how effective would an early morning cull by shotgun be on the Warren beach, I would imagine all the local pheasant shooters would oblige given permission

I have had a response from the Dawlish Town Clerk who has informed me the problem is on the agenda for June's Council Meeting.

Teignbridge Council have also responded (e-mail) below:-

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Dear Mr. ..........,

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the problems you are experiencing with seagulls.

What the law states

Herring Gulls and feral pigeons are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Birds cannot be taken or their eggs or nests destroyed unless there is a serious hazard to public health, and such cases are rare. Less serious but still annoying issues such as fouling or noise nuisance can lead to calls for a cull. It is however generally acknowledged that culling is ineffective as outside populations of birds soon move in to fill the vacuum left by culling.

Prevention is better than such drastic cures. This means encouraging gulls back to the cliffs and away from residential areas or public places by storing refuse safely, and denying them food and perching space.

How does this affect me

Whilst there is no law against feeding gulls or pigeons, Teignbridge District Council strongly recommends that people avoid doing this:

• Spilled or untouched food on a premises can attract vermin, which contravenes the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949

How can I proof my roof?

Pest control companies and specialist bird proofers offer an arsenal of deterrent measures to stop gulls perching or nesting on ledges and roofs. These include 100mm mesh polyethylene netting for gulls and 50mm mesh for pigeons, orange day-glow strips and rows of taut parallel wires pinned above roof surfaces. There are point systems, sticky strips and wire baskets to guard chimneys and the gully behind, a favoured nesting site of gulls. Mini windmills and plastic hawks have also been used with limited success.

Part 1 of the 1981 Act creates a number of offences. Certain of these offences are not committed where the otherwise criminal act is carried out under the authority of a licence which is granted under section 16 of that act.

In this way, abatement in the form of anti nesting/roosting/netting/ would have to be undertaken before or at the end of the bird breeding or nesting season.

The only exclusion to this is if the birds present a clear danget to the publics health either by way of an accumulation of droppings or by their actions in which circumstances a licence can be obtained from Natural England following a visit from one of their officers to assess the risk to public health.

Natural England can be contacted on 0845 601 4523.

Regards

Graham Smith

Scientific Officer

Environment and Safety Services

Teignbridge District Council

Forde House

Brunel Road

Newton Abbot

TQ12 4XX

01626 215071

DX121075 Newton Abbot5

envc@teignbridge.gov.uk

This is quite an interesting site and might be worth a call?

http://www.devonbirdcontrol.co.uk/

I think the onus should be put on householders and businesses to prevent them from nesting on roofs. If everyone took action the problem would be much reduced. We make sure they don't nest behind our chimney, but we have close neighbours who don't seem to mind having seagulls on their roof - and we get the flack! Perhaps there should be a bylaw to make it illegal to let them nest on your roof?

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http://www.dawlishblue.co.uk

A bylaw is a thought however does anyone know how much it costs to have spikes or whatever put on roofs/around chimneys? I ask because I suspect that not all in the town have the wherewithall to pay for such preventative measures even if they would like them to be done.

Flo visited the site you recommended, obviosly this man charges and I see no reason why I should pay for a problem that the Councils and DEFRA are responsible for.

I hope they take up the options that this individual offers? Furthermore I am in rented accomodation and I'm sure our landlord would not entertain a cost outlay for preventative measures on our roof and chimney.

One of my neighbours tells me that a lady who lives at the back of our terrace throws bread to the gulls daily. This is the major problem and encourages the gulls and more to nest further up the town.

Seagull spikes are very cheap and easy to install. You buy them in strips and glue them on to roof ridges and other high places.

However, it doesn't have to cost - we have neighbours who prevent seagulls nesting behind their chimney by blocking the space with wirenetting - it cost them nothing except the effort to put it there.

I don't think this is an issue we should say "Councils and DEFRA" are responsible for - we should ALL take responsibility. It would benefit landlords and homeonwners to keep them away as it means that their droppings don't dirty roofs and walls.

Also I think we should keep shouting about the problem and make it socially irresponsible to feed them anywhere.

Seagull spikes ...

http://birdspikesonline.co.uk/Bird-Spikes/photos.aspx

http://www.birdspikesonline.co.uk/Bird-Spikes/Defender-Ridge-Spikes

The council could help by co-ordinating purchases, to get bulk discount and reduced postal charges.

Could do with a cull of pigeons under the station platform, they seem to be growing in ever larger numbers. It would help if the holes from broken planks of wood were repaired.

I think they are only protected in wildlife once the enter private land they become quarry,

Nope looks like you can only take their eggs, apparently they are an endagered species

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/wml-gl05_tcm6-24150.pdf