Feathers fly as city set to deny gull service

Published on Saturday 18 February 2012 14:52

HOPES of finally solving the problem of gulls besieging an Edinburgh community look set to be dashed.

The city council considered introducing a free service to remove nests and eggs after Merchiston Community Council collected hundreds of signatures on a petition.

Campaigners said the birds were a health hazard, a noise nuisance, and had been known to attack people during their territorial breeding season.

But councillors have been recommended to reject the idea, despite the success of a similar scheme in Dumfries.

A report to the city’s transport, infrastructure and environment committee, which meets on Tuesday, examined a proposal for a pilot scheme which would see two pest control officers, helped by local volunteers, work over four days between May to September to remove nests and eggs from roofs in seven streets.

It estimated that running the scheme for five years would cost £125,000.

It also looked at the possibility of a free city-wide removal service, which it said would cost at least £224,000 a year.

Both proposals are recommended for refusal, with officers saying there was no budget to do the work free of charge. At present, gull nests and eggs can be removed by the council’s pest control service, but users have to pay for the service.

Mairianna Clyde, chairwoman of Merchiston Community Council, said: “We’re very disappointed. It confirms your worst fears really, that they just will not do anything about it.

“What’s particularly disappointing is that they produced a new gull leaflet this year and they recommended that people don’t do anything about it themselves. They’ve left you between a rock and a hard place. It is possible to take action against gulls, you can keep cleaning the nests and eggs, but they’re not going to do it or help people do it themselves.”

Dr Clyde will make a deputation on the matter to the committee on Tuesday.

She said the birds were making life a misery for residents of the area. “The gulls are breeding out of control. They form mass colonies and they’re very, very noisy. They spread a number of pathogens, you have them all along Bruntsfield Place where there are all these food outlets, which is not a good idea. They can be extremely aggressive and very territorial and they also damage roofs.”

Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart Councillor, Gordon Buchan, added: “I’m disappointed that they’re not going to at least try it. The local community is keen for the council to do something and I would think that a trial shows willing to listen to people, to take seriously their concerns about something which is a really antisocial issue.”

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TinyTiger

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:16 PM

Well, it doesn't help that staff at the Astley Ainslie hospital used to feed these birds! I'd pass in the morning and up to 30 at a time would be fighting over slices of toast thrown out by staff. I know it's been reported but I've no idea if it's still happening.

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A Friend of Fernando Poo

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:34 AM

Damn. Meant "Pensioner" obviously.

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A Friend of Fernando Poo

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:33 AM

I can just see the headline now #4: "Pensions Killed Swallowing Poison Dart". Can't we get hawks or some other predator to kill the seagulls?

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Peripatetic Pensioner

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 11:57 PM

We have a major problem in the centre of St Andrews with nesting Herring and Lesser Blackback gulls. There are ways of getting rid of these dangerous pests which I believe have been incorporated in English towns that have been blighted by them. How about having a "conversation" with the people that are affected by this plague in Scotland? They are not endangered, they are a pest and are increasing in number so how about letting the solution be decided by those affected. Mine would be for all local pensioners be given a blowpipe and poison darts with a bounty in the form of power coupons being given for each beak handed in. Or the boring way which is wiping vegetable oil over the eggs in each nest.

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PBrayne

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 10:25 PM

Round us there are some misguided folk who feed the sea gulls - I watched a lady tip out what looked like an entire white sliced loaf and 30 or 40 seagulls swooped on it within seconds. Stop the food and the seagulls will re-locate.

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Not Available

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 07:22 PM

Why should the householders effected not pay for this service themselves if they want it. After all there are plenty pest control firms.

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Lord HawHaw

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 12:49 PM

funny, these were areas that contested the introduction of on street bins and as such extended the use of black bags. This in turn enabled the gulls to feed all year round, so from a gulls view, why leave an area with food. Now Im afraid they see the city as home......Still, more fun to blame the council

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