Llandudno's Seagull Problem

[DaveR]

 

[Sara]

My 5yr old grandson had his ice cream knocked out of his hand by a seagull near the pier this afternoon.

[Fester]

Introduce more wild Peregrine Falcons, perhaps? 

I see that happen dozens of times a day Sara, one of these days a child will be badly injured, then perhaps 1-Rob-1 will take a slightly different view if he was to witness it?   

[Nemesis]

Walking along the prom yesterday afternoon there was an elderly couple sitting right on top of a don't feed the seagulls sign, slurping from cans of beer, crumbling bread, obviously brought for the purpose, and throwing it to the gulls. There were so many on the ground, let alone wheeling above, it was impossible to pass.
I approached and asked if they hadn't read the sign and did they realise that they were doing harm to the birds?
The reply, mumbled through a mouthful of beer was that the birds were hungry. I gave them a scathing look whereby bad language was muttered back.
Not a soul around to enforce anything-- indeed can anyone enforce anything?
In Barmouth the 'Don't feed the birds' signs carry the threat of an up to £5,000.00 fine. Hefty I know, but their gulls are nowhere near as aggressive as the ones here.

[Merddin Emrys]

No CCTV to enforce it? Or make it part of the dog warden / litter warden / traffic warden's duties to enforce it?

[Nemesis]

I have had a word with my local councillor who told me who to contact. I have E- mailed same. Will keep you posted.
Something will have to be done before we are overrun. I am as bigger bird lover as I know you are ME, but It isn't the fault of the birds-- It is the ignorant people who always know better-- I ask you-- Hungry? Most of them can hardly waddle with their chip induced waistlines !

[1_rob_1]

Dont get me wrong, I like the seagulls, but I would wish no harm from them on anybody.
A seaside resort probably wouldnt seem right without them.

As I previously pointed out, the problem is with the irresponsible people that have been feeding them over the years. - They have learned that there are easy meals to be had in the area, whether this is food freely given to them or food they steal - they dont/cant differentiate.
Also because food is so freely available in the area, their population has increased.

Culling them will not work, as they will just repopulate back to their current numbers, unless the underlying problem is solved - stopping their food supply.

If their food supply is cut, the numbers will slowly go down & they should slowly become less aggressive - this would take a number of years though.
 

 As Nemesis posted, & I have previously pointed out, the majority of seaside towns that rely on tourism for most of their income, make it illegal to feed the gulls & have many high profile signs threatening people of legal action & massive fines for feeding the gulls.
These measures have been proven to work - without a cull.

[Nemesis]

Exactly 1_Rob_1. The problem isn't the birds, it is the daft people who ignore signs, don't use their common sense and feed them.
The reply from the person I e-mailed passed the buck and said that the prom was under the jurisdiction of the Harbour Master.
Time he addressed the problem.

[Yorkie]

The reply from the person I e-mailed passed the buck and said that the prom was under the jurisdiction of the Harbour Master.

Cummon, Nem!   Everyone knows that seagulls don't fly over the town, or my house, or any of our houses, or so that absolute idiot obviously thinks!    And, of course, people only feed them on the prom, and the seagulls only bother people on the prom!  The employee needs sacking for his, or her, lack of understanding or concern.   

Write to Iwan Davies, the Chief Executive or email him, iwan.davies@conwy.gov.uk.  Don't bank on any assistance from the Harbour Meister he couldn't even understand my complaint!    :rage:

[DaveR]

I might be missing something here..but I still don't see how a byelaw will deal will the problem? If people obey the byelaw and don't feed the birds, then surely the existing gull population will become more desperate for food and, thus, more aggressive towards humans to steal their food? It also doesn't address the problem of gulls nesting in the town in ever larger numbers every year and being extremely aggressive towards residents for several months of the year? If a dog was running loose and attacking residents, it would soon be dealt with, why should it be any different for the gulls?

[Yorkie]

Of course any bye-law is only effective if it is rigorously policed.  It can only be efficiently policed with a suitable supply of manpower and that costs us all.

Maybe a couple of very, very large modelled birds being wheeled up and down the prom would frighten the feeders and the fed alike!   

[Merddin Emrys]

Bird's population levels depends on available food, cut it down and less birds will breed, but it won't take effect overnight. I remember feeding the seagulls on the pier in the Sixties as a child, but I don't remember any attacks from them?

[Ian]

I might be missing something here..but I still don't see how a byelaw will deal will the problem

It would - eventually. But it's a long term process, and the results might take years. Far more efficient would be to offer a bounty for eggs or gulls  WWW

More seriously, the analogy with dogs is flawed, Dave; Rob's suggesting the gulls attack for two reasons: food and protection.  Dogs that atack humans are usually either badly trained (or have badly trained owners) or they're showing signs of Rabies. Either's excellent reasons for havng them put down. The dogs, of course...but on the other hand...

[Nemesis]

I have had somewhat of another inconclusive reply which sounds more like back -feed from some meeting or other.
To my mind the general thing seems to be that we need someone who doesn't act like some power crazed idiot on the prom, in a uniform, to deter not just seagull feeding, but littering, boozing and other 'misdeeds'.
This obviously will not solve the problem, but at least people would know that someone was around in some kind of authority.

[DaveR]

[More seriously, the analogy with dogs is flawed, Dave; Rob's suggesting the gulls attack for two reasons: food and protection.  Dogs that atack humans are usually either badly trained (or have badly trained owners) or they're showing signs of Rabies. Either's excellent reasons for havng them put down. The dogs, of course...but on the other hand...

Regardless of the reason for the attack, the attack still occurs and the person gets injured - that is the point. It's unacceptable, whether it's a dog, gull or any other creature responsible.