Gulls terrorise couple
Published 23 Jul 2012 15:00
9 Comments
Share this
DIVE-BOMBING seagulls have imprisoned a terrified Inverkeithing couple - and their three-legged dog - in their own home.
The angry birds have been swooping down on residents in Hillfield Crescent, sending Kay Flett all of a flutter.
Hubby Jimmy said, "I thought the wife was exaggerating but when I went out with the dog I damn near got the fright of my life.
"As soon as you get to the corner of Hillfield Road, you can see the seagulls standing on the chimney pots.
"The first thing you hear is the sound in your ear - one swooped down inches from my head, it was lucky I had my walking stick to fend it off.
"I'm 73 now and nothing scares me ... but that scared me.
"We can't go out now and I've got a dog, a three-legged boxer called Jamie, that needs to do his business!"
He added, "The gulls are nesting on the roof of a neighbour's house and I think the chicks must have hatched in the last few days.
"The woman there says they've dive-bombed her every time she goes out of the door.
"Kay went down to the council but they said it's wildlife and they can't do anything about it.
"I'm just wondering who's going to pay the compensation when one of these gulls hurts someone."
Fife Council service manager Elaine Devine said, "Some gulls have learnt to associate people with food and will swoop down on them to try and steal whatever it is that is being eaten.
"This can be frightening, especially where children are involved.
"Current legislation does allow owners of property to take action against nesting gulls, where they are causing problems impacting on public safety, and this can include egg and nest removal."
She added, "It is important that the public do not feed gulls and we have erected signs in certain areas to highlight the problems they can cause.
"Council officers will also visit householders who feed birds inappropriately at home, such as scattering bread and other waste food on their lawns.
"Apart from the nuisance this can cause neighbours, such practices can also attract vermin and we would urge people that like to feed small garden birds to only use proper bird feeders."
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 19 Jul 12
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
-
vinoboy35
70 posts
Jul 23, 20:48
Report commentWe should be allowed to use air rifles to remove these horrible birds .
Recommend?
Yes 7
No 5
-
sw230161
1 post
Jul 23, 23:05
Report commentSomething should be getting done, it's been the same in rosyth for the last 5 years or so! It's not swooping to get the food people are eating! They're protecting their young, and god help our young if they are in the way! Industrial area's get rid of the nests or eggs before hatching to prevent this, why don't we get this in residential area's? Park road area in rosyth is fast becoming a seagull colony - they are literally taking over.
Recommend? Yes 6
No 0
-
jollymolly
93 posts
Jul 24, 12:32
Report commentWhen you see a seagull starting to nest on your roof etc get a high pressure hose and and spray it down repeat if necessary, they wont come back!!
Recommend? Yes 6
No 0
-
HughJeego
46 posts
Jul 24, 17:24
Report commentComing soon Birds 2.
Will Jamie, our three-legged hero, save Inverkeithing from Seagull armageddon?
Recommend? Yes 4
No 0
-
redrobin
285 posts
Jul 24, 19:27
Report commentjollymolly..ur right but I suggest u are more than capable given ur picture of dealing with the problem personally...he he...I am all for feeding the birdies hence my name but the problem might be that kind hearted folk are putting food out u know?! without thing about the implications....tweet tweet
Recommend? Yes 3
No 0
-
jollymolly
93 posts
Jul 24, 23:53
Report commentRed robin I live right on the beach and believe it or not no seagulls dare to come near me maybe because of my lovely looks and also my 3 ornamental
eagle owls in the patio gives them a good fright. I love birds but not keen on the seagulls quack ! quack !
Recommend? Yes 3
No 0
-
redrobin
285 posts
Jul 25, 19:18
Report commentjolly molly..if u promise not to eat me I would love to fly to ur private beach. I take it ur eagle owls are not stuffed cos u never knows? ...regarding ur lovely looks...any chance of a close up? he he. I don't know what an ostrich says for bye bye?....neourk neourk perhaps?.......tweet x
Recommend? Yes 1
No 1
-
Marie64
1 post
Jul 26, 15:18
Report commentThese birds are becoming an absolute nuisance. At first, it was just a joke with everybody having a laugh about them but now they seem to be getting worse. I was out with our dog last night and was attacked by 3 gulls. There were so many flying about it was hard to keep an eye on them all. Very frightening!!
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
-
redrobin
285 posts
Jul 27, 20:21
Report commentMarie64..know how u feel..I live no where near the seaside but they are all over my roof...at 5.30 am and all day.....I am sure Alfred Hitchcock has something to do with it! Do what I do to try to scare em off...I have a cardboard cut out of one of our previous prime ministers and I place it in my garden..u know it's not working cos there is a gull sitting on it right now..ah well thought it might work!
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.
