Seagulls: Has anything ever been done?

derekshelvin

Plenty of us don't eat fish and dispose of our waste properly. This is a very small minority of people who are causing this and should be dealt with properly by the law. Tossing food around and dumping bin bags (the ones that are not Barna Waste or Galway City bins, they are a lighter plastic and easier for the birds/rats to get at from what I have seen) illegally around the city is going to give us severe problems down the line and needs to be dealt with now. I'll send a letter as someone suggested about the over-fishing but I will also be raising the issue at a more local level, that is the first step. I'm reading appalling reports this week about growing rats numbers in other cities.

BinBags Solution:
Barna Waste/Galway City Bins provide bird/vermin proof re-usable bin bags.

Dumping bin bags solution:
There's cameras on every street to identify a car that drops a non-registered bin bag somewhere.
Step 1: ID the number plate
Step 2: Court + fine
Step 3: Name in newspaper.

That would soon stop that problem.

Food waste being thrown around town:
- Same solution as above except you can actually see the person's face.
- There could be more education / posters of the health issues involved when people throw food around. Some people do not know the health hazards involved with bird droppings, and don't get me started on rats. Is there any such signage around the city? Google 'Beware the gulls St. Ives'

One of the best things about Galway is the laid back atmosphere but unfortunately a small percentage take advantage of this and feel free to dump what they want where they want. Sure someone else will pick that up. The birds will eat that. That litter bin 4 metres away is too far.

I know someone mentioned that there are often mental health issues involved in the issues I have outlined but in my opinion it is more often blatant ignorance. This is still within our control and can be stopped.

TheBoyConor

Do you have any idea how much money it would cost to install, operate and maintain such a network of CCTV cameras?
It would be railed against as being draconian over-surveilance that even the East German stasi couldn't mobilise.

And it won't work. Cars with obscured/dirty number plates, not visible because of another car or street furninture in the way etc.

Nonsense proposal like most things proposed on this site.

As for enforcing fines against people who throw scraps of food around - how do you propose that to work? We haven't enough gardai to deal with domestic violence, buglaries, rural and elderly crime - they are hardly going to be going around dishing out fines and going to court with fellas who threw a chip or an apple core on the road.
As for litter wardens, they are useless. They are not Gardai. A person could simply refuse to talk to them, give their name as John Johnson of John's Street, Johnstown, or tell them to feck off and there would be literally nothing they could do.

Snow Garden

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Good luck with that except the farmers will lay poison to kill the hawks because they think that hawks and eagles fly off with fully grown cattle

I am pretty sure they are dragons.

Mrs OBumble

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Cars with obscured/dirty number plates, not visible because of another car or street furninture in the way etc.

And bicycles don't have number plates.

TheBoyConor

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Do you have any idea how much money it would cost to install, operate and maintain such a network of CCTV cameras?
It would be railed against as being draconian over-surveilance that even the East German stasi couldn't mobilise.

And it won't work. Cars with obscured/dirty number plates, not visible because of another car or street furninture in the way etc.

Nonsense proposal like most things proposed on this site.

As for enforcing fines against people who throw scraps of food around - how do you propose that to work? We haven't enough gardai to deal with domestic violence, buglaries, rural and elderly crime - they are hardly going to be going around dishing out fines and going to court with fellas who threw a chip or an apple core on the road.
As for litter wardens, they are useless. They are not Gardai. A person could simply refuse to talk to them, give their name as John Johnson of John's Street, Johnstown, or tell them to feck off and there would be literally nothing they could do.

So what is your suggestion?

Personally I'd have no issue with a cull but its not going to happen unfortunately, I'd happy give them lead myself to make up for all the times I've had to wash their sh*t off my car.

TheBoyConor

There is no one silver buller solution. but there are things which may help.
- improve litter bins throughout the city, more of them and a better design that the birds can't get into easily
- more council resources given to street cleaning to pick up any stray scraps and general rubbish around the place
- a ban on businesses just leaving out bags of rubbish - they must either get a proper covered vermin and bird proof bin to put out, or face fines for having rubbish in bags. Could be made a FSAI and Council enforced option.
- cut back the fishing industry which, among other evils, is systematically raping the oceans of the the sea birds proper food source. That is in the hands of the EU and the Irish Government though, not the Council.
That could only ever be brought about if the EU and Irish goverments put in place measures to provide alternative employment for those coming out of the fishing industry if it is to be brought down. You can't just kill and industry and then say best of luck to the thousands employed in it through no fault of their own.
- public education and media campaign to bring people along in not giving food to the gulls, either intentionally or unintentionally

Talk of culls and shooting is nonsense. They are a protected species. That is not going to change. Ever. I don't know has a species ever been de-protected but even if it has, it would be a very rare thing to happen. And de-proetecting a species is one thing, going on to declare a policy to cull said formerly protected species is an even greater flight of fancy, a leap into the ridicuous realm of fantasy for anyone in the know about such matters.
A cull of the birds in urban areas would probably decimate the species, as they are concentrated in urban areas nowadays.


my point is, while it may seem a simple issue, it is actually a very very complex one with deep, spreading and intertwining roots when you dig down into it a little.

derekshelvin

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Do you have any idea how much money it would cost to install, operate and maintain such a network of CCTV cameras?
It would be railed against as being draconian over-surveilance that even the East German stasi couldn't mobilise.

And it won't work. Cars with obscured/dirty number plates, not visible because of another car or street furninture in the way etc.

Nonsense proposal like most things proposed on this site.

As for enforcing fines against people who throw scraps of food around - how do you propose that to work? We haven't enough gardai to deal with domestic violence, buglaries, rural and elderly crime - they are hardly going to be going around dishing out fines and going to court with fellas who threw a chip or an apple core on the road.
As for litter wardens, they are useless. They are not Gardai. A person could simply refuse to talk to them, give their name as John Johnson of John's Street, Johnstown, or tell them to feck off and there would be literally nothing they could do.

What about the education angle I suggested; informing people / signs in public outlining the negatives of dumping food, how do you feel about that? I am trying to figure out whether or not you think this is a lost cause that will inevitably get worse without attempting some local measures.

Some excellent suggestions made above this post.

PhilOssophy

derekshelvin wrote: »

What about the education angle I suggested; informing people / signs in public outlining the negatives of dumping food, how do you feel about that? I am trying to figure out whether or not you think this is a lost cause that will inevitably get worse without attempting some local measures.

Some excellent suggestions made above this post.

If people don't have enough brain power to know you shouldn't litter, they are probably beyond education

newuser99999

?Cee?view wrote: »

Around town as well, there's that lady that leaves food out for birds. For a good while, I thought it was vomit I was seeing until I realised she throws large amounts of what looks like porridge oats, which gets wet. I believe the poor woman has mental health issues and doesn't take kindly to being asked to stop the feeding.

She’s here now in Eyre Square feeding them chips from Supermacs. It’s a miserable site and so irritating.

GalwayGaillimh

Well the Hawk Kite deterrent solution does not work saw one installed recently in city center and it did not bother the seagulls one bit at all supposedly meant to scare them off for a 2 Km radius.
Root cause is rubbish being left out...

JustAThought

And utter
intolerance and ignorance.

Imagine - living by the sea and in a small town/‘city’by yhe sea with marinas and fishing fleets and not wanting any seagulls around. Jesus wept. Maybe we can take the grassplains out of Africa and just keep a few elephants - in cages.

zell12

Do they serve gull burger/steaks?

derekshelvin

JustAThought wrote: »

And utter
intolerance and ignorance.

Imagine - living by the sea and in a small town/‘city’by yhe sea with marinas and fishing fleets and not wanting any seagulls around. Jesus wept. Maybe we can take the grassplains out of Africa and just keep a few elephants - in cages.

I know we will always have seagulls and rats in Galway. I'm intolerant of a growing pest(s) problem and the possibility of my children getting a disease from them. I'm proposing some suggestions on how we try to curtail it. It's what humans do, we curtail things to make our lives safer. What is your suggestion? I hope I do not sound rude :-)

John_Rambo

"Won't someone think of the children and the diseases they'll get from seagulls?"

Said no-one. Ever.

Siunn.c

wrong thread

Paddico

Anyone know why the hoors are protected.
Its not like they are going extinct

Storm 10

Paddico wrote: »

Anyone know why the hoors are protected.
Its not like they are going extinct

That is the problem they are declining big time due to over fishing so no food they die except for the townie birds, years ago Mutton Island would have large colonies of Gulls when times were good sure even the Spratt and Mackerel are disappearing

derekshelvin

There needs to be more/bigger bins around the city. This was Eyre Square this evening and it won't be cleaned up until the council go around in the morning after 5am. All I am suggesting is that some local measures be implemented, this is accelerating the issue.
I hope one of these links works:

https://imgur.com/a/NvjtftI

John_Rambo

derekshelvin wrote: »

There needs to be more/bigger bins around the city. This was Eyre Square this evening and it won't be cleaned up until the council go around in the morning after 5am. All I am suggesting is that some local measures be implemented, this is accelerating the issue.
I hope one of these links works:

https://imgur.com/a/NvjtftI

If the council put skips with lids on them they'd be overflowing. The onus is on humans to bring their rubbish home with them in bags and put them in their paid for rubbish disposal. It's simple civic responsibility and Covid restrictions points to locals. Can't blame tourism on this one folks.

Paddico

derekshelvin wrote: »

There needs to be more/bigger bins around the city. This was Eyre Square this evening and it won't be cleaned up until the council go around in the morning after 5am. All I am suggesting is that some local measures be implemented, this is accelerating the issue.
I hope one of these links works:

https://imgur.com/a/NvjtftI

Thats right beside the stone bench where a girl was giving oral sex to some guy for over 4 minutes in full view of everyone in broad daylight

whisky_galore

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I've gone off seagulls massively since I saw one attack a small bird and eat it in the road on my estate. Someone tried to scare it away with a stick but it wasn't budging.
They've definitely got braver and scarier. I really wouldn't them around my house now at all.
There must be some less cruel method than spikes to deter them though.

Normal prey, the gull has to eat just like you or me.
Get over it.

John_Rambo

John_Rambo wrote: »

If the council put skips with lids on them they'd be overflowing. The onus is on humans to bring their rubbish home with them in bags and put them in their paid for rubbish disposal. It's simple civic responsibility and Covid restrictions points to locals. Can't blame tourism on this one folks.

We are paying for bins in public also so we should have a service to match. I am of course not saying anyone should throw rubbish on the ground and should bring it home if necessary but it should not be necessary there should be ample bins provided and emptied regularly. It’s a mad and impractical suggestion to expect people to be bringing their rubbish home all the time.

derekshelvin

https://imgur.com/a/0M7wkhE

Town today. The people doing this are causing the problem at a local level. While most of us will find a bin or take it home, the minority of idiots will not and this is what you get. Disposing of your rubbish properly is as second nature to most of us as putting on a seat belt, while others would just eat their food and leave it like this. All I can think of now is more and bigger bins that are emptied more often and signs informing people about the implications of feeding seagulls and rats. Some pictures on the signs too in case these people cannot read (seriously).

GrumpyMe

No pics but I was up at The Square over the weekend and there were gulls and fast food remains all over the place.

Veronica Qk

My daughter and her friend were attacked by about 20 seagulls earlier on today. They had just started eating their fish and chips on the bench. They are 8. All of us are really shaken by what happened. It was like a scene from the birds. I am amazed they came out without a scratch.

fergiesfolly

Sorry to hear that Veronica. Hope your daughter is ok.
I have noticed that the gulls are becoming a lot more brazen in recent times. The flocks seem to be getting bigger too.

Una1981

Veronica Qk wrote: »

My daughter and her friend were attacked by about 20 seagulls earlier on today. They had just started eating their fish and chips on the bench. They are 8. All of us are really shaken by what happened. It was like a scene from the birds. I am amazed they came out without a scratch.

That sounds awful, I've noticed them become much more aggressive over the last year. Have you reported this to City Council? Some of the ideas mentioned in this thread might come into effect if enough awareness is raised

JCX BXC

Lots of rats around the city, more than I've ever noticed before.

Storm 10

Una1981 wrote: »

That sounds awful, I've noticed them become much more aggressive over the last year. Have you reported this to City Council? Some of the ideas mentioned in this thread might come into effect if enough awareness is raised

Will not make any difference the are a protected bird as I said before we are the ones to blame for this by wiping out their food source in the sea by over fishing. Its a problem all over Europe not just here.

Doctors room ghost

JCX BXC wrote: »

Lots of rats around the city, more than I've ever noticed before.

Might be the recent rain driving them out of drains etc.also a great year for breeding sow rats.weather suited them.
Brian plummer has great books on rats and catching them.he invented the plummer terrier.

derekshelvin

You can keep arguing that "we are to blame" for over fishing but at a local level, these pictures will give you an insight of what is not helping. I am not being rude but can you see that people feeding wildlife in a city and weak bin bags are not helping?

derekshelvin

Two other photos

Man Vs ManUre

One of these cheeky buggers swooped down and nabbed a few of my chips on Dun Laoighre strand. Now I bring a catapult and try to shoot down as many as I can before they can get anywhere near my chips or 99. Have managed to hit a few but unfortunately not yet the same guy who got my chips.

Storm 10

derekshelvin wrote: »

You can keep arguing that "we are to blame" for over fishing but at a local level, these pictures will give you an insight of what is not helping. I am not being rude but can you see that people feeding wildlife in a city and weak bin bags are not helping?

Those are pigeons Seagulls would not touch that but I agree about the feeding, there is a person going around areas of the City and leaving feed for them every day. Surprised the City Council would not talk to her about this.

buzz11

biko wrote: »

Drop the discussion about the bird lady please. She is a private individual.

Storm 10 wrote: »

Those are pigeons Seagulls would not touch that but I agree about the feeding, there is a person going around areas of the City and leaving feed for them every day. Surprised the City Council would not talk to her about this.

For some reason its been asked not to discuss the lady who spreads the oats and who's behavior causes a public nuisance, litter, vermin etc etc

derekshelvin

buzz11 wrote: »

For some reason its been asked not to discuss the lady who spreads the oats and who's behavior causes a public nuisance, litter, vermin etc etc

https://extra.ie/2019/11/19/news/irish-news/a-pensioner-prosecuted-feeding-pigeons

Nobody should be above the law. We are all paying council tax like clowns to keep the city clean while this goes on. The streets are destroyed with marks from oats, not to mention all the bird droppings around it.

The gentleman in the article above was just feeding pigeons outside his home. The pigeons in Galway are being routinely fed with oats all over the city every day. Imagine what that is attracting each day and night. And we wonder why Galway has so many rats.

The laws around protecting birds are strict, and they should be strict for this behaviour too.

dePeatrick

I see people feeding pigeons and then the gulls come in...feeding birds in public parks should be banned.

Not Galway related, but I was in Howth this morning at 6am. The noise, and I mean non-stop, overly loud, screeching noise from the Seagulls was fcuking ridiculous. Completely changed my view of the area. Dunno how anyone gets a decent sleep there at all. Even if you slap some good windows in, they're walking all over the roofs of the houses.

The Drogheda Retail Park have loudspeakers on the roofs of shops (most notably Harvey Norman) playing the noise of predator birds (just sounds like a load of random squawking to me) and it's supposed to deter the seagulls (even though it just sounds like more seagulls). I do think it seems to be of some use, though, as there doesn't seem to be a massive seagull issue there, though I do believe they are smart enough to eventually cop on it's just a speaker.

dePeatrick

dePeatrick wrote: »

I see people feeding pigeons and then the gulls come in...feeding birds in public parks should be banned.

Just to add, I came back to my car this evening and it was covered in pigeon and gull ****, was just after washing it. Saw someone in park feeding the birds, seems it is a daily occurrence.

dePeatrick

monty_python wrote: »

Dude, it's a seagull. Relax your cax

Where do you think bird flu came from? That's just one of the many diseases particularly pigeons pass on in their droppings.

Mrs OBumble

Deleted User wrote: »

Not Galway related, but I was in Howth this morning at 6am. The noise, and I mean non-stop, overly loud, screeching noise from the Seagulls was fcuking ridiculous. Completely changed my view of the area. Dunno how anyone gets a decent sleep there at all. Even if you slap some good windows in, they're walking all over the roofs of the houses.

The Drogheda Retail Park have loudspeakers on the roofs of shops (most notably Harvey Norman) playing the noise of predator birds (just sounds like a load of random squawking to me) and it's supposed to deter the seagulls (even though it just sounds like more seagulls). I do think it seems to be of some use, though, as there doesn't seem to be a massive seagull issue there, though I do believe they are smart enough to eventually cop on it's just a speaker.

Galway city centre before the restaurants opened up was similar: they were all yelling "where's my feckin' chips".

Eyre Square carpark has similar speakers. Not sure how effective they are.

thesandeman

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The Drogheda Retail Park have loudspeakers on the roofs of shops (most notably Harvey Norman) playing the noise of predator birds (just sounds like a load of random squawking to me) and it's supposed to deter the seagulls (even though it just sounds like more seagulls).

Are you sure that it wasn't just the guy doing the radio ad for Harvey Norman?

bilbot79

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Not Galway related, but I was in Howth this morning at 6am. The noise, and I mean non-stop, overly loud, screeching noise from the Seagulls was fcuking ridiculous. Completely changed my view of the area. Dunno how anyone gets a decent sleep there at all. Even if you slap some good windows in, they're walking all over the roofs of the houses.

The Drogheda Retail Park have loudspeakers on the roofs of shops (most notably Harvey Norman) playing the noise of predator birds (just sounds like a load of random squawking to me) and it's supposed to deter the seagulls (even though it just sounds like more seagulls). I do think it seems to be of some use, though, as there doesn't seem to be a massive seagull issue there, though I do believe they are smart enough to eventually cop on it's just a speaker.

I think the far side of Ireland's Eye is a huge nesting site for them. You're in their backyard. Leave them be

John_Rambo

dePeatrick wrote: »

Where do you think bird flu came from? That's just one of the many diseases particularly pigeons pass on in their droppings.

Who told you that? I'm presuming a pest control company, how many people do you know caught avian flu from pigeons or seagulls in Ireland or anywhere else?

dePeatrick

John_Rambo wrote: »

Who told you that? I'm presuming a pest control company, how many people do you know caught avian flu from pigeons or seagulls in Ireland or anywhere else?

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/index.htm

Also some information on the types of disease birds spread.

https://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/birds/common-bird-parasites-diseases

As you can see birds are in fact the source of bird flu and they spread a lot of other diseases. Alongside this feeding pigeons just inflates the population until it is unsustainable. I am a nature lover and I have bird feeders in my garden, I am meticulous about cleaning them and always washing my hands after handling them. I have hundreds of birds around my garden, I have allocated large spaces to grow completely wild mostly with brambles and trees to facilate birds. I also have fruit bushes and trees that I leave to the birds for food.

There has been a pair of pigeons nesting in a tree close to the house for over 30 years now, not the same ones of course but I do not feed them at all so their population remains balanced.

John_Rambo

John_Rambo wrote: »

Who told you that? I'm presuming a pest control company, how many people do you know caught avian flu from pigeons or seagulls in Ireland or anywhere else?

Why people feel the need to defend these vermin I’ve no idea, sky rats both of them along with crows and all the trouble they cause in the countryside at least we can shoot crows though or use other means to control them.

gally74

Release more eagles,,, problem solved

John_Rambo

Lillianna Obedient Spareribs wrote: »

Why people feel the need to defend these vermin I’ve no idea, sky rats both of them along with crows and all the trouble they cause in the countryside at least we can shoot crows though or use other means to control them.

You're confused, I'm not defending feral pigeons, if you ever owned property, particularly in a city you'd really appreciate what a pain they are! I'm just telling the poster that they're not spreading avian flu throughout Galway.

buzz11

It seems daft that signs are required but it would be no harm to educate people

John_Rambo

dePeatrick wrote: »

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/index.htm

Also some information on the types of disease birds spread.

https://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/birds/common-bird-parasites-diseases

As you can see birds are in fact the source of bird flu and they spread a lot of other diseases. Alongside this feeding pigeons just inflates the population until it is unsustainable. I am a nature lover and I have bird feeders in my garden, I am meticulous about cleaning them and always washing my hands after handling them. I have hundreds of birds around my garden, I have allocated large spaces to grow completely wild mostly with brambles and trees to facilate birds. I also have fruit bushes and trees that I leave to the birds for food.

There has been a pair of pigeons nesting in a tree close to the house for over 30 years now, not the same ones of course but I do not feed them at all so their population remains balanced.

The ones nesting in your tree are most likely wood pigeon, not feral pigeons.

You're going to be ok, you won't catch bird flu from pigeons or seagulls.