Seagulls

kennyb3

Anyone know of someone to contact to put up a wired cage around a chimney to stop seagulls nesting?

PaulD77

Your man from Texaco in Balbriggan should be able to help

MugMugs

kennyb3 wrote: »

Anyone know of someone to contact to put up a wired cage around a chimney to stop seagulls nesting?

A wired cage?

How about a standard Chimney Cowl?

Most sweeps will put them on for you

OpenYourEyes

Whatever you do, make sure you do it when there are no Gulls nesting or you could end up in court! The time to do it is when they're gone so that they can't come back next year and nest!

(you quite possibly realise this, but no harm in emphasising it!)

kennyb3

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Whatever you do, make sure you do it when there are no Gulls nesting or you could end up in court! The time to do it is when they're gone so that they can't come back next year and nest!

(you quite possibly realise this, but no harm in emphasising it!)

Thanks I do realise that, it's for after nesting season, and before the next one.

kennyb3

MugMugs wrote: »

A wired cage?

How about a standard Chimney Cowl?

Most sweeps will put them on for you

Thanks. The cowl seems to cover the chimney itself but it appears they are nesting behind.

I've seen wired off cages behind chimneys to stop them getting in there but finding it hard to find out where to get them etc.

sgarvan

I made the one behind my chimney with chicken wire and placed it there myself.

I now have to make another one for the side of my chimney as they have nested there this year.

What really annoys me about these birds is that they are protected while nesting, where as when my 3 year old climbs up his slide the birds swoop down at him. Almost clipped him the other day. No protection for children playing. If my son is clipped the nest will be removed before the chicks are ready.

Morpheus

You need to discourage them as soon as they begin appearing regularly and "courting" on the roof but before theyve nested or laid eggs.
Best methods are persitently driving them off through the use of a high power water hose that can reach them and spray them away each time they come back, if they swoop you then spray them as they swoop. a few days of this and they wont hang around.

I may get slated, but also found that a childs toy pellet gun of very low power works. actually tested it on my bare legs from 5 feet away to ensure that its WELL below 1 joule, as i dont want to injure or kill them, you don't have to hit them at all either, just annoy them by firing at the roof around them etc, but honestly the water spray method should work fine if you've enough pressure to spray your roof.

You can get a decoy too but the jurys out on wether these work... or you could just become a falconer

PaulD77

sgarvan wrote: »

I made the one behind my chimney with chicken wire and placed it there myself.

I now have to make another one for the side of my chimney as they have nested there this year.

What really annoys me about these birds is that they are protected while nesting, where as when my 3 year old climbs up his slide the birds swoop down at him. Almost clipped him the other day. No protection for children playing. If my son is clipped the nest will be removed before the chicks are ready.

I've heard a few stories about a fishing line, some bread on the hook, and your child having the best kite they have ever had! You didnt hear it from me though.

Had a coffee and cake yesterday in seasons in Skerries. A seagull stood on the roof of a car watching us as we ate. As soon as we stood up it was on the move, trying to find scraps on the table. These are becoming vermin and the sooner the protection is lifted from them the better

Morpheus

They are protected for a reason. I dont advocate killing them any longer having done research on the matter. but there needs to be some form of a solution or compromise. they need to be discouraged from nesting in highly populated areas if possible.

PaulD77

Not being smart, but why are they protected?

CorsendonkX

PaulD77 wrote: »

Not being smart, but why are they protected?

Simple answer :The breeding population is in decline. They are scavengers, mainly fishing boats and tips and with the decline of coastal fishing and better management of dumps, less food available for them. Also outbreaks of Botulism among the gull population from the tips is thought to have had an effect on the populations. I believe that is the case with the Herring Gull population in Lambay when Balleally was open.


Some UK data
http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2887

The loss of the gulls traditional food sources has probably made them more bold in their scavenging. Adopt or die!

Morpheus

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19490866

Love them or loathe them, seagulls are as much a part of the seaside as a bucket and spade and ice cream. But why are so many seagulls increasingly found in inland towns and cities?

Traditionally, the birds have lived around water, some inland by rivers and reservoirs. But their high-pitched call is now increasingly being heard in towns and cities far from the coast and many have given up living near water entirely.

Experts say the number of urban seagulls is increasing because nesting on the roofs of office blocks and houses means they can avoid predators such as foxes and, as a result, more chicks survive.

It is also argued food waste in landfill sites and discarded on urban streets provides a ready supply of meals for them.

<Sherlock-snip>

also here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/06/urban-seagull-numbers-falling

and here:

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=declining+numbers+of+herring+gull :P

cathy01

Friend of mine is going to be doing them. He's doing it for one of the girls . He will remove the empty nest , only if its empty and no longer in use .and put wire around the chimney . I'm not sure what he charges I'd say about. €70 not bad when its between two neighbours if you can. If anyone wants his number pm me.

kennyb3

Op, bumping this - still haven't found a company person to do this and they'll be back soon. Any help appreciated.

sgarvan

Dont know if these will come and fit but I purchased seagull spikes from them and they will be put up around my chimney in the next week or so as February is the time the birds start looking for nesting areas.

http://www.owlpestcontrol.ie/

sgarvan

The Seagull Spikes above got fitted today. Hopefully that is the end of those vermin on my roof.

cathy01

sgarvan wrote: »

The Seagull Spikes above got fitted today. Hopefully that is the end of those vermin on my roof.

Hie much where the spikes .look interesting they might stop them walking up to the attic window and pecking on it .

sgarvan

All in the link I posted above.

cbreeze

a roof which slopes down to a chimney is very attractive to them, as is the space between chimney pots if there are four of them

sgarvan

A lot of seagull activity on the roofs of houses in my area (not my own thank god)

So if anyone wants to deter them from nesting get a move on.

Wishbone Ash

Hi,

I moved to Skerries last month and am being plagued by noisy seagulls. They have nested on my roof and seem to enjoy pecking on the Velux windows from around 3am onwards.

Has anyone contact details of someone who will remove the nest when it's empty and install preventative measures for the future.

Thanks.