It is 9am in a quiet west nation housing property and on rooftops all over the place the bane of Royal Mail is eying up potential targets.
Often called ‘The Membership’, the colony of herring gulls has turn into so aggressive in direction of postal staff that some deliveries are being suspended with out discover.
Residents say the nesting birds dive-bomb anybody they contemplate a menace to their younger, claiming at the least one postman has been noticed donning a security helmet earlier than venturing into the Poldhu Highway and Cardinnis Gardens space of Liskeard, Cornwall.
One other is claimed to have swapped his crimson uniform for ‘beige and gray colors’ within the perception that crimson antagonises the gulls.
There have additionally been stories of 1 drawing blood after swooping to peck a postman on the top.
Often called ‘The Membership’, the colony of herring gulls has turn into so aggressive in direction of postal staff that some deliveries are being suspended with out discover
Residents say the nesting birds dive-bomb anybody they contemplate a menace to their younger, claiming at the least one postman has been noticed donning a security helmet
The chaos in taking place on Poldhu Highway and Cardinnis Gardens space of Liskeard, Cornwall
Some locals blame their neighbours for encouraging the birds to remain – both by intentionally feeding them or failing to place luggage of garbage into council-supplied wheely bins.
However others consider the gull menace has merely intensified as the scale of the colony has grown to over 60 birds.
They declare they face every day disruption from aerial assaults and showers of gull excrement on paths, gardens and vehicles.
Grocery store employee Sarah Hunkin, 45, mentioned: ‘I’ve lived right here 17 years and I’ve by no means seen it as unhealthy as this.
‘This was once a pleasant, tidy property. Now the mess from the gulls is all over the place.
‘Within the breeding season it’s actually onerous to sleep. You hear their ft tapping throughout your roof and so they screech in the midst of the night time
‘They nest on roofs and when their younger fall to the bottom it units them off. They see anybody approaching as a menace and so they fly to the rescue.
‘It is reached the purpose the place you do not even wish to stroll out to your automobile in case you come below assault.’
Grocery store employee Sarah Hunkin, 45, mentioned: ‘I’ve lived right here 17 years and I’ve by no means seen it as unhealthy as this’
Some locals blame their neighbours for encouraging the birds to remain – both by intentionally feeding them or failing to place luggage of garbage into council-supplied wheely bins
The gull menace has merely intensified as the scale of the colony has grown to over 60 birds
Native gardening contractor Justin Pote mentioned: ‘They fly in low like they’re bombing you. It feels just like the council ought to rename this the Barnes-Wallis property.
‘As soon as the infants have hatched the whole lot goes quiet for a number of weeks. Then the younger begin leaving the rooftop nests and fall to the bottom.
‘Should you occur to be close by when that occurs, be careful. The dad and mom will see you as a menace and assault.’
However Mr Pote, 50, added: ‘This can be a individuals drawback, not a gull drawback.
‘Everybody has been given wheely bins however some nonetheless persist in placing out meals waste in plastic luggage. The gulls rip these to shreds – it is simpler to go for leftovers than to catch fish and crabs.
‘We had three breeding seasons final 12 months and in order that has clearly elevated numbers.’
A girl visiting her aged mom mentioned she had repeatedly requested Cornwall Council to assist deter the birds from nesting.
‘The council is not though that is affecting individuals’s every day lives,’ she mentioned.
‘Final week I met one postman who informed me he’d swapped his regular uniform for impartial colors – gray and beige – as a result of he’d been informed gulls do not like crimson.
‘It appears ridiculous that it has come to this.’
Rose Dawson along with her Chihuahua which was attacked by seagulls. She discovered her beloved chihuahua Ceri barking madly at a gull which was ‘on her again within the backyard’
A girl visiting her aged mom mentioned she had repeatedly requested Cornwall Council to assist deter the birds from nesting
Sheila Seccombe, 63, mentioned: ‘There’s completely nothing improper with having gulls round. ‘Should you feed them, what do you count on’
Charlie Ball, who has lived on the property for ten years, mentioned: ‘Up to now, one postman was left with blood operating down his face after a gull assault.
‘And this 12 months we have seen one sporting a masks and helmet on his rounds.
‘Some individuals convey the issue on themselves. One girl places out a plate of meals for them at 5pm each afternoon.’
Rose Dawson, 78, informed how she discovered her beloved chihuahua Ceri barking madly at a gull which was ‘on her again within the backyard’.
She mentioned: ‘ It did upset Ceri. However she quickly obtained over it.
‘The gulls do not actually trouble me. I take advantage of a brolly to get from the door to my sunshade within the backyard. That appears to work.
‘I do surprise in the event that they get to know us locals and resolve we’re not an issue. They’re marvellous dad and mom. They’re going to do something to guard their younger.’
One examine, commissioned by Liskeard City Council six years in the past, counted 151 seagulls within the city – virtually all herring gulls
Carol Kent, 66, mentioned she would do something she might to defend the birds proper to nest domestically
In his report chook professional Peter Rock mentioned they have been notably interested in asbestos roofs – widespread within the Poldhu district – as a result of these supplied stability for nests
One resident, who requested to not be named, mentioned the neighborhood had been deeply divided by the presence of the gulls.
‘There’s discuss that one man is threatening to shoot them with a BB gun,’ he mentioned
‘That’s utterly unacceptable. They seem to be a protected species. We should always dwell and let dwell.’
Sheila Seccombe, 63, mentioned: ‘There’s completely nothing improper with having gulls round.
‘Should you feed them, what do you count on.’
And Carol Kent, 66, mentioned she would do something she might to defend the birds proper to nest domestically.
‘I am all for them,’ she mentioned. ‘Some individuals will moan about something. Will they be complaining concerning the badgers and the foxes subsequent?’
The seabirds, who’ve nested in giant numbers on quite a few residential streets aggressively defend their children once they start to hatch and depart the nest
In a letter to residents final week Royal Mail’s buyer operations supervisor for the Liskeard depot, Ryan Lean, wrote: ‘As you might bear in mind, we’re at present experiencing some difficulties safely delivering to you and your neighbour’
In a letter to residents final week Royal Mail’s buyer operations supervisor for the Liskeard depot, Ryan Lean, wrote: ‘As you might bear in mind, we’re at present experiencing some difficulties safely delivering to you and your neighbour resulting from seagulls within the space swooping at supply workers to guard their younger.
‘The aim of this letter is to firstly advise you of the problems we’re experiencing but additionally to guarantee you that we’ll proceed to try deliveries day-after-day.’
In reality most residents interviewed by Mail On-line confirmed that deliveries had not been considerably affected.
One examine, commissioned by Liskeard City Council six years in the past, counted 151 seagulls within the city – virtually all herring gulls.
In his report chook professional Peter Rock mentioned they have been notably interested in asbestos roofs – widespread within the Poldhu district – as a result of these supplied stability for nests.
He mentioned any giant assortment of city gulls – often called ‘The Membership’ – noticed roofs as ‘a spot the place they’ll relaxation of their down-time from different duties reminiscent of incubation with out having to face issues of territoriality.’
A Royal Mail spokesperson mentioned: ‘The constant supply of mail and the security of our staff are two of our highest priorities. We now have written to residents to guarantee everybody that deliveries proceed to be made day-after-day.
‘Nevertheless, on events the place it isn’t attainable to make a supply safely, we’ll try to ship the next day.’
Cornwall Council and Liskeard City Council have been contacted for remark.
