Quote:
Originally Posted by Hill Walker
To try and answer your questions:-
1) The roof was a flat roof with an edge wall so that things (nests etc) could not be seen from the ground.
2) The roof had various 'plant rooms' built on it which contained the lift motors and ventilation stuff. There were numerous nooks and corners that were ideal for nesting - protected from wind etc. An ideal site for a seagull colony.
3) Anybody going onto the roof would instantly attract the attention of several seagulls, the degree of aggression would increase from bad (before eggs had been laid) to extreme as hatching time became close and stayed at extreme until the chicks were able to fly.
4) Yes simply having sight of a nest caused a reaction.
5) Attacks usually started with a single bird but instantly increased to as many as 10 or more birds.
6) The injuries were a result or falling (not off the roof - 5 floors would probably result in death) whilst ducking and diving to avoid attacks to face or hands.
I cannot answer about the Whinney Hill area as I am not local. Unfortunatly they are bit like some fish, they like to return to previous breeding grounds. Its no good calling the pest control people as they and their nests are protected in law.
A pure guess on my part but the first few gulls would have been visitors who nested and bred elewhere. The first few nests probably would have been made by young birds that had failed to find a suiable spot where their parents nested but had followed them to 'feeding grounds'. The 'danger' is in getting a new colony established if that happens you've got them for years - and they live for quite a few years.
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Gulls generally of which there are 4 common species in England congregate at landfills and tips etc in the winter for food and roost on large reservoirs. But they don't breed at places like that, they will breed on islands on large lakes/reservoirs. They have started to breed on city buildings over last 40 years because there is more easy food in towns especially on the coast, but also in cities away from the sea. Walney Island up near Barrow in Furness has a big gull colony on the sand dunes. Also gulls come here from Europe in the winter.