Free gull nest take away offer

MONIFIETH and Carnoustie residents have been reminded that a service to prevent seagulls nesting is offered by Angus Council.

For public health and safety, the council will remove nests and eggs, free of charge, from domestic properties during the spring.

Once the chicks leave the nest, parent gulls can become very aggressive in a bid to protect them.

There i s nothing the council can do to prevent this, as the birds are protected by law.

The only thing that can be done is to avoid the chicks as much as possible and wait until they have left the area.

If they are using a property, the council strongly recommends that the owners consider options to prevent them returning in the future.

It is possible to prevent nest-building by using measures such as spikes, nets and wires.

Residents can also help to tackle the nuisance that gulls cause by not feeding them, and properly disposing of litter and food waste.

To request this service, contact ACCESSLine on 03452 777778.

Last y e a r, A n g u s Council’s environmental and consumer protection team had dealt with around 300 requests to remove gull nests by July.

Problems encountered by residents i ncluded noise caused by the birds, mess from droppings and damage to property, with gulls picking at roofing materials and nesting in gutters.