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Moray wildlife: Gull 'menace' has to be tackled


By Alistair Whitfield

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A series of seagull attacks have led a father and son to call for an Elgin-wide response to the issue.

Neil Sandison and Fraser (17) say they have been repeatedly targeted by two particularly aggressive birds.

Fraser Sandison and father Neil are concerned about the seagulls that are nesting and swooping in the Bishopmill area of Elgin...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
Fraser Sandison and father Neil are concerned about the seagulls that are nesting and swooping in the Bishopmill area of Elgin...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

Indeed, as they spoke to the Northern Scot at the scene just off Spynie Street in Bishopmill, the gulls swooped several times.

Fraser has been delivering papers around the area for the past couple of years.

The former Elgin Academy pupil said: "I didn't used to mind seagulls at all, but I've found myself growing to absolutely hate them.

"I defy anyone to think differently after they have been swooped so many times."

The teenager's last encounter came one evening this week when one of the birds flew within inches of his face.

He said: "It's frightening. I had to snap my neck back at the last second to avoid it.

"Seagulls are fine on the cliff tops because that's their natural habitat.

"But they are called seagulls – they should be living by the sea, not in Elgin.

"It's too late to do anything about the problem this year because their eggs have hatched.

"But it really needs a concerted effort next year to control their numbers."

Fraser Sandison and father Neil are concerned about the seagulls that are nesting and swooping in the Bishopmill area of Elgin...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
Fraser Sandison and father Neil are concerned about the seagulls that are nesting and swooping in the Bishopmill area of Elgin...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

That is a view echoed by Fraser's dad Neil, who works at Dr Gray's Hospital.

He said: "I sometimes do Fraser's paper round for him on a Saturday so that he can have a lie-in.

"Sadly I don't move as quickly as him and the seagulls have ended up making actual contact with me three times now.

"It's a really unpleasant experience.

"There are quite a few older folk living around here, and it's them that I worry about in particular."

Since April Moray Council has operated a scheme which allows residents in New Elgin, Elgin City Centre and Lesmurdie to have nests and unhatched eggs removed from the roofs of their houses.

This scheme will run until the end of July.

Mr Sandison hopes that next year the scheme will be widened to include the whole of the town.

Fraser Sandison and father Neil are concerned about the seagulls that are nesting and swooping in the Bishopmill area of Elgin...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
Fraser Sandison and father Neil are concerned about the seagulls that are nesting and swooping in the Bishopmill area of Elgin...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

He said: "At the hospital we have a licensed contractor who comes in and clears the roof every year.

"Otherwise, it's not a safe environment for patients, visitors or our medical staff.

"Obviously Elgin is a much bigger area, but a blanket approach is the only way we're going to reduce the gull population.

"I know of some people in Elgin who feed gulls – and I really wish they wouldn't.

"Likewise, I wish we could all be a bit more careful about dropping litter.

"Of course, these birds are only protecting their nests but some of them are really vicious.

"In fact, this particular pair on Spynie Street are like a couple of little pterodactyls – they're absolutely horrible."

Fraser Sandison and father Neil are concerned about the seagulls that are nesting and swooping in the Bishopmill area of Elgin...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
Fraser Sandison and father Neil are concerned about the seagulls that are nesting and swooping in the Bishopmill area of Elgin...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

A Moray Council spokesperson said: "The gull control pilots this year have taken place thanks to Common Good and local business funding.

"The trials will be reviewed and consideration given at that stage to any future schemes and funding which could support those."


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