Seagulls plague town
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A PLAGUE of gulls are creating a nuisance throughout Huntly.
Aberdeenshire Council has received complaints from people who live on Steven Road and Depot Road, town centre businesses and workers on the industrial estate.
In response, environmental health officers have given businesses and landowners advice on how to reduce the nuisance.
On the industrial estate gulls can be seen on every roof, on portable cabins, lamp posts and signs.
Pipeline Technique has wires in place as a deterrent but there were still signs of nesting. The gulls could be heard screeching well above the noise from work going on.
It is not just at the industrial estate that gulls have reached plague proportions. On King Street birds roosted on Whiskies of Scotland’s premises, and the former telephone exchange on West Park Street rang out with the noise of them.
In the centre of town, a colony of birds living on a roof is understood to be being fed.
Aberdeenshire councillors Gwyneth Petrie and Margo Stewart have both received complaints about the gulls and urge individuals and businesses to do their bit to tackle the menace.
Cllr Petrie said: "The majority of complaints relate to noise and mess. Very soon the birds will have chicks and are known to get more aggressive, sometimes attacking people.
"Some business owners have already taken steps to tackle the issue. There are others who could make a big difference by assessing issues relating to their property and thinking about how best to deal with them this year and in future years."
Cllr Stewart added: "We urge local businesses to seek advice and act as soon as they can to make it more difficult for the seagulls to get comfortable – it’s important to remember this is not their natural habitat and their diet in towns is generally not good for their health.
"This applies to anyone considering feeding the gulls in the town centre. Not only is it adversely affecting the lives of members of the community, but also it generally is not good for the gulls and encourages them to make their home in an environment which is not natural or healthy for them."
