Chamber
Plenary, 07 Nov 2002
07 Nov 2002 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Seagulls <br />(Nuisance to Communities)
Close encounters of the gull variety. In Edinburgh, just about every night, Hitchcockesque flocks darken the skies, screaming and apparently driving away flocks of the innocent little sparrows that we hardly see any more. I have no scientific evidence for that; only the experience of what I have seen with my own eyes.
In the summer, I took the boat up the Forth to Inchcolm with a friend. We got on to the island and a sign told us to beware of the gulls in the nesting season. It was August, but the birds had not read the notice. We started to walk up the path and had gone only a short distance when a great big fella—I presume that it was a male gull, given its attitude—dived down from the sky and hit my friend on the head. It is funny when it happens to someone else. Our walk was short. We spent the rest of the time watching other people and seeing how far they could penetrate the heather up the hill. They should change the notice on Inchcolm for a start. The birds have not learned to read.
The gulls around Eyemouth are enormous. They strut their stuff. They know something that we seem not to. They are large, aggressive bully boys with two-inch beaks. They do not move over for people. If people have any wisdom they tend to circle round them.
I searched the web for a quotation about gulls, and found this:
"One of my cats had his bottom pecked by a gull recently, showing a breathtaking disregard for the conventional ‘pecking order' attached to physique."
There we go. I am a cat owner. If our cats are not safe, heaven knows.
Gulls are not at fault. The little website told me that gull numbers are down, but the point is that more of them are moving into areas where people are and they are causing trouble. I will not address the fishing issue—it is about scavenging. We are to blame for aggressive gulls, because we are the dirtiest animals on the planet. If members walk up and down any city street they will see pizza cartons with bits of pizza in them. The gulls are waiting for that. Humans are the only animals that I know that litter their own homes. I presume that baby gull watches mummy and daddy gull getting tougher and develops an attitude towards people.
Prevention is better than anything else. However, in the interim, I accept what RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have to say—they recognise that there is a problem—about the fact that any way of dealing with these creatures has to be humane. We must deal with them, if only to protect the odd cat.
In the summer, I took the boat up the Forth to Inchcolm with a friend. We got on to the island and a sign told us to beware of the gulls in the nesting season. It was August, but the birds had not read the notice. We started to walk up the path and had gone only a short distance when a great big fella—I presume that it was a male gull, given its attitude—dived down from the sky and hit my friend on the head. It is funny when it happens to someone else. Our walk was short. We spent the rest of the time watching other people and seeing how far they could penetrate the heather up the hill. They should change the notice on Inchcolm for a start. The birds have not learned to read.
The gulls around Eyemouth are enormous. They strut their stuff. They know something that we seem not to. They are large, aggressive bully boys with two-inch beaks. They do not move over for people. If people have any wisdom they tend to circle round them.
I searched the web for a quotation about gulls, and found this:
"One of my cats had his bottom pecked by a gull recently, showing a breathtaking disregard for the conventional ‘pecking order' attached to physique."
There we go. I am a cat owner. If our cats are not safe, heaven knows.
Gulls are not at fault. The little website told me that gull numbers are down, but the point is that more of them are moving into areas where people are and they are causing trouble. I will not address the fishing issue—it is about scavenging. We are to blame for aggressive gulls, because we are the dirtiest animals on the planet. If members walk up and down any city street they will see pizza cartons with bits of pizza in them. The gulls are waiting for that. Humans are the only animals that I know that litter their own homes. I presume that baby gull watches mummy and daddy gull getting tougher and develops an attitude towards people.
Prevention is better than anything else. However, in the interim, I accept what RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have to say—they recognise that there is a problem—about the fact that any way of dealing with these creatures has to be humane. We must deal with them, if only to protect the odd cat.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S1M-3499, in the name of David Mundell, on nuisance caused by seagulls.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes that seagulls are causing an increasing nuisance in communities across Scotland and believes that the Scottish Executive should dev...
David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
It is apposite that this debate on how to tackle the nuisance caused by gulls in urban areas should follow a debate on quality of life, which has confirmed t...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate David Mundell on raising the issue, because it is serious. Like him, I have noticed that our esteemed press corps has regarded the matter as a...
Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I congratulate David Mundell on securing tonight's debate. There is more than one way to get to the top of the list for members' business; having a common in...
Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green):
Green
Margaret Ewing referred to her husband's experience of being attacked by seagulls when he was running near Lossiemouth, where I used to love to walk. She has...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Close encounters of the gull variety. In Edinburgh, just about every night, Hitchcockesque flocks darken the skies, screaming and apparently driving away flo...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I agree with Christine Grahame's comments about litter louts. Before this, we had a debate on the quality of life in Scotland. One of the things that we all ...
Robin Harper:
Green
Herring gulls are the main problem.
Phil Gallie:
Con
I accept that the herring gull is the main problem, but the black-headed gull can also be a problem and, where it is, that might be a light-hearted solution....
Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (Ind):
Ind
I had not intended to speak. I attended the debate to reduce my ignorance of the subject. I once lived on the coast, but that was in the days when the coast ...
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Allan Wilson):
Lab
I join members in congratulating David Mundell on securing the debate and I thank members for attending. I think that the debate has been time well spent, de...
Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
Someone mentioned the presence of gulls in enormous numbers in the fields where pigs are in the open air, living in little huts. It seems to me that in any i...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
I am happy to do so, although the clear evidence that I have received from the Executive's chief medical officer is that although seagulls are a nuisance, th...
Meeting closed at 17:45.