Beating the gulls at their own game…

Some people don’t like the seagulls and insist there should be a gull cull – but let’s face it – the gulls were here long before we filled the place up with our rubbish in thin-skinned bin bags. Gulls have always been scavengers, it’s just a shame that our human detritus and left-over junk food is more of a lure for them than the fish heads on the beach. Erica Smith thinks she’s found a solution…

If you are in a street with communal bins, or you’ve got your own wheelie bin to deal with, you might not like the imposed system, but at least it is gull-proof. However, most streets in central Hastings and St Leonards still have a weekly collection, which means bin bags often have to be left out on the street for hours before the collection arrives. That means there’s plenty of time for hungry gulls to patrol the streets and rip the tastiest bags to shreds, revealing old bones, cat food tins, used nappies and all the other tasty detritus of daily life.

But there is a simple solution, and one that we probably all have to hand… simply tucking an old sheet or duvet cover or curtain over the bin bags makes the gulls (and carrion crows) move on to find easier pickings. Do try this at home – it works!

Cartoon © Cathy Simpson

Also in: 1067 & All That