Swooping seagulls arghhh!!

[twoandcooplease]

I can't be the only person having this problem

The gull babies are early on a few roofs near my house. As gorgeous as the little grey fluff balls may be, their families and protecting gulls are dangerous. They've been in he local paper regularly as people couldn't leave their houses without them swooping at there heads

Years ago my gran carried a brollie over her head for an entire summer walking to the shop and people thought she was nuts but now I'm a victim of the swooping I get it

They've boxed me and the neighbours into a square. It's not safe to walk with the pram. It's not safe for ds. They swooped low at ddog ahead of me and pram and I couldn't do anything but run and hope for the best

If you have dealt with this shit before what did you do?
We're using the car instead of a two minute walk to the park (safe zone) and can't even get to the wee shop up the road as there's a nest on the way
Also, ds is a contact napper or a pram napper. It's very stressful

This is going to get real bazaar but stick with it:
I suffered seagulls nesting on the roof of my flat for 2 years, with the first time it ever swooped actually hitting me on the back of the head when I wasn't watching or expecting. We couldn't leave the flat to go shopping/work or even sit in the garden without them aggressively swooping.

We tried the umbrella's, the noise on your phone and flashlights, nothing worked.
I then seen an advert on the television showcasing a water gun.
So it gave me an idea...Straight to Argos and filled the water gun master blaster beast of a thing with water and every time I went outside I would shoot the water at the swooping seagulls. After around 3/4 days they didn't swoop ever again, just sat on the roof and squawked. After around 10 days I didn't even need the water gun anymore. Once they'd all flew the nest and returned the following year at the same time, the water master blaster was taken out the cupboard and used again, ultimately with the same result.

Go buy a water gun, fill it, blast the flying rats! (It's only water.)

@MBerry1995 thank you for this survivors story. You are so brave and get a huge gold star from me for showing those fuckers who's boss

Thankfully they aren't on my roof but are nested on neighbours close and we're 4 in a row one way, 8 another. The babies are just walking back and forth and adults everywhere watching everything

They are scary. I'm not overreacting. Today I caught one in my garden. Wouldn't ever bother me before but now I'm finding myself staring out the window to check where they are then plan my route accordingly
I have seen videos of swoopers worse than here and have seen injuries to bald men's heads online from their claws!!

I was swooped on yesterday when I was out for a run it’s really frightening I can’t imagine what it’s like having them outside your house, not sure what the solution is but you have my sympathies.

There was someone on our local FB with this problem the other day, similar to yours parent birds attacking some human residents when the babies were fledging. Their solution was the brolly (sorry!). But someone commented saying they have a photographic memory for faces so once they've gone for you once they will perceive you as a threat thereafter.
You could try balloons tied to the pushchair to keep them away. Although I like the water blaster idea! Just read a random thing on The Guardian website saying they don't like being stared in the eyes if you dare!

Bloody things. One went for me the other week when I had the utter brass neck to try to eat a sandwich on the beach. Actually flew inside the sun tent thing. I was so startled and shocked I half punched half shoved it out of my face. Not proud of it but it did bugger off.

For the pushchair - rain cover?
For you - like the water gun idea, especially if brolly not working. In my experience they drop down on you from slightly behind, so angling the brolly that way may be more effective?
Dog. Not sure. How big is the dog? Would he fit in the under push chair basket?

Tennis racket or something to hold up as a shield when you see it coming?

Zorb ball for all of you to get inside? Might make pushing the pram tricky....

From research and personal experience I should have added that they will only swoop when your back is turned to them. An easy trick (and someone did mention to stare in to their eyes) is to basically don't turn away from them and they won't go for you. They may swoop down but not go for the throat.
For the pram, yeah i'd agree on the balloons, make sure they're bright colours.
Seagulls also hate anything reflective so even purchase some reflective tape or reflective sheeting. Even tin foil would probably do! Tape it to the umbrella and attach it to the pram or hold it above your head.

If in doubt, buy the water gun. Let me know how you get on.

If they don't like being stared at, stick two big eyes on the brolly - it works for tigers apparently.

Don't feed them or leave rubbish around that they can get to.

DM’s neighbour feed the buggers, they don’t swoop as further away but boy do they poop, everywhere.