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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

URGENT ADVICE NEEDED re baby herring gulls, destruction of nest, wildlife and countryside act.

28 replies

GullsHelp · 06/06/2018 16:13

Hi all,

Sudden horrible situation has arisen re some baby seagulls on my dad's roof.

Dad is elderly and hates seagulls (lives in area where they are a nuisance) but is not generally cruel. His roof has two parts, a flat bit at the side and the main pitched roof. Me, husband and 6mo baby are visiting dad for a few weeks, been here 2 days.

Scaffolders arrived this morning to start re-roofing pitched section of dads roof, he spoke to them and they started work. We went out for a walk. Coming back from work and standing over the road looking at house, my hubbie has just noticed 3 fluffy baby seagulls and a distressed looking mother wandering about on the pitched part of the roof.

Mentioned to dad who shrugged it off and said 'it's ok as their nest is on the flat bit, only the pitched bit is being re-roofed.". Husband has had a look and the flat but is covered in scaffolding supplies, nest destroyed.

I am aware of the wildlife and countryside act, a law has been broken, the baby birds now have no where to go. Husband is passionate re animal rights and extremely angry as a type...wants me to call rspb/police to have birds rescued. I have said that this could mean my dad gets a massive fine.....(it appears that he was aware the nest was there...me and DH only just found out now).... DH says "I don't care, let him get a fine/criminal record" etc... and is threatening to call authorities on my dad !

I want to save the birds (Scaffolders still currently working, baby crying, husband stropping, dad has gone out as seems a bit scared of my DH's rage on this) but I need to try and find a way to do this without getting my dad in serious trouble.

Can anyone advice what I should do?!!! What is likely to happen if I call the council if RSPB?

Thanks all xxx

OP posts:

scurryfunge · 06/06/2018 16:16

Call the RSPB and say the roofers have inadvertently damaged the nest and ask for advice. Your husband is a drama llama.

Original poster

GullsHelp · 06/06/2018 16:16

(the birds do not appear to be able to fly, they are small)

OP posts:

Pinktails · 06/06/2018 16:21

Call RSPB and ask for nearest wild life rescue centre and take them there. Time is of the essence - they'll need feeding up before nightfall.

Original poster

GullsHelp · 06/06/2018 16:23

Thanks Pinktails - do you think I could get at them? The mother is there.
But what can the mother do if the nest is gone? The scoffolders should be finished soon.

OP posts:

maxthemartian · 06/06/2018 16:24

Google local wildlife rescues as well as RSPB.
Urgh... what possessed your dad? Not a nice thing to do

lanbury · 06/06/2018 16:24

If anyone's to blame it's the scaffolders! They should have checked! How's you're dad meant to know there were baby birds there? Call you local rspca for advice.

maxthemartian · 06/06/2018 16:25

Meant to say, local rescues may be able to give you advice such as if the mother and father birds are likely to continue feeding them.

Original poster

GullsHelp · 06/06/2018 16:25

(my dad did know i think, sadly)

OP posts:

Original poster

GullsHelp · 06/06/2018 16:25

I have asked dad "what shall we do about these baby birds" and he said he doesnt care!

OP posts:

Possumfish · 06/06/2018 16:26

Call a local wildlife sanctuary/rspca for advice. The Rspb will just tell you to do that (i used to work for them). If the mother is there she will be very protective! Look for the smaller independent sanctuarys as they are more likely to help out. Long shot. But if your the north east Whitby sanctuary is amazing.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 06/06/2018 16:27

To be honest I don't blame your dh for being angry. That's their (seagulls home that they built themselves to raise their babies and now their mummy is waking around in a distressed state. How would your father feel if he went out and came home to find his house destroyed.

CazY777 · 06/06/2018 16:28

Is there a wildlife rescue centre near you? They may come out and collect them. It is illegal under the wildlife and countryside act, but you are extremely unlikely to get fined, I doubt that Natural England would have the time to persue one disturbed nest.

gamerchick · 06/06/2018 16:28

They'll be fine, they don't need a best as such. It's just a few twigs and a bit of fluff in the first place. If they're still on the roof they'll settle back down when the builders are gone.

I'm surprised they haven't given the builders what for tbh. Stop worrying about it if you can.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 06/06/2018 16:28

I do agree the scaffolders are also or rather more to blame.

Original poster

GullsHelp · 06/06/2018 16:32

Not blaming DH for rage either, he is right...it's awful. When Scaffolders leave I'll see what the birds do (should be v soon, seem to be packing up). I have found a local bird sanctuary tel no.

After the scaffolders will come the roofers. :-( Dad doesnt seem to know exactly when they are starting.

I am annoyed with my dad but i am not going to risk getting him a criminal record/huge fine. I have to find a way to help where that wont happen.

OP posts:

Cornettoninja · 06/06/2018 16:34

A similar situation with some rather ugly pigeon chicks happened to me once. I think I phoned the RSPB or someone similar and ended scooping the rememants of the nest into an open shoe box and popping the chicks in and putting it back up the tree it had fallen from.

I was too wussy to check but dp did in the autumn and there were no signs of dead birds so I can only presume they were okay (please no one tell me any different). Apparently the whole 'scent' thing is overblown and should be okay with clean hands.

Els1e · 06/06/2018 16:36

A similar thing happened a few years ago to a neighbour, though hers was inadvertent. We ended up getting the babies into a cardboard box, moving them to another flat roof very nearby and mum found them ok. They did all survive and eventually fly off some weeks later. I would recommend an umbrella. Whilst we’re making the move, mum got distressed and was dive bombing us, along with hurling up undigested fish over us. We did try RSPB but they were not a great help in our case.

maxthemartian · 06/06/2018 16:37

Just sent that your dad knew they were there if you're worried. Honestly they'll not look any further than that. The priority is getting sensible advice.

Amatullah · 06/06/2018 16:39

I dont understand how your dad has openly said he does not care for the welfare of these animals and youre faffing about trying to protect him.. This is why these fines are in place to act as a deterrent.

Els1e · 06/06/2018 16:41

Cross post ninja. Cardboard box seems the item of choice when rescuing baby birds. Forgot to say and I’m definitely no expert but I would have thought it would have been the scaffolders getting any fine, as they are the ones who have destroyed the nest.

BlueJava · 06/06/2018 16:45

My view (which may not be popular) - massive drama over a few nuisance birds that wasn't caused by you. If you want to tell the RSPB there are in the road ok, but I don't see why you need to explain where they came from, who disturbed them etc

BlackBeltInChildWrangling · 06/06/2018 16:46

Hi OP. We were involved in the rescue of an injured seabird recently, and know someone who has rehabilitated a young gull sadly abused by some thugs. Please ring the RSPCA for advice and perhaps an inspector will come out later today to help. It might take some time, as they are overstretched, as we found out. I would worry more for the birds' welfare and less for any possible (but unlikely) consequences for your callous dad and scaffolders. I'm pretty sure the scaffolders, if local, will have done similar before, unfortunately. In the meantime, keep away from the birds as this will stress them out, and the parents might act to defend their precious chicks. Make sure they're safe from passing cats and dogs however. Good on you and your DH for caring. If you want to PM me your location, I might be able to help further.

Cornettoninja · 06/06/2018 17:04

It would seem so Els - your story has given me another reason to think my ugly pigeon babies were fine in the end

NB they were fat wood pigeons - not street savvy city ones!

mirime · 06/06/2018 17:11

Hope the baby gulls are ok - watch out for the mum, she'll attack if she feels her young are threatened. We had a similar thing where I used to work, except the gulls were a bit older - I put water out for them and they even wandered into the office a few times.

Sadly I think they may have been killed as the adults were causing huge problems attacking anyone who walked through the courtyard. I was furious as it wasn't their fault, there were other people in the courtyard who were deliberately winding them up - approaching the young ones, throwing things at the adult birds etc.

Willow2017 · 06/06/2018 18:01

They will be fine if left alone. Loads of gulls round here and chicks all over the place not in nests survive as mum feeds them where ever they are.

Your dh sounds a peach. Police arent going to do anything they have far more important things to deal with than a couple of birds who will be fine. But i would not be impressed with my dp wanting my dad arrested! Sounds like he needs to calm the hell down. Is he always this volatile?

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