A bridge too far for rare gulls
KITTIWAKE nests have been removed from a bridge in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, after concerns that the birds’ excrement was damaging the structure. Birdwatchers have said that the decision to remove the nests from the Grade II-listed Spa Bridge could leave hundreds of the gulls homeless, as they often return to the same place and build their nests on top of previous ones. The council has also added bird-deterrent gel to the bridge, which gives off a UV light that the kittiwakes see as a flame and, therefore, avoid. North Yorkshire County Council has said that it has consulted with Natural England, which agreed that the plan would not harm the birds’ habitat.
The black-legged kittiwake—a small type of gull—is on the conservation ‘red list’, meaning that the bird is facing a high risk of global extinction. According to the RSPB, the global population has declined by about 40% since the 1970s, due to a combination of factors, which includes the overfishing of sand eels. The Government may impose a ban on sand-eel fishing in the UK this year, according to a report in The Guardian last December, in an effort to boost the populations of both the kittiwake and puffins.
The council has added bird-deterrent gel to the bridge; it gives off a UV light that looks like a flame
The Tyne Bridge in Newcastle-upon-Tyne is another favourite nesting spot for the kittiwake (). Although the bird is popular with locals and tourists alike,
