Gulls on the Roof

If anyone can recall ever reading Derek Tangye's Minack Chronicles, they may remember the first one was called " A Gull on the Roof". It is set in Cornwall in the 1950's and is a delightful story of  couple who escape London and move to Cornwall to grow flowers and potatoes.

Why do I mention this? Because in the last few weeks, since the very windy weather, we have had a lot of visiting Herring Gulls ( NOT SEAGULLS please!) around the area and some of them seem to be pairing up now, possibly with a view to nesting on roofs in the village!

Yesterday I came home from my walk to see this pair on our roof and they are also spending time up on the old rectory roof opposite. and it reminded me of the book!

A close up shows the red dot on the bill which the young will peck at to get the parent bird to regurgitate food.

They are omnivorous and will eat any sort of food or waste, though they also congregate on playing fields and pasture land to "charm" the worms!

Although not always appreciated by mankind due to their droppings and screaming, the herring gull must be regarded as a "natural cleaner", and just as with crows, they help by keeping rats away from the surface in the urban environment, not by killing rats, but by eating the potential rat food before the rats get the chance!

This once common gull of the seaside is now a red list species of conservation concern in the UK owing to its population declining by more half in the last 25 years. This means they are protected, so please be aware that tampering with nests is illegal without a special licence.