Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Seagull attacking fatballs

nikkidenham1965nikkidenham1965 Posts: 6
in Problem solving
There is one persistent gull which attacks our fatball holder to break bits off and then tramples the plants underneath while it eats the spoils. My husband didn't believe me as he didn't think the gull would be able to get its  beak into the holder. Is there anything I can do to stop it attacking the fatball? 

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I'd remove them for a few days and he'll either forget about it or take his custom elsewhere.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • nikkidenham1965nikkidenham1965 Posts: 6
    Certainly worth a try. Thanks
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I only feed fatballs in the winter ... I use sunflower hearts, seed mixes and mealworms in the nesting and growing season. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    The poor birds are struggling for food at the moment I think. Lockdown has removed a lot of their regular sources of junk food and litter. It'll have a knock on affect to other wildlife as they go searching for food no doubt.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I agree with @wild edges. 
    We've even had several seagulls here, and we're a good half hour from the coast, and from the city- their other hunting ground.
    I don't feed fat balls at this time of year either. Take them in for  while and it might settle down.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
    Hi

    Yes we have seagull visitors in our garden. I am guessing it's the same one spots the food out and calls to his friends. Within seconds they are scrapping over bird table treats. I now try and wait until there is no sight of the gulls before putting food out. Hopefully they then dont spot it.

    I guess they are trying yo find other food outlets as their usual way will be in short supply as @wild edges  sugested. A poor bloke got attacked in town the other day for his sandwich bag that he was carrying. The seagull cut all his hand trying to get it off him.



  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    If a four-legged fiend went about attacking people, it would be shot. Maybe it's time to do something about the seagulls.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The problem is the people who feed them to start with. If they didn't do it, there would be less of the greedy b*ggers trying their luck.

    They are horrible bloody squawky things though. 
    The seagulls aren't much better....

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I just saw a herring gull eating a baby bird on the neighbour's roof. It looked to be a young blackbird or starling. I guess it could have been killed by something else as there's been a persistant cat hunting the gardens every day but the gulls have definitely swooped on a few baby birds trying to catch them so they may have finally caught one. I'll spare you the photos :#  I took a couple in case anyone does a study of changes in wildlife behaviour due to lockdown.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
    Buy a nerf gun. I now have 3 and they're great.

    For a more permanent solution I'd recommend a cage to go round the feeder.

    I use one (well, just the top half now as it does the job) around my fatballs to keep the crows away.
Sign In or Register to comment.