tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630121195074082753.post8148522325110985207..comments2024-02-28T06:38:32.450+00:00Comments on Simply Superb Swans: Gulls, Why You Shouldn’t Feed Them.jayteescot1http://www.blogger.com/profile/11240392651168819167noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630121195074082753.post-29113691136377677622012-08-26T14:58:02.319+01:002012-08-26T14:58:02.319+01:00The posting and debate is on the issue of the gull...The posting and debate is on the issue of the gulls and their apparent problem to many in the Town. Citing me feeding the one pair of swans, and the ducks in the river for comparison, is not exactly relevant to the issue of town gulls. I see where your coming from but disagree with your assertion that they should be "encouraged to move away". They are after all water birds and can choose what patch of water they wish to inhabit. If there were so many suitable lochs they would already have moved and nothing is stopping them from leaving if they so wish. It is an estuary and will always have a variety of birds feeding and living there, even if I stopped feeding them. It may not be ideal but good enough to sustain one resident pair of swans and a population of ducks. All tidal river estuaries have a population of water birds, ours is no different. All of us are dependent in some form or another, humans in particular are more dependent than most species if you think about it. jayteescot1https://www.blogger.com/profile/11240392651168819167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630121195074082753.post-41783500451744539392012-08-26T10:21:29.222+01:002012-08-26T10:21:29.222+01:00If there's not enough food in the river at all...If there's not enough food in the river at all times to sustain the wild birds then they should be encouraged to move away, not fed. As your blog shows the river is hardly the ideal habitat for the likes of the swans and ducks as so many predators are attracted to the area, and then there are the issues such as spates. <br /><br />In reality the swans and ducks would arguably do better on one of the many lochs and lochens that are around the area<br /><br />As for feeding gulls this in part is human nature, wrong as it may seem to some people, but then Joe your feeding of certain birds can also be seen in a similar light<br /><br />Ideally none of us would feed wild birds or animals apart from in the severest of winters. If we are so minded we should just observe them, and not encourage them to come near us for food, nor make them dependent on humans for sustenance<br /><br />Just my thoughts on the matterBillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630121195074082753.post-54623181307551024392012-08-25T18:23:59.472+01:002012-08-25T18:23:59.472+01:00Funny that I knew you would be the first to respon...Funny that I knew you would be the first to respond. There is no comparison, the species are completely different in every respect. The swans and ducks are grazers and not predators. This morning they were out at sea grazing on seaweed and not fed by me. All cygnets throughout the land get chased away by their parents and have to find a new food supply, it is part of their life. I merely make sure that during their upbringing there is adequate food supply in the river for them to eat. jayteescot1https://www.blogger.com/profile/11240392651168819167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630121195074082753.post-89735665930045021722012-08-25T17:31:36.359+01:002012-08-25T17:31:36.359+01:00To quote "Misguided townies who think the bir...To quote "Misguided townies who think the birds are starving because they are always on the scrounge are doing the seagulls no favours by throwing them food. They are in effect creating townie seagulls who are unlikely to head to the seashore when they are being fed by benefactors."<br /><br />I'm sure the same can be said for the swans that you feed which are more or less domesticated and I'm sure the cygnet's struggle to fend for themselves when the parents finally chase them away from their primary food source, which is you.<br /><br />Funny that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com