All in a flap
If you work in Blenheim’s CBD, you may have noticed a lively colony of seagulls has taken up residence on top of the buildings around High Street.
They’ve been causing a bit of a flap, leaving a mess and being very vocal about it while they’re at it.
Marlborough Roads’ CBD cleaning team has been working to mitigate the effects of the gulls’ presence.
Cleaning efforts are being intensified, with a sweeper unit, water cart and water blaster used from 2am from Monday to Wednesday to remove the mess from the pavement. The success of the new cleaning initiative will be monitored and adjustments made if required.
Council’s Catchment Care Advisor Amy-Grace Mcllraith said while it’s understandable that many people view seagulls as a nuisance, are a protected species.
“These Red-billed Gulls, or Kākāhu, are native to New Zealand and are considered a taonga (treasure),” she said.
“Unfortunately, their numbers are declining and they are classified with the same threat status as the little blue penguin.”
“So, while their nesting in town can be inconvenient for us, from an ecological point of view it’s positive to see them breeding successfully.”
The breeding season runs from November to February. As this season concludes, they will be winging it elsewhere in search of food. This means their stay in town is temporary, and patience should reward us with a return to normal and quieter times.
Café patrons should not leave food unattended - please remember to put your rubbish into one of the street rubbish bins.
DOC is responsible for native bird protection. If you want to find out more, please go to:
