Seagulls are terrorizing English and Scottish seaside towns making Hitchcock’s film The Birds a reality. The suspense/horror film was loosely based on the 1952 novel with the same name written by Daphne du Maurier. At the time of the film's release in 1963, the audience declared it the most frightening movie ever seen.
But that's based fiction. Much as I like to read a good story, (or write one) I'm not keen on the thought of the plot becoming reality.
Menacing seagulls are taking control of an idyllic village in Cornwall and a Scottish seaside town, leaving the people powerless to control them.
But that's based fiction. Much as I like to read a good story, (or write one) I'm not keen on the thought of the plot becoming reality.
Menacing seagulls are taking control of an idyllic village in Cornwall and a Scottish seaside town, leaving the people powerless to control them.
www.cornwall-online.co.uk
The winged scavengers are a constant menace in the seaside community of Mevagissey, Cornwall. The birds snatch snacks from people's hands and tear open rubbish bags. The streets are strewn with rubbish in the normally quiet village. The menacing gulls even bash their beaks against the glass to scare residents into sharing their dinner. One local said the power in their peck is unbelievable. It sounds louder than a human knock, as if the glass will break. Cornwall Council has supplied reinforced hessian bin-bags to bring an end to the carnage but locals say the birds have become even more brazen.
www.dailystar.co.uk Living by the seaside isn't relaxing for residents of the Scottish seaside town of Newhaven, near Edinburgh, either. Instead of watching sunsets by the sea, residents are being attacked by increasingly violent seagulls. The dive-bombing birds have been harassing the Scottish townfolk to such a degree, they have begged local authorities and numerous action groups to organize a cull.
Back in 1963, I could imagine people trapping or shooting the blighters and riding their town of the menace. However, nowadays, people respect the right of birds, don't they?
London Council carried out a cull of the pigeons littering Trafalgar Square when they became a public nuisance. In 2009, a hawk flew over the 'flying rats' for four hours every day and reduced their numbers from 4,000 to just over 100. Wardens also discouraged people from feeding the pigeons in an effort to turn the birds away.
So it seems, when birds become reliant on people for food, they abandon their normal instinct to fend for themselves.
It's not a secret that all my novels are set in my beloved Cornwall, land of my forebears. That's a beautiful part of our fair land. But I hadn't considered this worrying aspect.
What would you do if birds constantly pounded their beaks on your window?
Back in 1963, I could imagine people trapping or shooting the blighters and riding their town of the menace. However, nowadays, people respect the right of birds, don't they?
London Council carried out a cull of the pigeons littering Trafalgar Square when they became a public nuisance. In 2009, a hawk flew over the 'flying rats' for four hours every day and reduced their numbers from 4,000 to just over 100. Wardens also discouraged people from feeding the pigeons in an effort to turn the birds away.
So it seems, when birds become reliant on people for food, they abandon their normal instinct to fend for themselves.
It's not a secret that all my novels are set in my beloved Cornwall, land of my forebears. That's a beautiful part of our fair land. But I hadn't considered this worrying aspect.
What would you do if birds constantly pounded their beaks on your window?
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