– I think it’s nice, but it’s also a bit troublesome. What if the young children in the nursery run up and are attacked? That’s what Ella Marie Helgevoll Mikkelsen says. She and the rest of the children at Madlavoll kindergarten in Stavanger must now keep their distance from the pile of sandboxes and playhouses. The area has been occupied by a pair of seagulls who apparently also want their three children in the nursery. – The seagulls can fly over our heads to scare us away. It’s not so nice, we don’t want them to poo on us, says Elvan Duman. If the children get too close, they risk being chased, and in the worst case, pooped on. Photo: Hanne Høyland / news Expert points to a possible cause This is the third year the nursery has been visited by the pair of seagulls. The fact that they have chosen a place with so much noise and activity makes the expert puzzled. – I am a little surprised that they choose to go for nesting on the ground in the nursery, says advisor and biologist Håvard Husebø at Museum Stavanger (Must). Biologist and advisor at Museum Stavanger, Håvard Husebø. Photo: Hanne Høyland / news The seagulls in the nursery are of the herring gull species. According to Husebø, these seagulls have been reduced by 90 per cent in Rogaland in recent years. – We see that many of the birds have moved into the cities, especially up on roofs and closer to where people live. The smartest thing to do is to leave them alone so that they can hatch the young quickly. And it looks like the nursery is able to take care of the birds, he says. Worker Signe Grønsdal at Madlavoll nursery school says that the children understand that they must take care of the birds, and that they learn a lot from having the seagulls in the nursery school. – We have to follow the development. We see when they build, nest and brood. Then we’ll see when the chickens will learn to fly. It’s very exciting, but we have to take precautions when they use our nursery. New “mascots” in Hareid Also on Sunnmøre, some seagulls have become extra close. Outside the town hall in Hareid municipality, a pair of seagulls has settled in a flower pot, just outside the entrance. – I like birds, and find it exciting. But being so close to the main entrance can be challenging, says communications officer Erlend Friestad in the municipality. They recently went out on the municipality’s website and urged people to stay away. The municipality also sets up barricades and posters. You have to think carefully if you are going to visit the town hall in Hareid municipality. Here you are greeted by a nesting seagull right at the entrance. Photo: Erlend Friestad / Hareid municipality – Several people have had close contact with the seagulls. They have come across people and nibbled on jackets and hair, but also flown down towards them. But the most important thing is to look after the seagulls, says Friestad. – I feel more sorry for the seagulls than us. They didn’t know any better, and it’s not ideal for a seagull family to grow up in a car park. He hopes people pay attention and stay away. – There is not much we can do about it. We call them our mascots. We can think of it as a good science lesson and keep an eye on them. No lunch in glorious sunshine When the finest days of the year so far arrived at Helsfyr in Oslo, several people in the Norwegian Environment Agency were ready to have lunch outside in glorious sunshine. Until they discovered a seagull’s nest on one of the chairs in the outdoor area. On the chair at the bottom left, there was a seagull who wanted to hatch her children. There were never any eggs. Photo: Ragna Løvskar – It was a very crowded canteen with employees who looked longingly on an empty and sunny terrace, says Ragna Løvskar, senior communications adviser at the Norwegian Environment Agency. The nest was never inhabited, and was removed by the homeowner after careful investigations into actual nesting. – But it was a pretty entertaining 48 hours, says Løvskar. Senior adviser Jo Anders Auran in the Norwegian Environment Agency says there are clearly more cases of nesting in the cityscape now. As a result, they also receive more inquiries concerning seagulls. – It is very good that they call instead of taking action straight away. We don’t want it to be a failed nesting. Seagulls are in decline, and nine out of ten seagulls are on the red list. Auran praises the kindergarten in Stavanger and others who take the seagulls into account. – I would say that it is a very good assessment of the nursery school. Such situations show children that nature is not dangerous. The children get to know nature up close. – Good learning In Madlavoll kindergarten in Stavanger, Henny Fossmark is a little worried about little sister Vega, who will start kindergarten in the autumn. – It’s a bit violent. If they are going to eat outside, the seagulls can come and take the food. Vega is very happy to discover new things, she says. Håkon Fossmark and his daughter Vega. Photo: Hanne Høyland / news Father Håkon Fossmark, on the other hand, is positive about the bird visit. – I think the children and the nursery school are lucky to be visited by the pair of seagulls. If we parents manage to be curious, it rubs off on the children too. There is a lot of good learning in it, and it will be exciting to see how it goes with them. In any case, they have a good nursery that looks after them.
ttn-69
Nesting seagulls close an area in a nursery school, deny access to the town hall and prevent lunch in the sun – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
