Petition Update 11: Friday, 5 March 2021.

Welcome home! After wintering at sea the North Shields Kittiwakes have returned to the Tyne in the past eight days. Several have been visiting Ferry Mews, resting on the building and attempting to land on their regular nesting ledge, but they cannot. They are excluded. Their nest site is now behind a blanket of deterrent netting which is frustrating these gulls. As reported in Update 10 … the landlord will sadly not remove the netting.

I am seeking permission to place three alternative nesting ledges below a terrace of the neighbouring building, but this will take time to resolve. Permission may not be granted – we must wait to see.

I am also enquiring about the placement of a nesting structure on the remaining jetty when the ferry landing moves in two years time. Nexus, the ferry operator, has sent me a positive reply, but this plan requires the landowner’s consent. I have written to the landowner with a rough design of a nesting structure and await their response with interest.

When the petition was raised in January it gained the interest of Jessica Brown, a freelance features journalist, and she got in touch. We discussed the kittiwakes and she contacted The Guardian newspaper to see if they may be interested in the story. They were, so Jessica was commissioned to write it and it appeared in print and online on Saturday, 27 February. The online newspaper story is linked to this petition update. The Guardian story has generated a lot of interest and prompted some readers to get in touch.

As you see, further avenues are being explored in order to try and retain our North Shields nesting kittiwakes. Shall keep you posted.

With Best Wishes from Daniel and the Kittiwakes of North Shields