The owners of a centre in Exeter that rescues and releases injured wild birds are facing opposition from neighbours who say ‘screeching’ birds make the site noisy, smelly, and attractive to rats
But, they say, if they don’t step in to help the sick and injured birds, nobody else will.
“There is nowhere else for these birds to go,” said Exeter Bird Rescue volunteer Chris Neale. “If this is turned down it will literally be signing a death warrant for them.”
The city council has received a retrospective application for temporary bird enclosures at the centre on land east of Belle Vue Road, on the edge of the city just north of the university. Some people living near the site, however, say the application should be turned down.
Complaints include ‘the foul smell of rotting fish’, persistent noise from gulls and an increase in the number of rats around the ‘quiet, semi-rural’ area.
One neighbour says: “The food given to the caged birds results in a revolting smell of rotting fish. This smell, or the food itself, is now attracting rats to the area.
“The presence of caged birds attracts very large numbers of gulls to the area which were never there before. Their screeching currently starts just after 4am and can normally be heard throughout the day. The dawn chorus, once such an attractive feature of the area, is often completely drowned out.”
The objector says 50 to 60 seagulls circle the site at times.
Others said that while they supported the rescue of wild birds, the location for the operation was wrong.
However, one supporter added: “I fully applaud the very good intentions to support injured wild birds that need rehabilitation before returning to the wild.”
Mr Neale said the sanctuary, which has been operating on the site for around two years, was the work of dedicated volunteers who were committed ‘24/7’ to the welfare of injured birds.
And, he said, some of the objections were ‘utter rubbish’.
“None of the big societies will help these injured birds,” he said. “What is being done at the site is quite stunning. The name of the game is rehabilitation.”
He said the enclosures were in the corner of a field ‘in the middle of nowhere’.
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