Unusual employees are 'money well spent'

BIRDS of prey have been brought in to patrol a Sevenoaks quarry, in a bid to combat an influx of gulls.

Waste agency Cory Environment, which works next to the quarry, has employed a few feathered friends to keep the gulls at bay.

Only a few weeks into the temporary measure of using peregrine falcons to circle the site and the area is almost gull-less.

Area manager for the South East Mark Harling said of the quarry: "Any body of water will attract seagulls."

He added that the company had spent somewhere in the region of £2,000 to bring the falcons to the site, but that it was "money well spent".

He said: "We have to look after our neighbours. They don't like having these facilities where they are, I know that, and as long as we work in harmony it is money well spent.

"This is an environmentally-friendly method."

The falcons are provided by Simon Cole, of Eco Guard Pest Control, who specialises in bird control.

He said: "I have been doing this for 15 years and I've used everything: rockets, kites, bangers, helium balloons, remote controlled aeroplanes.

"You name it, I've tried everything and this is by far the best and most effective method.

"Peregrines are the best type of bird to use in this sort of environment. Gulls are their natural prey in the wild, they'll recognise the peregrine and they'll be gone."

Mr Cole added that during particularly cold temperatures seagulls will convene in large groups near water. He said: "Seagulls are becoming more of a land-based animal rather than near the coast. At this time of year you get a lot of birds about, especially with the weather we've had.

"Some days you come down you fly one falcon and don't see any birds for the rest of the day. On a bad, really cold day you have to fly four or five falcons."

Mr Harling added: "It isn't just quarries using falcons as pest control either; town councils, schools, airports are too. Anywhere where birds gathering is a problem.

"When Simon first came down he had to work hard, now three weeks later the gulls know to get out of the way."

As for the birds themselves, they prefer the simple life.

Mr Cole said: "They're well looked after and spoilt, to be quite honest with you. They get the good life, really.

"We've been down here a few weeks now and we're just seeing how it goes."