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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Woman, 80, warned she faces prosecution for feeding birds in her garden

By John Bingham

June Coton, 80, from Coventry has been told to stop feeding birds in her back garden or face prosecution
June Coton from Coventry has been told to stop feeding birds in her back garden Photo: CATER NEWS

Mrs Coton, who has been putting food out for the bluetits, starlings and sparrows in her garden for 20 years, was warned that she could face legal action from her local council if she does not desist from feeding the "feral" birds.

Officials said that a neighbour had complained that her "overfeeding" had led to large groups of birds congregating on the street creating "environmental" problems and damaging property.

Coventry City Council said it was considering serving an abatement notice - similar to orders given to neighbours who play loud music late at night - to curtail her bird feeding. If she fails to comply she could be prosecuted.

But the RSPB questioned whether birds could damage buildings and said it was "vital" to feed garden birds at this time of year when food is scare, particularly in light of a marked decline in numbers.

Mrs Coton, a great-grandmother, who lives in Coventry, received the letter last week after returning home from a spell in hospital.

She insisted she has only one bird table, one bird bath and three small bird feeders filled with nuts and balls of seed in her small back garden.

"It's a harmless pastime that millions of people do up and down the country and which I have done for 20 years or so," she said.

"I like seeing my garden filled with wild birds, I plant a wide variety of shrubs and flowers in the summer so there is a lot of life there.

"To threaten to drag me before the courts and fine me is nothing short of ridiculous."

She went on: "They said I was 'excessively' feeding the birds but that's rubbish, I get about 20 starlings, a few sparrows, black birds and bluetits and the occasional robin in any one day.

"They don't cause much of a mess and they stay in my garden only. There is a chap who lives nearby who keeps pigeon lofts but nothing has been said to him."

Farrah Stevens, an RSPB spokeswoman, said she had never heard of groups of birds causing damage to property or buildings.

"Birds are becoming more reliant on people putting out supplementary foods, like seed and peanuts, in feeders and on bird tables," she said.

"It's really important that people only put out enough food that will be eaten by the birds in their gardens in one day. This is better for the health of the birds and will also help deter vermin.

"June is not alone in wanting to do this - almost two-thirds of people across the UK also feed the birds in their gardens."

But defending the warning a council spokesman said: "We have a duty to respond to complaints and advise people on environmental issues.

"While legal action is an option where an environmental nuisance is being caused it is very much a last resort.

"In this case we have simply sent Mrs Coton an advisory letter to make sure she is aware of the problem and to ask her to reduce the amount of food she is putting out for the birds in her garden."

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