Specialist Country Watch officers from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary are investigating the alleged destruction of a bird’s nest in Shanklin, which is illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
It was back at the start of July that Police were alerted to the alleged destruction of an active nest belonging to seagulls in the area of Palmerston Road. The incident is said to have occurred on the morning of 4th July.
Almost 3 months after the incident, PC Read from the Force’s Country Watch team travelled to the Isle of Wight yesterday (Thursday) to conduct further enquiries and to establish whether an offence has occurred.
With very few exceptions, it is illegal to damage or destroy any bird’s nest while it is being built or in use under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.



















































































How about investigating the drug dealing scumbag living down the road from me who I have caught prowling around my back garden and in my shed…
3 months later? No rush then
Is it April 1st? Are they really investigating the nest destruction for some of the worst birds around!!! Who on earth reported this?
If i could give the world one gift it would be the destruction on all seagulls
Well I’m glad next time for you.maybe you return as a gull of some sort.silly old man.
That a waste of time you have this drug haven island but no you go after a kid who destroyed a birds nest never mind the tax payer will but the bill
Who said it was a kid??? This type of thing is done mostly by adults.
Yeah! And when they catch them, let’s hope they will be doing some bird!
Come over from the mainland.? Hasn’t the island got its own country watch police officers.? I am sure I have seen them at shows.?
After 3 months there will be no evidence left, why have they waited.?
what about the shoot club at the top of chillerton downs that shoot birds of pray and destroy buzzards nest that never gets look into. you go up there with a camera within 5 min you get that grumpy f– G– after you telling me to p–s off
Have you told anybody about that.?
I’m not talking about police.
Shoots do not like birds of prey around their little world.
I feel sure that anti bloodsport people would be interested, or even local fox hunt saboteurs. They might set up hidden cameras to catch the shoot people.
Leaving it 3 months, seriously why bother. Not worth the ferry fare.
And obviously no specialist country watch officers over here then, even tho we keep getting announcements of new investment.
They wanted a free holiday
He really came over of a job interview with island police. With the exception of the ones born and bread here, the island police force is a place many go to whilst waiting to retire.
Use your loaf….
As others have said, the revelation that the Island has no country watch officer shows how low down the Island is on Police priorities.
The message this sends is if someone reports a rural crime, a copper from the mainland, who gas zero local understanding, may turn up eventually if they can be bothered.
Couldn’t make it up,all this resource and tax payers money over only alleged destruction of a nest, surly the police need investigating over wasting time etc,not like it was a protected,rare and valuable bird of prey, just a seagull,to most it’s flying vermin. Someone stabbed in Newport more important.
Surely*. You’re welcome.
I wonder if it’s the same person, my neighbour has seen throwing stones at the seagulls, at the old boating lake at Sandown, she is there between 6 am and 7 am in the morning, but not every morning, apparently she is from shanklin. I am hoping to try and get a picture of her
Yes and how about my squirrel ? He was here last year but no sign of him now I think maybe he’s been taken by someone I blame all the scooter people I’ve seen them tied to the back ! I mean I’m not daft
Police investigating a seagull’s nest from back in July?
Ok, people shouldn’t be doing it but surely the police have far better uses of their time than investigating bird’s nests?
Why aren’t the RSPCA looking into it, I thought animals were their department?
For goodness sake, there are two separate reports in the Echo only today of people with knives on the streets of Newport and Ryde.
Really? Are you kidding?
“No job to small” Sam the seagull will be happy
Too*. You’re welcome.
One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest springs to mind.
No such thing as a seagull. Herring gulls, black backed gulls, black headed gulls etc. But no seagull.
So much effort into a birds nest and absolutely zero into threats on my children’s lives, or my neighbours being absolute scumbags who all need to be in court. Ah well.