Southend-On-Sea City Council to Deploy Birds of Prey for Golf Course Pest Control

A local authority plans to utilize birds of prey to mitigate damage at a golf course. This initiative follows the prohibition in the UK of the pesticide previously employed by Southend-On-Sea City Council for maintaining the course at Belfairs Golf Club, located in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. The damage to the golf course is attributed to wildlife, such as crows, digging holes while foraging for leatherjackets, which are the larval stage of crane flies. Lydia Hyde, the Labour councillor overseeing climate, environment, and waste, stated: “This has been shown to be very effective at other golf courses and is widely used across hospitals, train stations, and airports. The main benefit is that no harm comes to any birds.” Hawking, a technique of pest control, involves discouraging unwanted birds from frequenting specific locations. Councillor Hyde informed the council of this decision on 12 December, indicating that chemical-free, long-term solutions were under development. However, she characterized hawking as the “ethical alternative” for the interim period, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. She further explained: “We are looking at using nematodes instead, but these do take time to establish, and we need a solution in the meantime.” Nematodes are defined as microscopic parasites that prey on specific insects. Stephen Aylen, an independent councillor representing the Belfairs Ward, expressed his opposition to the plan, stating: “I can’t put it in polite language to be honest, I just cannot believe that without any consultation with anyone that this was announced,” adding, “It’s absolutely barmy and crazy.” Councillor Aylen, whose residence borders Belfairs Park, brought this concern to the council’s attention in September. This followed reports from golf course personnel who described spending mornings repairing holes on the course, only for the damage to recur within a few hours. He indicated that the issue stems from leatherjackets inhabiting sections of the greens where the grass is longer and the ground is soft. Aylen further noted that damage to the course was not exclusively caused by crows, but also by “squirrels, rats, magpies, woodpeckers, the list goes on.” According to Aylen, badgers create holes approximately “six to nine inches” deep, while crows typically burrow “two or three inches.” He concluded by stating: “The golfers get upset as well because they’ve got extra holes to get their balls in.” Hyde clarified that hawking aligns with the approved pollinator policy for pest control, thus precluding the need for a council discussion.