ROCKLAND, Maine — A Rockland woman — who was the impetus for a city ordinance that prohibits the excessive feeding of birds — has been warned that she faces fines of up to $2,500 per day for her continued feeding of seagulls.
Rockland Code Enforcement Officer John Root issued a written warning Wednesday to Susie Gray of Camden Street Terrace for her alleged violation of the new city ordinance.
Gray said, however, she is only providing a few pieces of bread to get rid of the birds who congregate at her home, explaining that after she feeds them they leave.
The city’s warning comes after neighbors made more complaints that large numbers of seagulls were converging at Gray’s home when she feeds them nightly and that droppings from the birds were once again covering their properties.
The code officer said in his letter to Gray that he received complaints on June 13 and went to her home but she would not answer the door. He said he went back to the neighborhood July 30 after another complaint from a neighbor. The code officer reported finding small plastic containers — that neighbors say she sometimes uses to feed the birds — dropped on decks of neighbors by the birds.
The code officer said on Sunday evening that he parked in the adjacent Hannaford supermarket parking lot at a time when she reportedly feeds the birds. He observed Gray’s property for about 90 minutes, the code officer said, taking photographs — through gaps in a fence — of the birds and her feeding them.
“I am ordering you to immediately cease feeding the seagulls. If you continue to do so I will immediately turn this matter over to the City Attorney who will pursue further legal action against you,” Root said in his Aug. 8 letter to Gray.
He indicated the fines are up to $2,500 per day for violations.
The city council approved an ordinance — that took effect July 11 — that prohibits feeding wildlife, including birds, if it results in the “accumulation of droppings, feces, feathers, or otherwise constitutes a private or public nuisance.”
Root said there were hundreds of birds who went into a feeding frenzy when she was tossing food to them on Sunday evening.
Gray admitted she threw out some bread on Sunday evening and then when she saw the code officer she threw some more just because he was there. The Camden Street Terrace resident said she considers Root’s actions as stalking.
At the same time, someone at Hannaford alerted the police department that someone was acting suspicious on their property. A Rockland officer arrived and observed the code officer for a while before approaching him and finding out who he was and what he was doing.
Once the officer confirmed it was the code officer, the police officer left the scene, Deputy Police Chief Wally Tower said Thursday.
Gray said she has fed the birds for nine years and she expects they continue to come to her home out of habit. She said she does not plan to feed the seagulls anymore “unless I have to.” She said there is one old bird that relies on her feedings. Gray also said there were more birds at her home this weekend because the Maine Lobster Festival was occupying Harbor Park on the waterfront and the birds were not able to converge there and get food.
Soon to be jailbird… LOL
The bird woman of Rocklatraze.
Slow news day.
Police do not know what their code enforcer looks like?
It seems like Ms. Gray is sticking her beak out at the her fellow citizens of Rockland. It seems like just from what she said it is I dare you to fine me. If you feed the birds or even one bird they will keep coming to her house. I hate to say this but I think the neighbors should keep track of what Ms. Gray is doing in regards to the feeding of said birds.The neighbors have rights to not have to deal or put up with these birds.
Maybe she had better bake a nice blueberry pie and mend the fences with her neighbors instead. Then everyone, except the gulls, will be happy and she doesn’t have to live with them. :)
Given her comment about continuing to feed the gulls because she knew the Code Enforcement Officer was there, I would guess she’s not willing to mend fences. It’s too bad, that could have been a great solution (and less headache) for everyone!
I’ld be suspicious she would put some of the bird droppings in the pie.
Now wait a minute. It goes both way, or it should go both ways. We need to respect each other as people too. She had been feeding the birds for 9 years before anyone said anything. How long have the neighbors been there?
Is it right for a neighbor to move in next to a farm and then complain about the stench and say they should have a right to live their without the farm? What about the person who has owned the farm for years before they ever considered moving into the area, and got city council to change ordinances to no longer allow farms? In most places that means that farm is grandfathered, so should the bird feeder have the chance to be grandfathered?
Get some cats. They will drive out the birds.
It happened in Westbrook. There were two farmers that no one complained about for 10 years, so the city nicely changed Ordinances, for the farmers….. Not the new complaining neighbor.
“governments that are long established should not be changed for light and transient reasons” ~Declaration of Independence
people are certainly allowed to do as they wish so long as it doesn’t infringe on the ability of those around them to live the way they want to. your farm comparison doesn’t even make sense. screw the cats, alka-seltzer all the way. then she can clean bird carcasses off her own lawn and property.
bird poop will take the paint off anything it gets on how do you think about that .
bird feces can also cause lung disease.
Don’t inhale it
that’s the funny thing about feces….they release spores into the air. The people that live next to this woman, said that there were so many seagulls that they had to keep their windows closed because it was hitting their screens, nor could they enjoy time outside because of it. It is a health hazard.
Really – If that was the case my car would be bare.
Great – So now the CEO is hanging out on a Sunday peeking through fences. Anyone with that much dedication should get a raise. I would have poked him in the eye.
Doing his job, protecting the health –and property–of Rockland taxpayers.
Thank you, John Root. (And “crzyvet” would be in pokey, for assault.)
It is not his property, nor yours, nor the taxpayers! It is private property. This is what the government does not get. Or you apparently. It will be your fence they are peeking through next.
she was reported to be in violation of the city ordinance, an ordinance that was put into effect because of her. I would think that in order for them to do anything they needed proof. She’s infringing on the rights of her neighbors.
Rockland is a coastal town, isn’t it natural for seagulls to be there? With this new law does it mean when I’m out fishing and toss the gulls a fish I’m breaking the law? Come on now let’s be real
no, she was feeding them in her yard, and she would get tons of seagulls for each feeding. Go ahead while out fishing….but don’t feed the masses in your yard. It’s gross.
From my take on reading the article it says NO EXCESSIVE feeding. Unless you want to throw a whole crate of fish at them you are safe.
Wow this is what the Police in Rockland have to concern themselves with???? What a joke!
It is a joke. If only the lady would meet her neighbors even half way it may solve some problems. People keep thinking this is just some old lady feeding birds, that is not the case. Five crates of bread a week is not a small amount of food. Think of it in another way, it is almost a parallel to hoarding animals. If you walked in a persons house with about 50 cats you would say this is uninhabitable. This lady is doing that exact same thing but is visiting it on her neighbors. She needs some mental help, this is not normal behavior and my guess is if you caught a look at the inside of her house it would show just what you are dealing with.
I have noisy neighbors. I have nosy neighbors, I have neighbors who are helpful. I have neighbors who mind their own business. That’s a normal neighborhood; we all irritate each other in some ways and still get along. What I no longer have is a neighbor who fed skunks. Not little leftovers but two car fulls of outlet bakery bread a week. Ever smelled skunk scat? To the old lady it was her hobby. To the rest of the neighborhood it was a nightmare.
Mean!!!
seagulls are wild birds. they have been feeding themselves for centuries. if there is no food, they will go find it. no one needs to feed them….geesch.