Student’s video of seagull-infested Cardiff street goes viral
Amelia Jones
A university student’s video has been picked up by a viral memes page after they filmed what it was like to walk down their street in the Welsh capital.
The Cardiff University student filmed the video while walking down Cathays, which is known as the central hub for students in the city.
The video shows her being swarmed by seagulls who are surrounding the rubbish bins on the street. This week it was posted on popular meme page ‘greatbritish.memes.’
The text on the video says: “Mental health walk but you live in the UK.”
The caption goes on to say: “Uni students son’t know how to recycle properly
“You head out for a walk to clear your mind, enjoy some peace and quiet, and reset after a long day. Sounds simple enough until you find yourself walking through Cathays with what feels like every seagull in Wales holding a meeting overhead. The only thing louder than your thoughts is the constant squawking coming from every direction.
Instead of returning home feeling refreshed and relaxed, you end up finishing the walk with a headache and a newfound appreciation for silence. Sometimes life has other plans, and your peaceful mindfulness walk quickly turns into a front-row seat to Cardiff’s noisiest residents putting on a full performance.”
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The state of the streets in Cathays have been reported on extensively. This viral video follows reports of empty bins and rubbish sacks being spotted scattered across streets, and people living there claiming the current state of some of the streets is attracting rodents.
In a feature for Nation.Cymru, Local Democracy Reporter Ted Peskett said: “Every year, pictures are posted online of the mess, including discarded mattresses and chairs, left in the streets of Cathays when students leave at the end of term.
“This isn’t to mention the general litter and waste from torn mixed recycling bags being picked at by seagulls throughout the year.
“Cycling up Cathays Terrace, the mess along its new cycle path is clear for all to see, including the rats darting in and out of the nearby rain gardens.”
You can watch the full video here.
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This did not happen when every household had a proper bin and not the current method of using plastic bags which get thinner every year. It’s the councils’ fault not the seagulls.
I have observed that seagulls are particularly noisy this time of year in Cathays. The adults have adapted well to the opportunities and threats of urban living. The recently fledged speckled young of the Lesser Black Backed Gull and Herring Gull have the instincts of sea birds. Their instincts tell them to fly down from nests on cliffs to the sea. In the city they fly down from building tops to open spaces. The adults see this as dangerous behaviour in the city and often circle above sounding alarm calls.