Latest news with #TheArgus
Metro
7 hours ago
- Health
- Metro
Drivers warned to take care to avoid seagulls which appear to be 'drunk'
Animal rescuers have urged people to take extra care around seagulls due to a phenomenon linked to flying ants which makes them act oddly. Every summer swarms of flying ants emerge from their nests and move to new areas to try to establish new colonies. While the popular myth of a single 'flying ant day' persists, they typically over a period of several weeks, triggered by hot weather, with a peak lasting a few days. In some parts of the country, flying ants have already begun hatching. Sompting Wildlife Rescue in Sussex today said this is 'bringing unexpected trouble for our local seagulls'. Seagulls are known to flock to these swarms of ants and gorge on them. 'When gulls gobble down a feast of ants, it can cause them to appear disoriented or 'drunk', stumbling around and struggling to fly properly,' the charity told The Argus. Social media users have begun sharing pictures of flocks of seagulls in places they typically wouldn't linger, such as road surfaces or a busy cricket ground. Residents of warmer regions have already remarked on an unusual number of seagulls apparently killed by cars. Commenting on one such image, Tilly from Eastbourne, East Sussex, said she had seen six seagulls dead on local roads because 'no one can be bothered to toot or go around them'. A man driving through the town said he saw one killed by a car after failing to move out of the road with the rest of the flock. It was previously thought that this so-called 'drunkenness' caused by formic acid contained in ants. The substance is toxic to birds in sufficient amounts but can have a stimulant-like effect on them. But experts now doubt that common ants of the kind seen flying around at the moment contain enough formic acid to have such an effect – and believe the effect is akin to the sluggishness humans experience after having a heavy meal on a scorching day. Royal Society of Biology entomologist Rebecca Nesbit previously told BBC Countryfile her research indicates that formic acid 'is found in higher concentrations in Formica ants than in the species we're seeing most commonly on flying ant day'. 'My answer to the question 'can gulls get drunk on flying ants?' would be no,' Dr Nesbit added. 'Although formic acid can be toxic to birds, it is more likely that they are just too hot and full.' More Trending Regardless of the cause, this phenomenon is agreed to be a threat to the birds' lives. 'This sadly makes them much more vulnerable near roads, as they may not move quickly enough to avoid traffic. 'If you see a gull behaving strangely by the roadside, please slow down and give them space – they might just need a little time to recover. 'These gulls can show symptoms that look like bird flu, which raises concerns. But in many cases, they're not sick at all.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page.
Irish Independent
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Dundalk FC manager Ciarán Kilduff says Cobh win was a ‘coming of age' for his young side
SSE Airtricity League Men's First Division The Argus Today at 10:30 Dundalk manager Ciarán Kilduff hailed Friday night's 1-0 win over Cobh Ramblers as a 'coming of age' performance for his young side. The Lilywhites came into the top of the table clash on the back of a first defeat of the season away to Finn Harps four days earlier but showed plenty of resolve to produce one of their best displays of the campaign to open up a four point gap once more courtesy of Gbemi Arubi's early acrobatic goal.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Drogheda, Dundalk and Newry unite to drive strategic growth along the M1 Corridor
M1 Corridor vision for Ireland's 'Sixth City' now firmly established The Argus The Chambers of Commerce for Drogheda, Dundalk, and Newry have submitted a joint proposal to the National Development Plan (NDP) 2025, emphasising the strategic importance of the M1 Corridor as the dynamic heart of the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor (DBEC). 'Our vision for the M1 Corridor as a 'Sixth City' on the island of Ireland is now firmly established. With the right investment, this corridor can unlock enormous economic potential and enhance quality of life for our communities,' said Paddy Malone, PRO of Dundalk Chamber.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
New Dundalk cemetery working group meets ahead of ‘Blessing of the Graves'
Thousands of people from across Dundalk and beyond will descend on the cemetery in north Louth in a few weeks for the annual 'Blessing of the Graves.' Ahead of that, the new group is working to ensure preparations are underway for such a major community event. The committee will initially consist of five elected representatives, councillors from Dundalk Municipal District, Robert Nash, Marianne Butler, Sean Kelly, Maeve Yore and Sionann McCann. Cllr. Nash, the new Cathaoirleach of Dundalk MD, told The Argus that the working group was formed following a series of concerns raised with local councillors. "I know that quite a lot of the reps I receive from the public are in relation to the graveyard, and I think it would be the same for many other councillors, so it is hoped that this committee will work to address these ongoing concerns.' He added that it would be the committee's hope to add other interested stakeholders to the group in the near future, such as undertakers, monumental contractors, members of the clergy, as well as senior officials from Louth County Council. The committee replaces the former Dundalk Burial Board, which was wound up some time ago, leaving, said Cllr. Nash a 'gap' in the management of such a large public area. "The purpose of this group will be to address operational and maintenance issues which have been brought to the attention of councillors by members of the public.' In the last week, the new committee has met on site with Louth County Council officials and discussed short, medium, and long term works, which need to be undertaken to improve the overall landscape of St Patrick's cemetery. 'We also hope to make the general public, and indeed other groups such as monumental contractors who may be working in the cemetery, more aware of issues such as the bylaws that exist around monuments being installed in the cemetery.' ADVERTISEMENT The committee will look at a wide range of issues relating to the graveyard, and, Cllr. Nash added, can examine whether bylaws need to be changed. 'With the annual blessing of the graves upcoming on Sunday July 20th, the general upkeep of the graveyard is the number one priority, and we are working with Louth County Council on this.' Following on from the annual patrun, the committee hope to sit down with all interested stakeholders and listen to wider concerns in relation to Dowdallshill graveyard.
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Moment mum riding bike with kids on back pulls out of busy junction into oncoming traffic – but who's REALLY in wrong?
A DRIVER is calling on cyclists to exercise more caution when riding with their children. The anonymous man shared footage of a near-miss he had while out on the roads in Brighton on the morning of June 20, The Argus reported. 2 2 The anonymous man was driving his son to school along Davigdor Road near Seven Dials. As the driver approached the junction, he spotted a mother on her bike with her two children in tow. But rather than wait for the car to pass, she instead pulls out in front of the car, narrowly avoiding a collision. The man was forced to slam on his breaks to avoiding causing serious injury. He told The Argus: 'It was incredibly dangerous. "If you're going to take your own life into your hands, don't include your children in that." The 52-year-old company director posted video of the incident online in a bid to raise awareness about the dangers of cycling with children. He claims the woman did not look left at all when reaching the junction. The man estimated that he was doing around 25-30mph - easily enough to kill should a collision occur. According to road safety charity Brake, a pedestrian hit at 30mph has a one in five chance of being killed - although that figure is likely to be much higher if they are a child. Even a child hit at 18mph experiences the same level as impact as a child falling from an upstairs window. The driver said he was accustomed to slow down at that junction but was forced to brake hard to avoid a collision. He said: "Whoever this lady is, she needs to have a think about what's happening there, I think she should understand the road." He did, however, commend the mum for having helmets for her children. But viewers of the video blamed the driver for not being more aware - with some saying he should have been driving even slower. One wrote: "You could argue that there should have been even more time to react to the hazard developing ahead. "Perhaps the mother had judged it was safe to do what she did, on the assumption the car wasn't speeding?" Another wrote: "Both are not very wise. The driver should have gone slower - but the woman had two kids on the back and cycling straight into the busy road." And far from being a cycle-hater, the driver has been a cyclist himself for the last 20 years. He says parents should follow 'basic road safety' when out with their children - and shouldn't cycle if they don't know the rules.
