The lady, rather than shooing the bird away, looked around at fellow diners, enquiring delicately: "Do you think bacon is good for it?" Climate change, offshore wind farms and the development of open landscapes for housing and industrial use are all causing real and dramatic changes to wild bird populations. We all know they have voracious appetites and are not averse to a bag of chips with salt and sauce. Aggressive and imposing, the common herring gull’s wingspan can be as wide as 160cm – five feet, two inches to you and me. So, to the lady who asked if bacon was good for the bird, I’m sure it is, but not for her if she gets badly bitten offering it!