Gulling the Public?

Somewhat disturbing news that a judge has ruled against the RSPB's claim that the Environment Secretary's approval of a cull of over 1000 Lesser black-backed and Herring gulls at the Ribble estuary 'sets a deeply disturbing precedent'  (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/21/legal-challenge-to-herring-gull-cull-dismissed). The request for the cull came from BAE systems who have an aerodrome there and feared that gull strikes could endanger aircraft. The cull would remove 20% of the UK breeding population of Lesser black-backs from a protected site. One could make a couple of points. Firstly, gull strikes are much less likely to seriously damage aircraft than encounters with geese, ducks and swans. Would they be next for 'the chop'? Secondly, the RSPB has been criticised, in the past, for culling these gulls on its own reserves to protect breeding programmes of other birds. Thirdly, removal of the gulls is almost certain to cause other birds to move into the vacated area (meaning that culls would have to be carried out over an extended period).