The ‘tail’ of the supermarket bird

Willie wagtail has taken up residence in a supermarket in England (Ken Kendall, Irish Examiner, September 13).

Birds and food stores don’t mix, so when the management of Tesco Great Yarmouth discovered a squatter, they were not amused. Contamination of food by bird dropping is a hazard. There were two wagtails originally, possibly a pair. The windows were left open and the male departed. The female stayed. Nets and traps were deployed to catch her but to no avail. The intruder, it was feared, would have to be shot.

Wagtails are a protected species in the UK. The fine is £5,000 for unlawfully killing one; Tesco would have to apply for an execution warrant. Then, the Great Yarmouth Mercury newspaper got wind of the story and the bird-pooh hit the fan. The squatter became a celebrity; people visited the store to see her. Customers objected to the bird being harmed, so a stay of execution was declared. The wagtail wouldn’t be shot; ringers from the British Trust for Ornithology would catch and remove it. But they have not been needed; the wagtail has disappeared. It has either left the building or is hiding within it.