RARE gull eggs have been untouched by thieves since the introduction of a police protection scheme this spring.

The nests of Poole Harbour’s Black-headed and Mediterranean Gull colonies were being targeted by poachers who swiped hundreds of eggs to sell to top restaurants.

Last year, during a survey of the harbour’s western islands, conservation workers discovered most of the 9,000 gull nests were empty of eggs.

Human footprints were also discovered criss-crossing the uninhabited islands where the colonies are located.

Police patrols were put in place this year to protect the seabirds. The charity Birds of Poole Harbour carried out a survey on Tuesday, which revealed no evidence of thefts by poachers.

Paul Morton, who runs the charity, said the colony was back up to nearly 6,000 nests.

While Black-headed Gull eggs can be legally harvested under licence for sale to the gourmet food industry, collection of them in Poole Harbour is strictly prohibited.

And Mediterranean Gull eggs, which look almost identical to their Black-headed counterparts, may not even be safe for human consumption.

The eggs of Black-headed gulls, considered a luxury food item, are legally sold online for £7 each.

There are around 20 licensed ‘pickers’ in the UK, all registered with Natural England. While Black-headed Gull eggs can be collected legally in this way at five small UK sites, none of these are within Dorset.