Lynn’s Bird Lady wants ban on feeding lifted

LYNN – Claire Butcher?s attorneys will ask a Superior Court judge to lift a city no trespassing order aimed at keeping the Wyoma Street resident from feeding birds in public places.The city slapped the order on Butcher, 78, on Sept. 11 and Butcher appeared Thursday in District Court to plead innocent to three counts of violating the city?s prohibition against the bulk of feeding animals. The ordinance violations each carry $300.City attorney Vincent Phelan said the trespass order is the city?s current solution to keeping Butcher from spreading bread, Corn Flakes and popcorn along the banks of Flax Pond or other locations near her home.Since 2005, she has battled the city and neighbors who claim birds flocking to Butcher?s feedings leave a mess of droppings in their yards and on their cars and house roofs.A Wyoma Street couple who declined to be identified Thursday out of fear of retaliation by people sympathetic to Butcher said the feedings have left their car splattered with bird waste and attracted squirrels who bored holes in their recently-landscaped lawn.?Our lawn is pretty much ruined. She?s pretty nasty about the whole thing,” the pair said.Butcher?s lawyers said city attorneys are harassing their client.?With all the problems Lynn has, they have to go after a 78-year-old senior citizen?” asked attorney Chris Winton Henderson.Attorney Janis Stanziani said Butcher “never got notice detailing what she did,” including photographs of any damage the city or neighbors claim her feedings have caused. Stanziani said she will contest the no trespass order in court.?She can?t even walk around the city,” she said.Phelan said the city issued the trespass order after repeated efforts to confine Butcher?s feedings to her property.?We?ve bent over backwards to be nice to Ms. Butcher despite her repeated violations of city ordinances,” Phelan said.Butcher is due back in District Court on Nov. 5 for a hearing on the bulk feeding violations. As to her plans for future feedings, she made it clear before leaving court Thursday that birds and other animals frequenting public places “are not owned by the city of Lynn.”