nesting birds etc?

[Lazurus]

How do you guys get on this time of year with "well meaning" joe public complaining your are disturbing nesting birds in hedges and the like?  This is a busy time so must be a PITA

[Mark J]

1 hour ago, Lazurus said:

How do you guys get on this time of year with "well meaning" joe public complaining your are disturbing nesting birds in hedges and the like?  This is a busy time so must be a PITA

If there's no birds then crack on.

[devon TWiG]

2 hours ago, Lazurus said:

How do you guys get on this time of year with "well meaning" joe public complaining your are disturbing nesting birds in hedges and the like?  This is a busy time so must be a PITA

they are not always " well meaning " some use it as a method of obstruction or just to interfere  with something they object too .....

[woody paul]

Just tell them I will stop if a find one, then getting into conversation out how many birds I have seen and they usually back down. 

If that fails well. 

[trotter251]

We have a simple tick box form on our remote reporting software that the team fills in and attach photos to showing there's no obvious nests present. The questions are kinda prompts for them carrying out a visual check of the work area. It gets sent to us in the office and we can send it on to customer if needs be. Then if a nesting bird or obvious evidence of one is found during the job it's photographed and we pull off until it's clear to return.
I'm not sure how useful the form and photos would actually be if it really kicked off but it at least encourages the team to have a good look and when you tell a "well meaning" member of the public that you have carried out a check and recorded the findings they normally go away

[Paddy1000111]

If anyone asks I always say that it's a requirement under the wildlife and countryside act 1981 to carry out a full inspection for active birds nest prior to the beginning of work. Technically it's not BUT it sounds good and usually stops any more questions and makes people aware that you know what you're doing. You can't tell if a nest is old or new until eggs start falling out anyway 

[eggsarascal]

30 minutes ago, Paddy1000111 said:

If anyone asks I always say that it's a requirement under the wildlife and countryside act 1981 to carry out a full inspection for active birds nest prior to the beginning of work. Technically it's not BUT it sounds good and usually stops any more questions and makes people aware that you know what you're doing. You can't tell if a nest is old or new until eggs start falling out anyway 

Birds like Swallows and Swifts do return to the same nest site, birds that produce a few broods tend to build new, some nests get used again by other birds. You should be able to recognise a laggy year nest that's in use before eggs are present.

Edited March 30, 2021 by eggsarascal

[Paddy1000111]

18 minutes ago, eggsarascal said:

Birds like Swallows and Swifts do return to the same nest site, birds that produce a few broods tend to build new, some nests get used again by other birds. You should be able to recognise a laggy year nest that's in use before eggs are present.

Well, Swifts rarely nest in trees since humans built them new, waterproof, protected homes in our roof spaces. Personally I've never seen a swift nest in a tree but I'm sure it rarely does happen. Same with swallows really, they're a cavity nester so unless you inspect every nook and cranny in the tree with a torch they are extremely hard to spot. 

I know what you're saying though, of course if you are up a larger tree on a harness then it's easier to tell fresh from old. I usually find that people ask when dealing with small pruning jobs where you're using poles on housing estates when there's obviously no nest but it is what it is. I got asked today by a passer by when there was obviously no nest 😂

[eggsarascal]

14 minutes ago, Paddy1000111 said:

Well, Swifts rarely nest in trees since humans built them new, waterproof, protected homes in our roof spaces. Personally I've never seen a swift nest in a tree but I'm sure it rarely does happen. Same with swallows really, they're a cavity nester so unless you inspect every nook and cranny in the tree with a torch they are extremely hard to spot. 

I know what you're saying though, of course if you are up a larger tree on a harness then it's easier to tell fresh from old. I usually find that people ask when dealing with small pruning jobs where you're using poles on housing estates when there's obviously no nest but it is what it is. I got asked today by a passer by when there was obviously no nest 😂

I bet you're a right laugh down the pub.

[Paddy1000111]

1 minute ago, eggsarascal said:

I bet you're a right laugh down the pub.

Sorry, did I ruin your joke? 😂