Nesting Birds.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Oh I had a client that wouldn't let me do a cut until she had moved all the woodlice out the way!!

 

Seriously...

 

I would have walked away from the job there and then but i had felled the tree and was taking the stump down a bit more.

 

She was one of these "any living thing is equal to us" weirdos

[Peter]

Umm, did that philosophy not embrace the tree she had just had killed?

Or was it dead already?

[Dean Lofthouse]

Umm, did that philosophy not embrace the tree she had just had killed?

Or was it dead already?

 

Oh, it took her over a year to decide to have the tree taken down and only because the insurance gave her little choice.

 

She went out for the actual fell, couldn't watch, I thought she was scared I would fell it on the house!

[skyhuck]

I thought she was scared I would fell it on the house!

 

You'ed worked for her before then!:wave:

[Dean Lofthouse]

You'ed worked for her before then!:wave:

 

[skyhuck]

 

Couldn't resist!!!:wave:

[Alex]

Seems funny to me that as long as I stand in a field of crops, I can shoot as many pigeons as I like at any time of the year I like

 

Very true. Turn up the day before with your shot gun, and exersize your right then sir... as long it is a legal quary species of cause. Define a pest species, any one.

[John Hancock]

Its that time of year again…..

 

Are you guys still cutting conifer and hedges? Or are you going to turn work down because you’re responsible Arbs with a conscience?

[Mick Stockbridge]

Its that time of year again…..

 

Are you guys still cutting conifer and hedges? Or are you going to turn work down because you’re responsible Arbs with a conscience?

 

About four years ago I reduced a conifer hedge at spring time and cut down two nests, one had six young but feathered Wrens and the other contained three bald and eyes closed Greenfinches. My wife successfully hand reared all nine birds and released them in our garden. It cost me a fortune in meal worms and the wife spent about four weeks feeding them every hour. Never again, now I take time to check for nests and have turned work away many a time on account of nesting birds.

[Quickthorn]

. Does anyone know of an arborist who has been prosecuted for disturbing nesting birds?

 

I don't know about arborists, but this article by Treecraft Ltd (Introduction to birds article pdf) sums it up well - I've seen the author, Andrew Cowan, here and there, and he seems to know his stuff. Page 2 of that pdf describes the case: the first prosecution (under C&WA I'd suppose) for the destruction of birds' nests and eggs, in 2001, was of Ashfield District Council. They removed a 100 m section of hedge with a JCB that contained nesting dunnocks with eggs. They were told about the nests by a local resident, and they had a site meeting to discuss the work and agreed to postpone, but then went ahead with the work anyway. Statements from locals who saw the hedge before and after, plus remains of the nest and eggs,were used as evidence to report the council, two officials and the JCB driver. The council was fined £2,800.

 

Also in that article, a case in 2002 involving a private individual was the first to convict for destroying a nest. He was seen dislodging a house martin's nest from the side of his house and putting the remains into a skip.

 

That article was dated 2002, so I'm sure things have moved on; those two cases are the ones that have set the precedents.

 

Has anyone found nests or seen nest building so far this year in any deciduous trees that have not yet come into leaf? I've still got 3 weeks hedgelaying to do, but any sign of birds nesting, and I will have to stop. I've never seen anything trying to nest in hawthorn at this time of year and before buds have broken.

 

I know that nesting birds have cost me dearly in the past, when we've discovered a nest and had to stop; with no other work to go to, the staff usually got an early finish (one guy in particular loved it when we found nesting birds, because of the early finish..I'm sure he would have done somersaults if he hadn't been so bone idle!). Also, the perceived early start for nesting has shaved a month off the Winter season, with many clients wanting everything done by the end of Feb. Having said that, I'll always do everything I can to work around nesting birds, or any other wildlife.

Edited March 10, 2009 by Quickthorn