Be ware - nesting birds

[nickdub]

Just a quick reminder to any gardeners thinking of pruning hedges or similar, that its best put it off for a few months if possible.

I went out today to plant a new tree and as I was coming up by the hedge I bumped it a bit, next I got a flap of wings and a blackbird alarm call. Having had a quick look, sure enough there was a nest with 4 or 5 eggs in it. Obviously I left pronto and I'm sure there will have been no harm done.

I'll pop back and finish my tree planting a bit later - taking care not to make so much noise next time. :-)

[Dead Dogs]

Went in to the small shed at the potty last week, only to be accosted by a Robin. First thought was that I had previously shut it in. Then realised that the corrugated panelling gave plenty of access for a robin. Moved all my tools to the big shed so that the robin could nest in peace, if it wanted the small shed.

[veggiechicken]

Yesterday, thought I should "tidy" the top of the old garden table - imagine a dumping ground for pots, canes, tools etc.
There was a plastic flower pot on its side, behind some junk, and a robin flew out! The nest had 5 eggs in it. I put the junk back to screen the pot and Robin was back on the nest today.
I knew tidying was not a good idea.

[Dead Dogs]

I’ll have to remember that one VC

[veggiechicken]

Its the same with ironing and hoovering. I always worry about disturbing nesting birds.

[jackarmy]

As long as the russian tomma hawks keep away

[nickdub]

Chickens are always going to be better at nesting than ironing VC - it sort of goes with the territory.

[Snowwhyte]

I did a lot of hedge cutting of very overgrown hedges earlier in the year. I piled all the clippings on the lawn with the intention of shredding them when I could get someone to retrieve the shredder from the back of a full garage. It's not my garage so I couldn't get the shredder and my cousin didn't get around to it so now my four foot by seven foot pile of branches is home to sparrows. I'm fairly sure they're nesting in there so now I can't move the pile until the end of the nesting season.

[chris_m]

One of the service stations on the M6 in Cumbria bought a new mower for their grassy areas a couple of year back.
When they went to get it out to use it, they found that a robin had built her nest slap bang on top of the brand new, unused mower.
They had to get the old mower repaired to use for the first few months ;-)

[veggiechicken]

A few years ago a robin made its nest in an open bag of compost in the GH. I had to buy some more compost and put my plants elsewhere until they left.

[chris_m]

My neighbour's got a block of flats in his garden - he put up a robin nesting box under a bush and one quickly moved in. When he went to check it a week or so later, no sign of robins but a blackbird had built her nest on the top of the box so he'd assumed that the robins had been frightened off by the blackbirds.
Oh no, when he went to check the blackbird nest the other day, a robin shot out of the bush - and upon investigation he found that both nests had eggs in, robins inside and blackbirds on top.

[robbra]

Housemartins have been nesting in my porch year after year never stopping for a minute. I had to remove a new sensor light as it put them off around dusk. They normally have two lots of eggs, last year seven hatched, so good to watch them learning to fly.
The only downside is a front door and step covered in droppings but I love the fact they trust my porch to be safe for them. My village has them under eaves, gutters and thatched roofs,the sky is filled with them all day long.
Wonderful
Rob

[bobbin]

I approached a garden maintainance chap the other day on the allotment to ask why he was cutting the hedge when it was nesting time. He rolled his eyes and in a patronising voice said " Oh have we been watching Spring Watch?" As my allotments next to the hedge I said no but I've seen birds taking food in for their young.
and pointed out RSPB suggest not hedgecutting between end March to Aughst. He said it was nonsense and all the birds have finished nesting now (mid June) ....which I know is nonsense! He also said he'd not come across any nesting birds. I pointed out it was a bit late in the day if he had as he'd have frightened them off.
Anyway as it was a householder on the other side of the allotment hedge who as a nicety had the hedge cut my side so I had to back down.Rather than upset him. Against my better judgement I said sorry for having a go to the chap and he apologised for being so rude (he was! )
My neighbours at home are also cutting their hedges. But what can you do? I know there are more important things going on but the couldn't care less attitude really bothers me. I do understand it's their livelihood hedge cutting the cavalier attitude is depressing.

[nickdub]

Super tidy gardeners are an enemy to wildlife - what with hedges trimmed back flat all summer and lawns mowed to 1" grass height, its like a green dessert in some places. I know its good to have some bits like that, but everyone should have at least one patch where things are more untidy and there's some cover for birds and other creatures.

[lottieguy]

Hi, My hedge on the plot has not been trimmed for 2 years and looking at it the other day it has spread half way across my shed. I will trim it later in the year and did consider it when I looked at it but moving round the back of the shed the amount of alarm calls I got from a variety of different birds, the blackbird being the loudest, I said no it can wait and I will give it a good haircut later. I do like to see the birds and they need all the help we can give according to the RSPB and a lot are in decline.