Nesting area destroyed.

VeeEmmy

I'm wondering if there are statutes or directives that prohibit the destruction of nesting areas when there is no pressing reason to do so?

I live in the country and all around my house is aflutter with seasonal activity

Today, my landlord (a nice person) cleared the brush/scrub area directly behind the house.

Blackbirds and many others nest and find food in there. The perch trees where the small birds queued for their turns at my feeders are gone as well. It looks awful out my back window now.

It is not an area that adds area for tillage. It's more like the size of a modest family vegetable garden.

Birdnuts

It is an offence to cut/destroy hedgerows between from the 1st of March and the 31st of August. It is also an offence to disturb/destroy the nest of any bird species if eggs/nestlings are present. Hope this helps.

VeeEmmy

Thanks very much. I had a feeling.

What do birds do if their nests are destroyed before they start laying their eggs?

While I have not actually seen a nest or a bird taking nesting material to the area, I'm pretty certain that a pair of blackbirds nest in there and I think there may also be a robin's nest. I'm very partial to "my" robins.

Thanks again.

Birdnuts

Banished-She wrote: »

Thanks very much. I had a feeling.

What do birds do if their nests are destroyed before they start laying their eggs?


Thanks again.

As its still early in the season, there would be a reasonable chance of the species you mention attempting to breed again.

mr.wiggle

Looking down over the blackwater valley all this week, I see major scrub clearing and burning going on...surely the local council would be on the lookout for this type of activity?

dodderangler

mr.wiggle wrote: »

Looking down over the blackwater valley all this week, I see major scrub clearing and burning going on...surely the local council would be on the lookout for this type of activity?

Probably is local council
I seen council van and lads cutting hedges yesterday up in blessington and putting hedges into van

Birdnuts

dodderangler wrote: »

Probably is local council
I seen council van and lads cutting hedges yesterday up in blessington and putting hedges into van

I think hedges can be trimmed in the interests of "road safety" under the law - though why they can't do the heavier work earlier in the year i don't know!!

fleabag

This sort of clearing seems to be rampant this year. All around me in Co. Limerick hedges are being grubbed out and piled up in the middle of fields, it breaks my heart to see it. A neighbouring farm has just been sold and every hedge seems to be coming out. I know that it's illegal to cut hedgerows back now but what about grubbing hedges up - is this also illegal? It seems that this is even more destructive to nesting birds and wildlife at this time of year.

Birdnuts

fleabag wrote: »

This sort of clearing seems to be rampant this year. All around me in Co. Limerick hedges are being grubbed out and piled up in the middle of fields, it breaks my heart to see it. A neighbouring farm has just been sold and every hedge seems to be coming out. I know that it's illegal to cut hedgerows back now but what about grubbing hedges up - is this also illegal? It seems that this is even more destructive to nesting birds and wildlife at this time of year.

Yes it is illegal. Any hedge destroyed must also be replaced by a new hedge of equal length under various agri and environmental laws. I feel your pain, its hard to know what motivates certain landowners who seem to go out of there way to indulge in such activities at the very time of year that birds and other animals are most vulnerable to the destruction of such habitats.

fleabag

Thank you - that's very illuminating. So I could report this landowner for taking out the hedges then? Anybody know how I do this and who I report it to?

I know it won't bring the hedges back but I really hate just watching this environmental destruction and not being able to do anything about it.

Birdnuts

fleabag wrote: »

Thank you - that's very illuminating. So I could report this landowner for taking out the hedges then? Anybody know how I do this and who I report it to?

I know it won't bring the hedges back but I really hate just watching this environmental destruction and not being able to do anything about it.

Contact your local NPWS ranger or the Limerick CC heritage officer.

fleabag

Cheers for that, will do.