This evening I am beside myself with rage, as a neighbour has just confessed that he colluded with his house painter to tear down a house martin's nest last week. Mid breeding season and full of fledglings. These stupid, ignorant and arrogant men and all like them should have a lesson in priorities about what's precious, what's irreplaceable, what a privilege they should have felt it to have these miraculous birds fly all the way from Africa to make a home at their home. Painting the sodding house was more important.
Hi Hilary - it saddens me to hear stories like this. Did you point out to to him he was breaking the law?
P.S - I hope the paint runs!
Best wishes, Jayne
See my Flickr photos here.
Hi, Jayne,
Yes, I've got my speech prepared when I can bring myself to speak to him again. I walked away in a strop about two hours ago and haven't calmed down yet. Half the trouble with the world is no respect for other living creatures, and that starts with government down, as we all know...
Karma will get the paint - and I'll put up some nestcups for next year at my place!
Best wishes to you too, Hilary
Karma will catch up - and I'll put up some nestcups for next year at my place!
Hi Hilary,
I know just how you feel. Last year in the middle of the breeding season I heard the dreaded sound of an electric saw and when I investigated I saw one my neighbours cutting down a Laurel hedge.
I warned him that there were Blackbirds and Goldfinches nesting. I asked him to stop and offered to do all his gardening for him when the birds had fledged and gone. I also told him what he was doing was illegal.
He did stop and go inside. Twenty minutes later he came out and hacked the whole hedge down the B*****D.
I`d never seen Goldfinches before. It was a rare treat to watch them feeding, bathing and collecting nesting material I`d put out, dog hairs and the feathers from an old pillow. I could have taken his electric saw and hacked him to bits. I`ve never seen the Goldfinches since. People like that should be hung upside down and left to rot.
Pat.
Old man
I'm very sorry to hear of the incidents you have described. I have some advice for you both;
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence to intentionally take, harm or kill wild birds, their eggs and chicks or to intentionally damage or destroy their nests whilst in use or being built. Such offences currently carry a maximum penalty of £5000 fines and/or a six month jail term. If you are aware of any active birds' nests on or inside buildings, within the trees, hedges or shrubs that are under threat, please point these out to the people doing the work and make them aware of the above law.
If they continue to work after being made aware of the law and the presence of active nests, it then becomes a police matter as offences under the above act have been committed. Please report this to your local police on the 101 number, asking for an officer to attend, stating offences under the above legislation, as well asking for this incident to be passed on to the force wildlife crime officer. If you can provide them with as much detail about the location, those responsible, the date and time and what you observed it would help any investigation.
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
Hi I had something similar the other week with my neighbour and my Hawthorne bush, so I know exactly how you feel. That was bad enough but to intentionally destroy a house martins nest with chicks is absolutely outrageous, especially as fewer and fewer return now. This forum was especially helpful at the time, it seemed to take a few days for me settle down after my run-in with my hedge-trimming-trigger-happy neighbour. Write down dates/times, the name of the painting and decorating firm so you have a record, if you wish to report the firm, at least then they will think twice about doing it again.
Pat Adams - Flickr - BLOG
Hi, These people should be reported for what they did, this really sickens me!!! House Martins are really struggling, and those people should be reported for what they did, tearing down nests full of chicks, just to paint their house is an offence, did you report it??
I have since been assured that there had been no nest activity or birds present for a week, so while they might have returned for a second brood, that was a relief. I was very hasty in my reaction in this case, but will continue to be vigilant for all wildlife.