Hedgerow And Tree

[catswhiskas]

The man who lives at the back of us has a hedgerow and fence dividing the two houses, there is also a shrubby sort of tree, it has been there years, it is home to loads of sparrows and starlings, who come in our garden to have a bath in the bird bath and eat the food we have put in feeders etc, it is one of the things that has kept me going on these dark times.
Today there is a man cutting all this down, I am so upset It makes me cry, I feel so sad for the birds who have suddenly lost their home and I will really miss them.
I know it is his garden and he can do what he wants, but I do think this is an act of vandalism, I had to come and tell you all about it ,as my husband seems to think I am missing the point.

[gness]

What a shocking thing to do at this time of year.

[TonyV]

Yes wrong time of the year to cutting hedges or trees if you care anything about nature.

[rowanwitch]

It is an offence to disturb nesting birds... You are right to be angry if you can prove it is used for nesting not just roosting

[catswhiskas]

rowanwitch, difficult to prove , its nearly all cut down now, I know in the grand scheme of things ,at the moment that its not very important, but I will miss all those little birds.

[Patsy33]

Aww, I'm so sorry. I can understand how you are feeling.
The neighbour probably doesn't understand what he's doing. (I hope not) Has the hedgerow and tree been cut away completely? Or just cut back?

[catswhiskas]

Patsy33, it has been cut down to fence height , 6ft ? ,it was about 10, and ran all the way along his back garden, it was quite an old hedge dividing what was fields, before the houses where built.
I dont believe in karma , but I hope it comes back to bite him

[ladybirder]

I know this isn't much help at the moment, but as soon as you can, plant your own on your side. In fact if it is privet he has cut down, I have grown a whole hedge just from picking up cuttings from the ground and placing them in water until roots have started sprouting. Then I planted them. I feel your pain, I really do. That would be like demolishing a whole block of flats in our world.

[catswhiskas]

Thank you ladybirder.

[iluvmargie]

Don't apologise for how you feel, I would feel exactly the same. In fact I wold have gone over and tried to have a word with him. This would make me angry first and then very upset and if he was disturbing nests at this time of year, then that is an offence. ladybirder gives some good advice about the cuttings, hope you can do this. I am so sorry for you and of course the poor birds who have lost their natural habitat. It IS vandalism.

[catswhiskas]

Thanks iluvmargie, everytime I go out the back door I can see what he has done, its just so sad

[Chipchopper]

What a shame Catswhiskas!,
That shrub/tree sounds as though it gave the birds a lot of protection and somewhere they feel secure while using your bird feeders.
I would do as others have suggested and plant a shrub of your own to replace it.
I'm lucky enough to have a very dense evergreen shrub in close proximity to my feeders, any sign of danger and the birds just fly into it and completely disappear among the small but pleasing leaves. The shrub I refer to is Lonicera nitida 'Baggesens gold'

[catswhiskas]

Thanks Chipchopper, yes there was a lot of protection for them, I am thinking of planting something for them, but it doesn't solve the problem of where they will all end up tonight, I expect they will manage ,its just me feeling bad for them.