I agree that sometimes all it takes is a friendly chat, but unfortunately not all people respond well to a friendly chat (not all neighbours are friendly or get on either) and not all people care about nature or their impact upon it. Some people only care about how perfectly their (and everyone else's) hedges are cut. If one neighbour has lived in the road longer than another then there is the 'we've always done it this way' attitude and they don't take kindly to a differing point of view no matter how gently the subject is approached. I think my reasons for not touching the hedge until Sept/Oct is a good and valid reason but equally other people seem to think trimming hedges through the summer has a good and valid reason. Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree in order to keep the peace. I think all we can hope for is educating people on the issue and then I guess it's their choice how they proceed. For me it's difficult to see bird's nests disturbed, nests I've seen them work so hard to build over the past few weeks, so I expressed that on here with people I hoped would understand as I can't do so with my neighbour.
I suppose, if nothing changes, at least you can take some comfort in there being a hedge at all and thus at least some bugs and critters to feed birds. After all, the neighbours could just rip it out and build a wall/erect a fence there instead - birds can't nest in a fence panel!
Interrupting someone doing something to inform them that something is wrong with what they are doing nearly always ends in a falling out. So, do not catch the neighbours when they are in the midst of hacking away at the hedges.
Best to see them on a non-busy day, catch them when they aren't shooting off or whatever. After the usual British conversation etiquette (Hello, How are you?, something about the current weather...) maybe approach the subject with
"So, about these hedges... I know mine looks a bit rough for now until I sort it later in the year. I ain't doing it to be an oddball or to cause trouble. I was only seeing birds dropping in and out with nesting materials the other day. I think it'd be pretty great if we all left our hedges for a bit longer, just to let the birds have the space for a bit. I know it might not look so tidy for a little while, but you might get to catch a glimpse of the baby birds. What do you think?"
You'll know from the body language if they are in a place of consideration or entrenched in their way pretty quickly. You never know, they may simply have never considered that birds were actually nesting, and just thought it was birds just getting out of the way when they were cutting, not actively disturbing nests. They might even be mortified by that thought!
If they are entrenched in their view, you shouldn't press the issue. It'd be clear that they don't want to be educated or know and don't care. At the end of the day, like I said, they could just remove their hedge altogether and replace with a wall/fence.
There's a few issues here. One neighbour relations. Two do you have evidence of nesting birds? Three do you know what due diligence the neighbour has done to mitigate potential harm / avoidance of breaking the law?
It is quite possible that the neighbour has followed exactly the observation advice in that hedge link posted above. Perhaps your angle you can see the blackbird but his angle you can't. He's not seen what you've seen despite looking.
I'm not defending or criticising or condemning anyone because we have only one side in this. From my POV we've moved into our new house in march. Too late for the usual autumn/winter cutting period? We however have various trees, bushes, hedges and shrubs. Since the house was empty for over a year while the deceased previous owner's estate was dealt with. Result was a lot of overgrown plants including leylandii type of conifers. As most here probably know you have to keep on top of these or they'll grow out and up too much. Once that happens you can't cut back or you'll end up with bare, brown branches. We were close to that situation so we decided to cut as few of such plants of this nature as possible! Basically only one plant.
Our precautions were exactly those in that link. We observed from afar, mid range and close in. From many angles. We saw no sign of nesting birds. We then looked into the tree. Nothing! So we cut back. Unfortunately we found a nest in one of the cut off branches. We were wearing gloves so we stopped cutting and put the nest into the thickest part of the tree where the small bird who made the nest could get to it but it's hidden. Blackbirds are known to eat the chicks of such birds. We were devastated when we did eventually see a bird go into the tree. We were also devastated when we realised they'd stopped going in. Unfortunately we know we you can make all the precautions recommended but still cause harm.
Perhaps the only option was to let it become overgrown and cut later on. That solution would have taken the habitat away as it would have grown to big to cut back. We've already had to cut two conifers down because they had grown over. One someone had already cut back to dead wood. What we have now is the removal of two potential future bird nesting and shelter/protection trees (done before nesting period) and one tree saved as a habitat but at the cost of one potentially viable best. It was early season lay and possibly they'll lay again this year anyway. Still we're not happy with what we've done. We did something we'd never normally do and took all precautions we could.
I'm guess I'm agreeing with you all but with the understanding of the possibly acceptable other side. The technical true side that it is possible to cut in nesting season without breaching the relevant laws. Technically we did not break the law but we still caused harm. In our defence we would never cut trees, shrubs and hedges at this time of year in normal situation. Now we're in the position we are with the vegetation under control it's easy to manage at safe times. This is always our preferred choice.
As to your neighbours. Do you know for sure they know the issues? Do you know for sure they haven't taken precautions. The only two ways to play it IMHO, is to leave it or somehow find out what the situation is from their side? You can't condemn without knowing their side.
I think the difference in your situation was that you were trying to deal with a new and (possibly ) neglected garden. You made a mistake and now you know that. It doesn't sound as if you will make the same error twice. The impression given by the OP is that the neighbours in question have been following their trimming regime for a number of years. Always 2 sides to a story but all we as posters on here can do is offer possible solutions to cover all options - talk to neighbours, suggest a better regime ( for the health of their hedge as well as the local wildlife, advise about the law and so on. All those suggestions have been made one way or another - it's now up to the OP on how best to deal with the situation.
A regular routine doesn't mean there's a problem. Cutting back in nesting season can be done but as it learnt you really have to be extremely careful and even then might not have a safe outcome.
We can offer advice based on one POV, the OP's which we have no reason to doubt, but there is no reason not to consider the alternative POV too. Possibly devil's advocate, possibly a sensible approach.
As I see it there are literally two views here, one from each side of the hedge. I've seen birds nesting and I've seen them with set entry and exit routes too. A blackbird nested in the ivy between two houses, one was ours. A mid terrace with backyards. Those birds entered and exited from our side such that our neighbours had no idea they were nesting there. Unlikely in this case with what sounds like a decent sized garden and boundary hedge. It's just that what you see and they see are obviously different. Or they're complete to$$ers who don't give a damn about birds. One type you could change their POV or habits with knowledge or the other you've probably got a difficult person to deal with.
It'll be up to the OP to decide how to act but it isn't a black and white situation I suspect. Care needs to be taken.
Worth asking, in case they have checked but seen no birds nesting from their side. If they seem interested, you could suggest that next year they ask you if you've seen any from your side. I usually cut my privet around this time of year but only if I'm confident the birds aren't nesting in there, and they usually don't - they choose my taller trees and thicker shrubs, away from the neighbour's cat which often walks along the top of the hedge (which is less than 5 feet high, only about 18 inches wide, backs onto the street, and is regularly disturbed by passers-by pushing empty drink cans and other rubbish into it).
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Thanks all. There are always at least two sides to a story. My experience with the neighbour in question is they are very tricky, some might say difficult. I won't go into the details on a public forum but suffice to say there is history and I now tend to avoid them. I'm glad there is a hedge between us and glad that no one is sticking rubbish in it, that sounds frustrating JennyJ. Hopefully the birds and other insects can still use the hedge somehow if not for nesting. Despite being chopped and vigorously shaked, I can still see one remaining nest in the hedge, but I don't know if it's now been abandoned. It's in the middle of the hedge and seems like it would be visible from either side (I can see straight through to their side in that location so it seems odd they couldn't see that nest as it's at eye level), though perhaps they didn't see it. Birds could definitely be seen going in and out of the hedge as it was being chopped, but maybe the neighbour didn't consider they could be going to nests. I saw two fledging blackbirds in my back garden yesterday. I think there might be a nest in my shrubs. It was such a pleasure to see them and their mum trying to keep them fed. It sounds like you made an honest mistake NorthernJoe and hopefully the bird can rebuild the nest. Did you say blackbirds eat the chicks of other birds? I didn't know that.
I realise this is an old thread resurrected, but my understanding is that the law prevents cutting hedges when they contain active nests. There is not a blanket ban on cutting hedges in the nesting season.
Posts
I think my reasons for not touching the hedge until Sept/Oct is a good and valid reason but equally other people seem to think trimming hedges through the summer has a good and valid reason. Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree in order to keep the peace. I think all we can hope for is educating people on the issue and then I guess it's their choice how they proceed. For me it's difficult to see bird's nests disturbed, nests I've seen them work so hard to build over the past few weeks, so I expressed that on here with people I hoped would understand as I can't do so with my neighbour.
Interrupting someone doing something to inform them that something is wrong with what they are doing nearly always ends in a falling out. So, do not catch the neighbours when they are in the midst of hacking away at the hedges.
Best to see them on a non-busy day, catch them when they aren't shooting off or whatever. After the usual British conversation etiquette (Hello, How are you?, something about the current weather...) maybe approach the subject with
"So, about these hedges... I know mine looks a bit rough for now until I sort it later in the year. I ain't doing it to be an oddball or to cause trouble. I was only seeing birds dropping in and out with nesting materials the other day. I think it'd be pretty great if we all left our hedges for a bit longer, just to let the birds have the space for a bit. I know it might not look so tidy for a little while, but you might get to catch a glimpse of the baby birds. What do you think?"
You'll know from the body language if they are in a place of consideration or entrenched in their way pretty quickly. You never know, they may simply have never considered that birds were actually nesting, and just thought it was birds just getting out of the way when they were cutting, not actively disturbing nests. They might even be mortified by that thought!
If they are entrenched in their view, you shouldn't press the issue. It'd be clear that they don't want to be educated or know and don't care. At the end of the day, like I said, they could just remove their hedge altogether and replace with a wall/fence.
Without a conversation, it's tough to know.
It is quite possible that the neighbour has followed exactly the observation advice in that hedge link posted above. Perhaps your angle you can see the blackbird but his angle you can't. He's not seen what you've seen despite looking.
I'm not defending or criticising or condemning anyone because we have only one side in this. From my POV we've moved into our new house in march. Too late for the usual autumn/winter cutting period? We however have various trees, bushes, hedges and shrubs. Since the house was empty for over a year while the deceased previous owner's estate was dealt with. Result was a lot of overgrown plants including leylandii type of conifers. As most here probably know you have to keep on top of these or they'll grow out and up too much. Once that happens you can't cut back or you'll end up with bare, brown branches. We were close to that situation so we decided to cut as few of such plants of this nature as possible! Basically only one plant.
Our precautions were exactly those in that link. We observed from afar, mid range and close in. From many angles. We saw no sign of nesting birds. We then looked into the tree. Nothing! So we cut back. Unfortunately we found a nest in one of the cut off branches. We were wearing gloves so we stopped cutting and put the nest into the thickest part of the tree where the small bird who made the nest could get to it but it's hidden. Blackbirds are known to eat the chicks of such birds. We were devastated when we did eventually see a bird go into the tree. We were also devastated when we realised they'd stopped going in. Unfortunately we know we you can make all the precautions recommended but still cause harm.
Perhaps the only option was to let it become overgrown and cut later on. That solution would have taken the habitat away as it would have grown to big to cut back. We've already had to cut two conifers down because they had grown over. One someone had already cut back to dead wood. What we have now is the removal of two potential future bird nesting and shelter/protection trees (done before nesting period) and one tree saved as a habitat but at the cost of one potentially viable best. It was early season lay and possibly they'll lay again this year anyway. Still we're not happy with what we've done. We did something we'd never normally do and took all precautions we could.
I'm guess I'm agreeing with you all but with the understanding of the possibly acceptable other side. The technical true side that it is possible to cut in nesting season without breaching the relevant laws. Technically we did not break the law but we still caused harm. In our defence we would never cut trees, shrubs and hedges at this time of year in normal situation. Now we're in the position we are with the vegetation under control it's easy to manage at safe times. This is always our preferred choice.
As to your neighbours. Do you know for sure they know the issues? Do you know for sure they haven't taken precautions. The only two ways to play it IMHO, is to leave it or somehow find out what the situation is from their side? You can't condemn without knowing their side.
You made a mistake and now you know that. It doesn't sound as if you will make the same error twice.
The impression given by the OP is that the neighbours in question have been following their trimming regime for a number of years.
Always 2 sides to a story but all we as posters on here can do is offer possible solutions to cover all options - talk to neighbours, suggest a better regime ( for the health of their hedge as well as the local wildlife, advise about the law and so on.
All those suggestions have been made one way or another - it's now up to the OP on how best to deal with the situation.
We can offer advice based on one POV, the OP's which we have no reason to doubt, but there is no reason not to consider the alternative POV too. Possibly devil's advocate, possibly a sensible approach.
As I see it there are literally two views here, one from each side of the hedge. I've seen birds nesting and I've seen them with set entry and exit routes too. A blackbird nested in the ivy between two houses, one was ours. A mid terrace with backyards. Those birds entered and exited from our side such that our neighbours had no idea they were nesting there. Unlikely in this case with what sounds like a decent sized garden and boundary hedge. It's just that what you see and they see are obviously different. Or they're complete to$$ers who don't give a damn about birds. One type you could change their POV or habits with knowledge or the other you've probably got a difficult person to deal with.
It'll be up to the OP to decide how to act but it isn't a black and white situation I suspect. Care needs to be taken.
Hopefully the birds and other insects can still use the hedge somehow if not for nesting. Despite being chopped and vigorously shaked, I can still see one remaining nest in the hedge, but I don't know if it's now been abandoned. It's in the middle of the hedge and seems like it would be visible from either side (I can see straight through to their side in that location so it seems odd they couldn't see that nest as it's at eye level), though perhaps they didn't see it. Birds could definitely be seen going in and out of the hedge as it was being chopped, but maybe the neighbour didn't consider they could be going to nests.
I saw two fledging blackbirds in my back garden yesterday. I think there might be a nest in my shrubs. It was such a pleasure to see them and their mum trying to keep them fed. It sounds like you made an honest mistake NorthernJoe and hopefully the bird can rebuild the nest. Did you say blackbirds eat the chicks of other birds? I didn't know that.
You can stretch diplomacy to breaking point and still make enemies.
There is a saying: "Good fences make good neighbours".
Why are the words "friends" and "neighbours" so often said as one. When it's often Russia and Ukraine.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44266/mending-wall