Neighbour destroying nests

[Deadringer]

I am livid! Not a word I normally use, but I really am livid. We were away for a week and when we returned we noticed that a couple of our trees looked a fair bit sparser than they had previously. Our neighbour is always cutting something out in his garden and has form for being a complete idiot so we supposed that he cut the trees back while we were away to make things look a bit tidier. However dd just told us that as well as cutting the trees on his side he spent ages whacking at them with a rake, breaking the branches on his side. He told her that he wanted to get rid of the birds because he was afraid they would nest in his chimney! There was a pigeon's nest in one of the trees which is now gone, and there was likely at least two or three nests in the other tree, blackbirds and Robins nest there every year. Aside from destroying the birds nests (in our garden!) which is illegal, he has basically smashed the other side of our trees. I haven't seen him yet, wtf can I do about it? And wibu to get a giant rake and bash his fucking house in until he pisses off?

No point phoning the RSPB, they dont have legal powers for the Wildlife and Countryside Act so it's the police you need.

This. Excellent advice.

I would be absolutely fucking RAGING at this. What a monstrous cunt he must be.

Those dates are a compliance requirement for landowners in receipt of subsidy. Dates are not specified under the wildlife and countryside act.

You say you don't have a problem with him cutting back branches on his side - and legally he has a right to do that. But, doing it at this time of year could constitute an act of disturbing nesting birds - as others have said, an offence.

You can see in the picture that the branches are broken rather than cut and he has cutting equipment, I am not precious about the trees at all, just the nests. We feed the birds and love having them in the garden. Funny enough i have seen him out with a hosepipe spraying his apple tree which is right behind our trees, and I thought it was weird, I think now that he must have been chasing away birds. I know some of the bigger birds can be a nuisance, years ago my other neighbour used to go around the shops collecting stale bread and leaving it out for birds, the garden was always full of seagulls and it attracted rats too. We are not irresponsible, we use proper feeders that only small birds can access. I am going to have it out with him, not sure about reporting him but I definitely will if he refuses to listen.

You can see in the picture that there is a gap in the tree where the nest was, that is on our side of the wall, the branches and leaves were completely dense last week, so he has hacked into the middle of the tree from his side. Absolute prick.

Forgot picture

Suggest to him that he gets a chimney pot cover so the birds dont nest. They are about £40 and he wouldn't need to spend his time whacking trees!

Unfortunately he has lots of time on his hands and is a total scrooge, he won't pay for bins, so every day he goes out with a bag of rubbish and puts it in public litter bins. I could do a whole thread on some of the cheapskate things he does. I think he is actively avoiding me, he is nosy so usually if we have been away he will make a point of bumping into me so he ask where we have been. I think I have to move!

Depends on whether you're prepared to go to war with your neighbour over it.

Yep you can be fined for cutting trees back during nesting season.
I know this because we had a tree cut down last year and it was done before the birds nested.
The tree chap said it can be a fine up to £25k

I'm raging on your behalf OP, even more so seeing your desecrated tree and knowing what it housed there 🤬
I hope you help him get his karma for destroying wildlife. 😞
Utter Bastard.

Report him. What an utter bastard.

Update. I usually see him multiple times a day so i know he has been avoiding me. He was in his front garden earlier so I had it out with him, he apologised profusely and said it was a mistake and he won't do it again. It wasn't a mistake, but I am going to let it go. The pigeons seem to have decamped to the garden on the other side of us, and the small birds seem to be coming back, so I have calmed down. Thanks all.