Birds cannot now get to their nest

[RefusingToPlayYourGames]

One of our neighbours had new soffits and fascias over the weekend. We got home to find that the workmen had therefore blocked the gaps where sparrows used to get in (would it be to the roof?) and were nesting. Since then (Saturday), a couple of sparrows have been flying about, settling on the gutterings and then pecking at them, throughout the day. I wondered if they could hear their babies but can't get to them. It's made me sad to think of it. AIBU?

Your Council should have a wildlife officer who may have the authority to get something done about access. They, and the builders, have contravened the law by interfering with nesting birds.

Yes- they aren’t supposed to disturb nesting birds.

Are you in a semi? Or are the neighbours detached?
Hard to imagine where the nest would be.

The workmen were a bit odd, too - one bloke was up a ladder, with a boot thing (the ones worn after a broken leg or injury) on one leg, a calliper on the other. It bothers me because by now, the baby birds will be dead, but the parents (?) seem so perturbed.

The house is a semi, not joined onto my house. I've seen birds flit in and out of gaps in the original (wooden) fascias. She had squirrels in there a few years ago.

Shouldnt be any gaps in fascias unless the house was in disrepair. Birds look to get in under the last row of tiles but homes should have plastic guards to prevent that happenning. The fascia would lead into the roof, or to the inside of the old wooden facia. Maybe nests were disturbed and removed when they removed the old wooden fascias.

It is illegal to interfere with nesting birds

You sound very caring, poor wee birds. Pretty sure this is illegal. Phone the RSPCA if you’re in England or Wales and the Scottish SPCA if you’re in Scotland. Best to do it sooner rather than later.

Report the nasty fuckers.. Those poor birds...

Pinkbits The old wooden ones haven't been removed. They appear to have been simply covered over, somehow

Yes, you can cap over the wooden fascias with plastic, it's a common way of making it look better, saves painting the wood or replacing it properly with either new wood or thicker plastic. If there were nests in the loft wouldnt the householder have heard the noise? You'd think it would be very audible from inside the house. Or maybe it was th noise that prompted them to get it repaired.

Report the nasty fuckers

Don’t be daft. People are sensible to repair and maintain their houses and unless the birds were flitting in and out while the work people were there, how would they know?

Poor birds - that’s awful.
Please report this - it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. You need to speak to your local Wildlife Crime Officer (police). Blocking access to a nesting site is only allowed outside of the nesting season when the nest is not in use - builders are supposed to be aware of this.
https://protectthewild.org.uk/protectors-of-the-wild/nesting-birds-nests-and-the-law/

Just to add, some baby birds can live several days without eating (so they can survive when the weather is bad and the parent birds can’t obtain food). I don’t know if this is true of sparrows (our resident birds are swifts, who can), but there may be still time to save them. A Wildlife Officer can order the nest access to be unblocked.

I rang our local council office earlier, they said they'd never heard of any Wildlife Officer. I explained about the birds, they told me to ring RSPCA, and when I did that, I first of all got a recorded message, asking me to leave details, which I did. Nobody has got back to me, and that was at 11 am. The birds will surely be dea now (the fascias were put up on Saturday)

The wildlife officer is a police officer. You ring the non emergency line. They won't really be able to do anything about it though. We had a neighbour chop down our tree and kill a bunch of nesting chicks, they did try tbh but they can't do much.

Is it?
I thought it was only if they were in trees or shrubs.

The guidance is very clear in the link so I have learnt something new today.

The little sparrows are still taking bits of nesting material and sitting in the guttering, unable to get in.

Actually feel very sad at this op. Quite a disgusting act by the ndn.
Is there a bird place anywhere near you? We are near Salthome..