Late Nesting Birds!

[NatureBoy]

Turned down/ lost a job yesterday and not for the first time. Why? Because i refused to remove or work near still very active and used house martins nests. No worries! But! What i have noticed looking around and also in birding/shooting/conservation media is people that should know better thinking/saying that come the beginning of August The breeding /nesting season is over. It's NOT! Not only are house martins. swallows and swifts still going. i know of goldfinches, spotted flycatchers, sedge warblers and tree creepers still with young in nests. One lot of  bird/ insect mix and hedge still has at least at least 5 whitethroats still nesting and no doubt other warblers are to. Whitethroats seem to be using these crops more this year because less rape has been grown. Some turtle doves were still calling and behaving as if still nesting last week. I hope so. Young were still about in September last year. And wood pigeons seem to be full on with nests every where now. . . .   Just saying, still check before cutting, slashing, or doing any work where birds may still be nesting! Does it really need doing? Leaving it another 2 weeks could make a lot of difference. 

Another rant over!

ATB     NB

[sandspider]

I thought the end of August was the end of bird nesting season? I leave my hedges till then, my neighbours cut theirs sooner. I can see a pigeon nesting in me conifer hedge outside the window right now. Some robins too I think.

[Walker570]

Yep, 1st September is the official cleared day for hedge cutting on farms.  We have two pairs of blackbirds in the yard and one pair have reared three lots so far.   Unless hedges are causing visibilty problems at junctions I cannot see why anyone has to touch them until September.

[sandspider]

Agreed. My neighbour is retired, and likes to hedge cut, strim etc. endlessly. I think he despairs over our garden, but ours is full of wildlife, odd plants and such and we like it that way.

[Mice!]

I went up into two trees yesterday a conifer and maple, both had pigeon chicks in them still, so looking like another couple of weeks before I can top the conifer. 

[WalkedUp]

Over the weekend saw a lot of farmers cutting hedges. On the beaches and coastal areas the restricted access for ground nesting birds runs until end of September.