Forum Topic

Help with garden clearance

Is anyone available sometime in the next couple of weeks t clear an overgrown area of garden please?  It's in Osterley.  Please pm me if you or anyone you know can help.  TIA

Jane Dickinson ● 4130d24 Comments

Ditto me too, Philippa.  :-(

Sarah Felstead ● 4118d

LOL  Aaagh!  The line The line The line.  Serves me right trying to post something in a hurry!

Philippa Bond ● 4118d

Sorry to hear about your blackbirds Sarah.The birdsong from the garden has been wonderful recently.Several years ago we had a daft blackbird who nested in the clematis just on top of the washing line.  Everytime you pinned something on the line the nest moved up and down.  We didn't use the nest quite as much as we might have done that spring!I think there is a robin's nest in next door's ivy but I haven't watched hard enough to find out.  I just keep seeing a robin streetside which is unusual.

Philippa Bond ● 4118d

Our two squirrels are great characters and spend quite a lot of the day chasing each other around the fences and gardens, it would be such a pity to lose them too.The surviving nests, so far are the wood pigeons in one of our tall trees (yes we have trees, but when we sell they will all be cut down, no doubt)  the wrens who are tucked into a mess of thorns, old pyracantha and holly bush on top of a fence and shed roof.  If we took this away to 'tidy up' there would be no nest.  And there is a robins nest somewhere ...The morning of the raid by the magpies the garden was full of song from the proud Dad watching the nest from a nearby tree, that has now gone.

Sarah Felstead ● 4119d

I think you have to trap squirrels first on the grounds that you are likely to injure it otherwise and that it will run a way and suffer. I think reds are protected but I may be wrong.

Keith Iddon ● 4120d

You can shoot grey squirrels (not sure about red) but the test is that you have to kill them humanely. There was a case a year or two ago where a window cleaner was found guilty of causing uneccesary suffering by drowning one.

Chris Broadbent ● 4120d

Are you allowed to shoot sqirrels?

Steve Taylor ● 4120d

You are allowed to shoot magpies but tricky to stay within the law in city gardens, even with an air/gas powered gun.....I think the same for Green Parakeets but they fly very fast.......

Iain Muir ● 4120d

This year our blackbirds have sited their nest at head height against our garden shed, tucked into the climbing rose.  The nest has scant coverage from above and the magpies watch the birds feeding then follow them to their nests.  The blackbirds warning clicks only serve to get the attention of the magpies and cats who circle the area of the nest or the young bird if it is on the ground.  This morning the nest held 6 beautiful sky blue eggs and despite my running out to chase the magpies away every time I heard the birds doing their warning call, by this evening all 6 had gone.

Sarah Felstead ● 4121d

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/robin/nesting.aspx

Philippa Bond ● 4123d

Oh how I have missed this site... I mean really all this lady wants to do is clear some overgrowth from her garden, I dont see any mention of trees or anything of the sort... Since when did this forum become parliament when everyone has to get agreement from the government for something Jeeeeezzzzzz

Kathy Riley ● 4123d

My mate transformed my garden in Osterley over the years.. but sadly he's now retired and I've moved.. so I can't help at this time. But clearing gardens can be so uplifting.

Jim Lawes ● 4124d

Sarah... I was looking at your garden the other day.......... :-)

Jim Lawes ● 4124d

OMG!

Kevin Farnan ● 4125d

Philippa, she just wants a bit of untidy, overgrown garden cleared. She is not starting fracking operations or mining Uranium or planning a space shuttle or even, dare I say, a safari.

Ian Silver ● 4125d

Think what you like but Jane's reaction to Sarah's reply gives the distinct impression that she is only interested in her own agenda and is giving no thought or consideration to the fact that there may be nesting birds.

Philippa Bond ● 4125d

Jane, it looks like you need to go to the Supreme Court on this one LOL.I think Phillipa is being silly

Ian Silver ● 4125d

This is hysterical!  Why do you imagine, on the basis of nothing at all, that I have no concern for wild life in Osterley or anywhere else?  I just want to clear a bit of very overgrown garden. OK? Or should I contact the RSPCA and the RSPB before I dig my garden fork into the ground.....

Jane Dickinson ● 4126d

Just a reminder that your particular agenda could include law-breaking.  We can't always do just what we want when we want.

Philippa Bond ● 4126d

Goodness me!  All I want to do is clear a patch of very neglected and overgrown garden.  I promise there are no nesting birds nor anything small and fluffy that might be displaced by my wish to give this bit of the garden a spring clean.  Sarah, thanks very much for the Kim and Dave contact.

Jane Dickinson ● 4126d

http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/policy/wildbirdslaw/"In the UK, all wild birds, their nests and their eggs are protected by law."

Philippa Bond ● 4126d

... might give you some extra time to find somebody though...Best gardeners around are Kim and Dave who do lots of work in Osterley - Mobile 07960 780 124 or 0208 568 1205.Our daft blackbird has nested in the climbing rose at head height - easily picked off by the magpies who work in a team to get the eggs or chick.  The baby blackbird (if it survives this first stage) comes out of the nest unable to fly, and rummages in the undergrowth until its tail feathers grow.  No undergrowth, no cover, no adult bird.

Sarah Felstead ● 4130d

This is not quite the helpful response I was hoping for.

Jane Dickinson ● 4130d

This is the time of year that birds are nesting and rely on overgrown patches to keep the nest safe from magpies and cats.  Have you checked if there are any nests?  Can you wait a few more weeks?

Sarah Felstead ● 4130d