Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours...
Certainly you do...
Well, many of you know how I like to feed the wildlife that visits my garden. Many of you do so yourself. We've lived in this property for around many, many years. Practically all the neighbours around us have been here as long or we're talking of 25-30 years plus.
Except for two sets of neighbours that moved in around 5 years ago, the most recent of these last year.
I have quite a few neighbours around here that feed the birds and keep their gardens tidy. We all talk to each other even if we don't actually mix with each other and help each other whenever we can.
I'm not one for opening the door to anyone I don't know but there was a knock this afternoon.
When I did get downstairs(too late to catch the caller before she drove away)it was someone from the council. She left a card. The environmental department...could I call them.
Can you guess what is coming?
Someone has complained about bird droppings affecting their property. Just complaints about...bird poo!
And as a complaint has been made the council has to come out and see for themselves what the situation is...the only glimmer of hope and what's in our favour is that I have been outside and can see no food lying around. And at night anything like that is cleared away as my neighbours do so no vermin is fed.
Its only in a couple of small feeders and I have looked all over to see where all the supposed droppings are in my garden or surrounding properties and I cannot see anything to speak of.
And the immediate properties just have grass and the new neighbour until all their alterations are done just looks like a tip so of you have seen pictures. As you have also seen how well I keep my garden as I have a gardener who visits and sees that all is well.
But of course I am now worried that the authority is going to tell me to stop.
Another simple pleasure possibly brought to an end.
And yet, I know of at least three or four other neighbours who are feeding and have no problems. I told the neighbour who faces onto the back of my garden(and has lived there for about the same length of time and he cannot believe it either) He says that he has no intention of stopping feeding the birds that visit and say that if they are complaining about me, he should be expecting a similar call as for years he has had a bird table and three feeders.
And looking around he cannot see any evidence of all these bird droppings. He has no intention of stopping and says if they have complained about us, then he's ready to expect a card too.
Rightly or wrongly we have to believe that it is the new neighbours complaining as we are hemmed in by trees and shrubs and the other neighbours put up a kind of bracken barrier attached to the fence so no bird can even land on the fence on that side. And being so private I don't know how anyone can see what is going on in my garden except from their side. Because they took away all the natural plants and trees.
But I could be totally wrong.
And of course in the next 4-6 weeks they plan to erect their new conservatory. So its just possible(and I admit that I could be wrong)maybe the idea is that if they sort this out before they build they've taken pre-emtive strike...but again as names of complainants are kept secret, we cannot be 100% certain on this. But obviously you try to guess who has complained.
All the neighbours here get on with each other and talk to each other if I had a problem I would go and talk directly first. But I have never ever had any neighbour fall out with us in all the time that we have been here.
But to go sneaking to the council is just plain nasty.
If I am told to stop feeding I do not feel like giving in. As if we do, I lose the pleasure I get from seeing my wildlife. And other neighbours are feeding them and not being told to stop.
5 minutes walking distance from here is the town centre where there are pigeons galore and people still feed them and they c*** all over the place. More like it if the council sorted that environmental health hazard, the only time it gets cleaned up is when the Prime Minister visits on official business and their c*rap is all over the ledges of the shops, on the ground and often on the railings you use to hold onto if you use the steps outside.
One thing I was told was that they council does not have an official policy on such matters and at best they sometimes just ask for feeders to be repositioned. And if they are happy, they will take no action(I hope)and they just take a middle stance.
So much for all the programmes on television telling you take care of the environment.
So we now await the official visit tomorrow at 2pm...
Wish me luck...
(An angry and unhappy)
Gildy
Well, many of you know how I like to feed the wildlife that visits my garden. Many of you do so yourself. We've lived in this property for around many, many years. Practically all the neighbours around us have been here as long or we're talking of 25-30 years plus.
Except for two sets of neighbours that moved in around 5 years ago, the most recent of these last year.
I have quite a few neighbours around here that feed the birds and keep their gardens tidy. We all talk to each other even if we don't actually mix with each other and help each other whenever we can.
I'm not one for opening the door to anyone I don't know but there was a knock this afternoon.
When I did get downstairs(too late to catch the caller before she drove away)it was someone from the council. She left a card. The environmental department...could I call them.
Can you guess what is coming?
Someone has complained about bird droppings affecting their property. Just complaints about...bird poo!
And as a complaint has been made the council has to come out and see for themselves what the situation is...the only glimmer of hope and what's in our favour is that I have been outside and can see no food lying around. And at night anything like that is cleared away as my neighbours do so no vermin is fed.
Its only in a couple of small feeders and I have looked all over to see where all the supposed droppings are in my garden or surrounding properties and I cannot see anything to speak of.
And the immediate properties just have grass and the new neighbour until all their alterations are done just looks like a tip so of you have seen pictures. As you have also seen how well I keep my garden as I have a gardener who visits and sees that all is well.
But of course I am now worried that the authority is going to tell me to stop.
Another simple pleasure possibly brought to an end.
And yet, I know of at least three or four other neighbours who are feeding and have no problems. I told the neighbour who faces onto the back of my garden(and has lived there for about the same length of time and he cannot believe it either) He says that he has no intention of stopping feeding the birds that visit and say that if they are complaining about me, he should be expecting a similar call as for years he has had a bird table and three feeders.
And looking around he cannot see any evidence of all these bird droppings. He has no intention of stopping and says if they have complained about us, then he's ready to expect a card too.
Rightly or wrongly we have to believe that it is the new neighbours complaining as we are hemmed in by trees and shrubs and the other neighbours put up a kind of bracken barrier attached to the fence so no bird can even land on the fence on that side. And being so private I don't know how anyone can see what is going on in my garden except from their side. Because they took away all the natural plants and trees.
But I could be totally wrong.
And of course in the next 4-6 weeks they plan to erect their new conservatory. So its just possible(and I admit that I could be wrong)maybe the idea is that if they sort this out before they build they've taken pre-emtive strike...but again as names of complainants are kept secret, we cannot be 100% certain on this. But obviously you try to guess who has complained.
All the neighbours here get on with each other and talk to each other if I had a problem I would go and talk directly first. But I have never ever had any neighbour fall out with us in all the time that we have been here.
But to go sneaking to the council is just plain nasty.
If I am told to stop feeding I do not feel like giving in. As if we do, I lose the pleasure I get from seeing my wildlife. And other neighbours are feeding them and not being told to stop.
5 minutes walking distance from here is the town centre where there are pigeons galore and people still feed them and they c*** all over the place. More like it if the council sorted that environmental health hazard, the only time it gets cleaned up is when the Prime Minister visits on official business and their c*rap is all over the ledges of the shops, on the ground and often on the railings you use to hold onto if you use the steps outside.
One thing I was told was that they council does not have an official policy on such matters and at best they sometimes just ask for feeders to be repositioned. And if they are happy, they will take no action(I hope)and they just take a middle stance.
So much for all the programmes on television telling you take care of the environment.
So we now await the official visit tomorrow at 2pm...
Wish me luck...
(An angry and unhappy)
Gildy
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 6:46 pm
20 Comments:
Gildy, easy for me to say but try not to worry. Unless there are tons of pooh somewhere the council will do nothing and you say there isn't, so they will not. The other thing to remember is that because there are lots of trees and shrubs, the birds would visit even if you didn't have a few feeders around. The council and the complainant don't have a leg to stand on.
I must admit that two of our sheds get absolutely smothered in pooh because of the trees that overhang but once a week I go out with a high pressure hose and clean it all off. This is more because of the children than asthetic reasons.
Deep breath and stay calm. The council worker is just doing her job and she is just as likely to want to file this away under 'nothing to answer to and no further action' as you are to see the back of her.
Let us know how you get one.
xx
Thanks Mags,
You know only too well yourself, even when you do not look for trouble, it finds you.
I've just looked outside again as I watered the plants and it all looks so clean and tidy at the front and at the back, as you probably read elsewhere we had a hedge in the front garden and they removed their half.
So how do you stop sparrows landing on a wall. At the back we had a natural break, they ripped it out and put up a fence with the bottom third made out of brick.
And unless you put some kind of guard, how can you stop a bird landing on a fence?
Thanks for your confidence talk...and support.
Its appreciated
Ant xx
Gildy how silly of them, when you had a natural brake to rip it out, put up a fence, and then complain the birds poo on it.
Some people are just philistines !
Actually, the more I think about it, we are less likely to get large birds into the garden because larger one's need a flight path with little or no obstacles and being surrounded as we are only songbirds/small birds manage to get through.
Except, the next door neighbours having pulled out their shrubs and trees have opened it up far more than it has been in over 40 years.
I have explained to Curmy and a few others that I have a major fault on the pc and too complicated to explain but I have found the guy who installed it about 18 months ago and he's coming to look the system over this afternoon. Everyone is coming this afternoon :-)
If it can be fixed here great, if not maybe I'll disappear for a few days...but Curmy or Mango will pop on here I'm sure and leave a message on my behalf.
BTW do you think the birds know that the council woman is coming as yesterday and today especially I have not seen one in the garden.
Gildy, your stupid neighbours have probably done more to have large birds around by pulling up 40 year old hedges to let the larger birds in.
I thought there was some law against ripping out hedges.You should point that out to the council person.
Try e-mailing the RSPB for their opinion, ,posting on birdforum, or complaining to your council's relevant dept about your neighbour's actions.
My brother works in a relevant dept for our local council.
From inferences given I am practically convinced that who we believed to have made the complaint is responsible. But it has to remain guesswork.
And though we have assurances that we have nothing to fear, in a way I have been restricted in my feeding of the birds as the few feeders are now not hidden and safely camouflaged as before near a tree but in the open. And though I have been told to carry on and that the complaint is negligible, in effect I have been stopped.
Even though others around me are still doing so.
Even more laughable is the fact that the new neighbours moved in on the information of neighbours who were friends of their's and they feed the birds and attract wildlife(I believe that they are in the process of putting in a pond)
Equally, its because the new neighbours have ripped out shrubs and trees and built more brick and concrete everywhere the birds have roosted in the surrounding trees of surrounding gardens and the worry is that if this person feels that she has not succeeded in her action, she could ask for another department to come out and if needs be start to chop down trees. Altering our garden which we've had for 46 years plus. No one else is troubled.
Will it stop the roosting? No, because they'll go into the the next set of trees. I can see many. The only light as such was that there was a hint that we have nothing to worry about. And if the other department did come out, she thought they'd be as helpful and she did say..."Tell them to give me a call!"
She also gave a hint that if she heard anything she'd give us a call.
So do I feel any happier? Not really. One thing I did pick up is that they would have to be able to prove that any problems were because of what I was doing but as there are lots of trees in all this area and others are feeding that might be hard to do. But there is very little mess. At best a little on the very lower leaves of a tree that they have perhaps slept in overnight.
Just for my own knowledge even if I do nothing with the information, I may go and talk it over with a solicitor. Not really sure that would result in anything that would help matters and sometimes by pushing something further the problem snowballs.
So it looks as though once again, having had a fence and wall forced upon us, we will have one of the simplest pleasures stopped and may even see our garden affected.
Neighbours, don't you just love 'em...well some you do. Not this one.
What bastards ! Gildy, just carry on and ignore them .
Gildy, do as the lady said and carry on and stop worrying. As I thought, she was only following up a 'negligible' complaint.
As to all those trees....ever thought about getting some tree conservation/preservation orders? You and the neighbours who like trees just need to make a joint representation to the council about preserving the nature and character of the area plus if you have any more unusual or very old trees, it really would be very easy.
Everything is OK. Just keep on doing what you want to do and don't feel intimidated....or as my Dad says, don't let the bastards get you down.
Big hug from me to you. xx
Funny thing is before and since the Environmental Health Officer called I have hardly seen any birds.
It could be the time of year(I seem to remember)it being quiet for a few months at the same period last year.
Then again, could it be that moving the feeders at the EHO's suggestion, they do not like being so exposed and on view or they have to get used to the new location?
Well, what would you do without Mum's?
Mine was so upset at the thought that someone complained via the council instead of talking first (and the inference suggested we were correct in our assumption who had done so)
So unbeknown to me she called to see the neighbour this morning.
She was invited in and the neighbour was sorry and said(I'm paraphrasing here)that she was sorry that Mum was upset.
That she would come and talk with us had there been any problems and she remembered that we had always said we were quite easy about most things and was anything causing any problems, the answer was no but ages ago it was arranged that...the tree outside my bedroom window near them could be cut back and shaped.
The story goes that(it may be true or perhaps there is a bit of guilt)as they want a conservatory built a council official had come out to see what the plans were etc...
As the official was looking he/she stepped in some bird poo.
Hence the visit from the EHO.
Now, I don't know if our visit was because this council official was being over zealous. Or the wording on the card was wrong left by the EHO and using the terms, I need to visit to discuss a complaint was incorrect. As it may not of actually been one from the neighbour at all.
The neighbour also went on to say that she knows a lot of people around here feed the birds even her own sister who lives down the the street. Now one thing the EHO let slip.
You have to be proven to be the major cause of a health hazard and as many in the area have similar gardens, trees and feed the birds to penalise one person in particular is highly unlikely.
So the latest suggestion is that the neighbour will be talking with the council either to say that there is no problem(or maybe it might be that she is unhappy that it was classed as a complaint or perhaps is not happy that if it was the council official's enquiry, that she has been made to look as though the complaint came from her)or even just what is the problem. Maybe the official just did this because "they can"
Perhaps, it boils down to once the EHO was called and there was little or nothing to go on about, something had to be said otherwise it was a wasted visit.
And I suspect that the report will be written up that the visit was successful and that we were told to move the feeders.
But it may be that we can return to our old ways as things settle down. After all, there will be disruption, dust etc...when the conservatory is built. That'll keep the birds away.
The neighbours are quite friendly today, it would be funny if it improved realtions...
I am not sure that they even know where the complaint about the birds comes in. I hope them phoning the council on Monday does result in making what may be an ok situation worse.
So that's how things stand.
Thanks so much for your concern, kindness and words of encouragement.
Its a nine day wonder and unless something suddenly happens, I'll drop the subject but how sad is this...they've gone out so I have looked over their fence absolutely no bird poo whatsoever.
And the only good thing is as I walked around my garden as poor as my eyesight is being shortsighted and having lots of floaters...I noticed a quick movement and closer investigation shows there is what looks to be a young adult frog.
Which considering that we have panel fencing on both sides and a wooden boundary fence running the length of all gardens, I am still surprised but happy to see another visitor to the garden. Hope it survives.
I wonder if that will please the Environmental Health Department?
I hate my neighbour to the left. I really do. I have no reaason to and sometimes it makes me feel guilty but then i see her and she is so... nice. So... normal. So... perfect. It makes me sick. Utterly unfair I know. I think the real reason is that she is a teacher and has the irritating habit of talking to you as if you hadn't done your homework.
Thanks for the laugh Augustus, a bit of light relief. I hope that I am not too "Nice" and that even if its only a little bit, that there is a little bit of a rebel streak that shows itself now and again.
An interesting aside...can we really know anyone?
I often hear people getting talked about where someone will say about someone "What a nice person so and so is" etc...and I always perhaps cynically say..."You have to know someone by being in their company or living with them to really get to know them" Or do you?
Are some people the same wherever they are?
I think that some of us by having blogged and posted messages and sorry I know this is a very airy fairy thing to say, I almost don't want to say and bite my tongue...we have bonded, we can say that our regulars or clique as some on the R5 messageboards feel inclined to say feel as though we have an affinity?
Oh I'm sure some with an imaginative mind use their skills to embroid the truth to make it entertaining but perhaps it could be the case.
Gildy you make an interesting point. I often wonder if my neighbours ever think "what the hell does he do?" They never see me troop off to work, I'm always at home during the day and most nights. Over the years I have heard that I have been the subject of local gossip but in the end I think most people have secrets and have lives full of their own personal worries. Look down your road...
Which wife is having the crap beaten out of her by her husband regularly? Who secretly harbours a wish to run out on their fasmily and never see any of them again? Who are having the affairs? No one is normal.
Was is Plato who said that if you could sit around a table with a dozen people and put all your problems in the middle you'd fight to get your own back? A 23 year old girl I know told me two months ago that she had brest cancer and nearly died during chemo 18 months ago.
She went for one of her regular check ups last tuesday and got a call from them to say they needed to see her on tuesday coming as they had seen something on the scan they didn't like the look of. 23 years old. Life is all about perspective.
The closer I get to 2 a.m. the worse my typing becomes. Goodnight children, everywhere...
Gildy, buy a few vultures/ eagles etc...
I'm enjoying reading but not much time to post.
Good luck
Hi Gildy. I would not lose too much sleep over this. A few years ago i got a letter from my Environmental Health lot saying that i had been dobbed in for having a bonfire. Again, no idea who it was who did the complaining. Stranger still I had not had a bonfire but was due for one so to speak. Anyway, highly irritated by the obnoxious "you will do this, you will do that" tone of the letter (authority problem again, you note) I rang them.
"I haven't had a fire in the last six months."
"Oh... then don't worry about it then."
"As a matter of interest when can you have a fire?"
"Anytime you like. We don't mind you having the fire, but we would prefer it if you kept the smoke to a minimum."
I won't bore you with my reply. That is the kind of weirdo you have to deal with sometimes. My advice to you? Don't worry for a single nanosecond.
Gildy, I think Span's idea is hilarious, aquire a greater black backed gull and an albatross, that would scare your neighbours !
I like Spans idea too and its good to get a laugh out of something that seemed such a serious matter...
There is some more news about this but I think I'll start a new post about that...soon...
Likewise, the story from Augustus.
I like the idea that they suggest a fire is ok but you have to try to control the smoke.
At best I suppose that means try not to light a fire on a very windy day. But depends on how close to other property or roads you are.
The latest news that I can add to this blog entry is that as originally planned and said when the neighbours arrived we were quite amicable to things that were going to be a problem.
And having seen the upset caused there is definitely more dialogue from their direction. The hurt and upset caused has prompted them to contact the authorities and somewhere along the way the complaint or whatever it was mishandled.
No one is even sure where the subject of feeding birds or bird poo came into it. So yes when everything settles I suspect I can go back to as things were before.
Now on the other hand as arranged in the first week they arrived the tree nearest both our properties(but on our side)may have one of two things happening.
Either it will be shaped and made smaller or removed altogether. The story is that sometimes such a tree can poison the ground and seemingly the tale is that a similar tree was removed down the street at the sister's home.
If it was removed because of possible damage to property, I'd certainly accept that and who would argue, that again is why the visit came out of the blue.
So if it is totally removed, I will look for something fast growing and safe that can grow as high as the fence but can be easily trimmed and will offer once again protection to the birds that visit.
I have already planted 6(1 died)shrubs further along the same border and they have really taken off this year and they are evergreens and some are showing lovely flowers for the summer...don't ask what they are...I haven't a clue ;-)
I hope to plant some more at the very back of the garden that will be attractive but also offer further protection and berries that at various times will feed the birds.
At various times due to changes in neighbouring gardens if I do not provide what is a nature garden, the area is very open and they are scared easily and also more likely to be prone to attack from sparrow hawks etc...
So rather than drag this story out further and go on and on. For now it seems to have come out relatively better than when it started.
So all I will have to say at a future date is...whether the tree stays or goes. And perhaps what is planted in its place.
Thanks for staying with this tale.
Cheers.
Well I said that I would leave it but...I went in the garden last night and neither my neighbour knew that I was to suddenly appear nor did I know that she was there until I was out there...
She was talking to a guy who is building or advising about it...he works for a company that builds them.
And he talks quite loud and he said "Have you been in touch with the council yet?" She went very quiet and changed the subject. So maybe he was the one who suggested contacting the council, or she told him that she was going to. But if I had not worked out who was responsible I would know now.
He has a conservatory and trees like the one we have close by and so far he has not removed his or as far as I know had a complaint made against him.
It had to be me :-(
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