Garden Birds

[seelie]

Are there any rules about feeding garden birds. Our new next door neighbour has asked us to stop feeding them as they are making a mess of her decking etc. I agree that they do sometimes cause a mess, but we only have two feeders at the bottom of the garden - one seed and one nuts. We live in an area that is surrounded by trees so do tend to attact quite a few birds. I don't want to fall out over feeding birds and my husband agreed that we stop feeding them. I feel sorry as its their breeding time - we even have tame blackbirds that come to the back door for food. Just wondering if there are any laws against it.

[lerryngal]

No, there is no rule!!!

Your neighbour is selfish, and needs to get a life.
Please continue to feed the birds.

I have a similar neighbour who considers my washing line to be a nuisance, and tells me often.
He's one of these "la de dah's" who considers washing lines to be obstructive, and reckons it spoils his view.
I'm sorry but you get these selfish gits wherever you go, and THEY are the trouble, not you.
Unless your feeders are attracting large gulls, crows, or similar, you are well within your right to feed the birds, and your neighbour should like it, or lump it!!!

[paddywak]

I agree with lerryngal keep feeding them, birds will continue to make a mess were they want,whether you feed them of not though I've found they tend to do it near the feeders and not in the garden next door

[burnhal]

What a miserable git!! You just carry on feeding them! Sounds like you have been doing for years so don't let any johnny come lately stop you!! As you say- especially in the breeding season its a big help to the adults to enable them to feed themselves even if the stuff we put out isnt always suitable for the chicks- thankfully they know what and what not to feed the youngsters.

[ruthann58]

i agree with everyone else i certainly wouldnt stop feeding mine just because they made a bit if a mess if i was you i would tell her to get a life if all she has got to worry about is a bit of bird crap then she is lucky ,miserable cow

[seelie]

Thanks for all the support. I really don't want to fall out with her over the birds, but we enjoy feeding the birds - I love to watch them. We do get a large variety of birds as we live in a semi rural area, but we don't get crows or gulls in the garden. I felt truly miserable last night over the situation and did'nt put out any feed this morning. But tonight I went and hung a feeder right at the back of the tree out of sight. My husband reckons we should put windmills up on the adjoining fence to let her see we don't want them to go into her garden. I was just worried in case she could cause us trouble with the Council or something. We just don't want any trouble. Thanks again.

[carlton23]

The flippin nerve of some people.......I wish I lived next door to them.

[brenda]

Carry on and enjoy your birds.Providing you don't throw bread and stuff on the ground which could attract vermin,I don't think your neighbour has any cause for complaint.
What a miserable person she must be.
Let her put up windmills if she wants to , the birds will soon get used to them and ignore them.
Personally I don't think it is your birds causing all the mess.

[FrankGalvin]

Just toprovide an alternative view......

I like birds, but my neighbour sets out food for the birds from her first floor flat above mine. The result is that HUNDREDS of birds congregate near my property and fly back-and-forth bwtween the trees and my neighbours windows. They are noisy, but they also crap on my windows an sometimes get inside my home if my windows are open.

So it's not as simple as some of you make out.