Protecting Bristol’s Songbirds: Why Early Tree Work is a Win-Win

As the frost starts to clear from our Bristol gardens, our team is already looking ahead to one

of the most important periods in the horticultural calendar: the bird nesting season.

For those of us who spend our days caring for the city’s trees, we know that a garden isn't just a collection of plants—it’s a living, breathing habitat. While the UK nesting season is generally recognised as running from 1st March to 31st August, this isn't a "hard deadline" where work must stop.

However, the closer we get to spring, the higher the chance that a bird might move in before we do!

Year-Round Care vs. Seasonal Delays

We want to reassure our customers that we do work all year round. We don’t shut down on

the 1st of March; rather, the nature of the work we can safely carry out changes. The reason we encourage booking "heavy" work - like major reductions or hedge overhauls - in January and February is simple: to avoid significant delays. 

If you get the work completed now, the job is done, the trees are healthy, and you can enjoy a perfect, undisturbed habitat all summer long.

Keeping an Eye on Our Feathered Neighbours

Bristol is home to a wonderful variety of garden birds, from the goldfinches of Bishopston to the blackbirds of Totterdown. As we move through February, our team begins to look out for

the early signs of activity:

• Territorial Singing: Birds establishing their "patch" for the season.

• Material Gathering: Sightings of birds carrying moss, twigs, or feathers.

• Cavity Scouting: Blue tits and nuthatches inspecting hollows in older trunks.

Why We Recommend Booking Sooner Rather Than Later

The sooner your work is in the diary, the less chance there is of a scheduling conflict with Mother Nature.

1. Bird Welfare: Disturbing a nest can cause parents to abandon their eggs. By finishing work early, we ensure that families of up to 10 chicks aren't put at risk.

2. Avoiding Frustration: If you wait until May to book a major hedge trim, there is a much higher risk that we’ll find a nest, meaning the job has to be postponed.

3. Legal Compliance: Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is a criminal offence to intentionally damage or destroy an active nest.

Our "Nest-First" Policy: What Happens if we Find One?

Our team performs a thorough visual inspection and a "pre-climb" check before every single job. If an active nest is discovered during the works, our policy is to stop work immediately. 

By law, we cannot continue in that specific area. We will safely back down, cordon off the section, and the work will have to wait until the chicks have "fledged" (grown up and flown away).

This usually takes between 4 and 6 weeks. While we understand this delay can be a nuisance, it is a legal requirement and a commitment we make to Bristol’s biodiversity.

Essential Tasks to Tick Off Now

To ensure you and the birds enjoy an undisturbed summer, we recommend booking these services before the spring rush:

• Crown Reductions & Thinning: Managing size while the branch structure is clear.

• Major Hedge Rejuvenation: Heavy height reductions are much easier to navigate before they become "bird nurseries."

• Safety Removals: Felling dangerous trees before they become host to a nesting family.

  
  

The sooner you book, the less chance of a delay!

Would you like us to pop round and give you a quote for your garden?

Call us now on 07538 886491 or email us on info@arbutustreeservices.com