Boundary drama: Neighbour trying to scare birds out my garden? With disco mirrors!?

ThisIsWeird

user1977 said: Citation required. Local authorities do not have infinite resources to sort out every daft dispute between neighbours. And if it does constitute a legal nuisance, the OP can take legal action themselves rather than try to persuade the council to do so.

Yes, I do understand that many councils are on their financial knees, but that does not negate their responsibilities.

"Councils must investigate complaints about issues that could be a ‘statutory nuisance’ (a nuisance covered by the Environmental Protection Act 1990). If they agree that a statutory nuisance is happening, has happened or will happen in the future, councils must serve an abatement notice (usually on the person responsible)."

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/statutory-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints

I suspect it'll come down to just how much of a non-statutory nuisance you make of yourself!

And I also understand your caution about escalating such an issue; "OP should also consider either form of action would undoubtedly make it a dispute which they'd have to disclose when selling (assuming they own)."

My take on this is that it's already an 'issue', so should be declared on the SIP as something that 'could cause problems in the future' - I forget what the actual wording is in that form. So, folk either fib about their neighbours, or they 'fess up. For the latter, I would personally much rather the issue has been resolved; "Yes, they have been a bit daft in the past, but I got the council involved, and they've since behaved - I will leave you all the details in the highly remote chance they'll try anything again...", to, "Um, er, well, yes, they've done stuff, but it ain't been too bad really, although we don't use our garden much, and the smell is terrible... but I don't want to escalate it in case they slaughter me in my bed."

I am hopeful that the new gov will oblige proper investigation into such anti-soc behaviour as they stated they would, because it IS a blight. Human beings are animals. They need the leviathan. They need to understand there's a line in the sand.

Yes, each case on its merit. If you can genuinely ignore it, then great. But I do know what that lump in the stomach feels like, when you are wondering what the 'ole may do next.

One final caveat - my answers are based on what we've been told by the OP. If it is only 'half the full story', then my recommendations are unlikely to work in any case - it's self-regulating.

MeteredOut

Play them at their own game. Post a "Disco at mine this Saturday!" post on your local Facegroup group, with a picture of the disco lights.

Schwarzwald

Put the same thing up on your side blocking the mirrors.

LightFlare

Magpies and Pigeons especially can be a right nuisance.

If you are being perceived as attracting them to the.l neighbourhood, then I can see why the neighbours might be annoyed

Same with the cat strips - people without cats do find their garden being used as a litter tray a touch annoying.

There are always 2 sides to every story.

As for the smoking, not a lot you can do as long as they are on their own property 

Skiddaw1

LightFlare said:

Magpies and Pigeons especially can be a right nuisance.

If you are being perceived as attracting them to the.l neighbourhood, then I can see why the neighbours might be annoyed

Same with the cat strips - people without cats do find their garden being used as a litter tray a touch annoying.

There are always 2 sides to every story.

As for the smoking, not a lot you can do as long as they are on their own property 

I'm sorry, but I don't agree. OP feeding the birds in no way justifies the disco mirrors. This particular set of neighbours are clearly out to lunch.

OP, I'm with the majority. Ignore if you possibly can and hope they move sooner rather than later.

bouicca21

Personally I’d simply ignore the disco mirrors and treat them as some sort of art installation.  I feed the birds. Far from being a problem, the pigeons are quite useful as they hoover up everything the smaller birds have knocked out of the feeders to the ground.  I also get a few hopeful cats but as far as I can tell, hopefulness has not yet translated into successful action.  The only successful predator is the local sparrow hawk, who seems to be partial to parakeet for lunch.

Emmia

bouicca21 said:

Personally I’d simply ignore the disco mirrors and treat them as some sort of art installation.  I feed the birds. Far from being a problem, the pigeons are quite useful as they hoover up everything the smaller birds have knocked out of the feeders to the ground.  I also get a few hopeful cats but as far as I can tell, hopefulness has not yet translated into successful action.  The only successful predator is the local sparrow hawk, who seems to be partial to parakeet for lunch.

Parakeets are apparently easier for sparrowhawks to catch than pigeons as they fly in straighter lines... Pigeons are more wiley

actually_a_llama

Small update; we've discovered what likely led to this drama. Nextdoor has a severely clover-infested lawn (50%) so they're farming a tasty snack that's attracted birds their side of the fence and they elected to go nuclear on us with the next UNESCO world heritage art installation. Don't think they've figured out it's their own clover.

Once again, thanks for the help, support and advice. We'll try to keep the birds eating to the disco beat so they're not snorting clover.

Sapindus

If they thought the disco mirrors would deter the birds, why didn't they direct them at their own lawn??  

BarelySentientAI

Sapindus said:

If they thought the disco mirrors would deter the birds, why didn't they direct them at their own lawn??  

Because the theory is they deter birds from approaching the unusual objecr.  On that basis, pointing them at their own lawn would encourage the birds to stay.

Would any of the posters who were calling this obvious bullying and recommending immediate police attendance like to row back their opinions now that it's been discovered to be a massive overreaction and misunderstanding?