Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi everyone. I apologise for not coming here very often, but I would like to know if someone can share opinions on a problem I am currently experiencing.
I am in my fifties, I'm originally from Italy but I'm been living in Scotland. I've been working from home for several years because of my problem talking/relating to colleagues. I was diagnosed in my forties and I've never received any real help for my problems regarding socialising.
Since I spend a lot of time at home, I grew plants in my backyard and I feed birds as a hobby. I'm not a crazy bird-lady. I have a degree in veterinary medicine and I feed birds responsibly. All my neighbours have the typical yards with lawn that gets regularly mowed every two-three weeks and they think that my backyard is a disgrace. One of the family who lives next to me has a special hatred for the birds (there are a few pigeons, but the neighbours hate anything that flies and chirps). They reported me to the council a few times, but the council has never found anything wrong with what I'm doing. I tried the mediation service in the past but with no results.
Since April, the son (in his twenties) has begun working from home and he is determined to scare the birds away from my property, making noises when he hears them. He and his parents are also becoming progressively aggressive towards me, and they have started calling me names. I have reported them to the police twice and the police only recorded my complaint.
I live most of the time on my own and my neighbours know very well that I am isolated and shy.
If someone has been in a similar situation and has advices for me, I would like to hear them. Apologies for the long post.
I just want to thank everyone for your support. I reported my neighbours' antisocial behaviour to the council and an officer has contacted my neighbours. I know it won't solve the problem, but at least I hope that my neighbours realise that there may be consequences if they behave irresponsibly.
I found that the Polish name should be pliszka.
Oh no! I'm so sorry. I hope at least the poachers were arrested. I know many associations that use cameras to record crimes against wildlife, but probably they work in groups.
The pied wagtail is a little bird common in the countryside. It goes around wagging its tail, hence the name.
Youtube Wagtail
can you tell me what kind of bird is your avatar?
I know a guy, crazy vegan, ornitologist, and fierce animal rights protector.
He had a ''clever'' iidea many years ago to install hidden cameras in a forest where he knew poachers usually camp, except they walked upon him when he was doing it, and 5 of them turned him into a pulp,, he spent 10 months in a hospital, He still is crazy vegan, ornitologist, and fierce animal rights protector, but 50 year old man won't be stalking poachers anymore :P
I wish! They fly away if I get too close!
that's why you need a better one, so it sits meters away and stops being a constant reminder
I used to have plants back in Poland, I talked to them, I bet you talk to your birds as well
That's a very detailed plan! Unfortunately, I'm not sure I have the confidence to go around speaking in a microphone!
turmoil said:sign saying I Love Wildlife,
that gave me an idea.
You will need that sign, and a microphone that is better than those in a mobile phone, I would think you do own one, right?
people post all kinds of tutorials on youtube these days,
You will start your own Youtube Channel ''I love Wild Birds''.
you will be making vidoes how to care for wild birds, and I am sure you will love talking about how to feed them,. how to tell them apart, and so on..
one new video every week at least, and you will soon have your own followers waiting for more, and maybe even youtube will pay you in a future
that will validate what your are doing in your backyard, you will be able to tell ''it's my job'',
I would make some kind of stand, e.g. tripod, where you can stand your phone after pressing record whenever you go to your backyard, later you will pick best moments and cut them out to create short vidceos for upload,. software that does only that is free.
better microphone in order to record sounds better, those in mobile phones distort everything farther then 1 yard, and every mobile has jack port.
Best what could happen is they would start calling you names when your phone is recording, I would think that as ''intelligent'' poeple as they present themselves would noticce that you have started doing it on regular basis, this way you will have proof in case it ever goes to court, niow it's only your word against theirs. for recording like that to be accepted as proof in ciourt, you need permission to record someone first. But since you were not recording them, recording was on to record birds, and they added themselves. your lawayer would find a way to use it as proof
Good luck
Turmoil, I'm very sorry about your situation and I hope it will get solved.
I am familiar with people being contemptuous and looking down on you because your don't work in an office and you are not married with children. Being a woman, people don't usually suspect me to be a potential serial killer, but it is upsetting anyway.
The idea of the sign is really great!
Yes, birds are resilient, but their number, like their number of many other species, has been in constant decline over the last forty years. The places where birds can find food are constantly reducing because of human activities and I think humans should give something back to birds and other animals.
Really funny! The handyman who does repairs in my house is Polish. He's in his fifties, but his son in law is definitely a big, tough-looking man. I should definitely invite them and their families!
The son of my neighbours is definitely the apple of his mother's eyes. I hoped that, being a young man with a job, he would move out soon, but now I believe that he'd never leave his parents' house.
Personally, I don't think that the birds in my backyard make too much noise. Also, the birds are not constantly in my garden, they only come for feeding.
I have a low tolerance for noises myself, but I am more disturbed by things like radios or electrical devices than sounds of the natural world.
I've just had to notify my housing association about neighbours because of intimidation, so I can relate. I don't have a garden that gets complained about though, the problem is myself from what I can tell. Weird bloke who doesn't talk much on his PC - must be up to no good. People who live alone and are different are judged harshly, a something to fear or make fun of - not nice, but some people aren't nice and we have to accept that. You aren't doing anything wrong so try not to let them get to you, but keep a note of things. Put up a sign saying I Love Wildlife, or something similar, that they will be able to see. Keep loving the birds/wildlife, I wish I had a garden to do the same.
My neighbours situation is more worrying, and I've had to face up to it.
I wouldn't put birds above my own safety. Since time immemorial Avian have been fending for themselves. They didn't suddenly become fed because supermarkets began in the 1950s. Like ALL animals they will seek a nutrition source.
I like silence myself. If it is up to me that is what is happening.
But it was not always like that. I lived on a street close to seafront in an area busy at night so to say :P
When people stopped eventually 3pm, seaguls were picking up 4pm, i managed.
What is wrong with them? Did they forget school times are long gone in the past and it's time to grow up, and stop being a bully?
and what's with the boy? is he a mama-boy to do what mama tells him? or is he a bully himself?
associate with well built men.
it should work if you find them.
I'm polish, we love home or garden dinner parties with a lot of food and drinking,. the louder the better, there is always many bulky types in any polish group anywhere. So next time you go shopping and there is a shop assistant you find polite enough, invite him with his friends for a party, mentioning you would like to see big boys LOL
Strangely enough things like dog's barking and birds chirping irritate me as I'm sensitive to sounds. But I certainly wouldn't be as horrible as your neighbour's are towards you.
Thank you for your support, Miaxx. These are probably the worse neighbours I've ever had. My sister keeps telling me to move out, but I am too sorry to leave the birds. There's really no one else who feeds birds in my neighbourhood!
The party is such a lovely idea! Unfortunately, I don't know that many people! My sister has a very respectable job and she helps in these kind of situations, but, since the pandemic, she has been in Scotland less regularly. And, of course, my neighbours are never in sight when she's here. They always pick on me when I'm on my own.
I am keeping a diary, as well as making images and recordings every time I can. Today I sent a form to the council reporting my neighbours' antisocial behaviour. Dealing with authorities always make me nervous because of negative experiences I had in the past, before my diagnosis, but I am afraid that, if I don't do anything at all, my neighbours would become even more abusive.
What 4ssholes... I can't believe there are people out there like this. Sorry you're going through this
A good deterrent for bullies is to associate with well built men. Invite a few around for lunch every so often. Failing that, I'm pretty sure that bullying is a crime. Keep a diary, with photos if you can, of their activities. Don't let anyone know that you are keeping a diary. If the bullying does not stop present a well kept diary to the Police. Keep a copy of your diary (photo format will be fine).
It's such a ball ache to do which is why many people don't bother. Those who have, have seen better results than those who have not.