Wildlife disturbed after old trees felled on Bicester path

The path, which runs behind homes adjacent to Gavray Drive and between Mallards Way, is regularly used by dog walkers and is known locally for its wildlife.

Sandra Williams, who walks her dogs down the path daily, heard chainsaws and chippers from near her home, just off of the path, on Wednesday, May 27.

A Blue Tit bird which Sandra Williams says was displaced after the trees were felled (Image: Sandra Williams)

After the operation she noticed a sudden influx of distressed young birds take shelter in her garden.

READ MORE: Will trains ever run on £1.3bn long-awaited East West Rail line from Oxford?

“I had loads of flustered juvenile birds landing on my fences and bushes,” she said, explaining that their garden, which includes feeders and nest boxes, appeared to become a refuge during the disturbance.

Among them was a young blue tit, which flew into a window and was temporarily stunned. The resident was able to safely move the bird to a nearby tree, where it later recovered and flew away.

The felled trees on a path near Gavray Drive (Image: Sandra Williams)

She said: “Luckily I managed to scoop it up and after a short while, popped it into my Magnolia tree where it recovered itself and eventually flew off.”

She believes some of the trees removed were more than 30 years old, based on the size of the remaining stumps.

Photos shared show a stark contrast between one side of the pathway, which remains untouched, and the other, which has been described as “completely butchered”.

Concerns have also been raised about the loss of privacy for nearby homes and the potential long-term impact on local wildlife, including birds and squirrels.

The felled trees on a path near Gavray Drive (Image: Sandra Williams)

She added: “You can hear the number of birds that live in this alleyway – their undeniable tweetering is proof.

“If the rest of this pathway is scheduled for such drastic coppicing, it will be a disaster for the local birds and squirrels that live there.”

READ MORE: Chopstix opens at M40 services near Bicester after refurb

Someone who wants to fell trees on public land will need to apply for a felling licence from the Forestry commission. This is not the case on private land, such as in a garden, unless it is a protected tree under a preservation order.

While cutting trees in England during peak bird nesting season in the spring and summer months is not illegal, it becomes an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act if a wild bird is intentionally killed or injured or their nests and eggs are damaged or destroyed.

Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council and said its teams were not responsible for the work, with the latter redirecting their enquiries to Bicester Town Council.

A response from the town council is still awaited.