HAVING just witnessed a very sad sight at the rear of my garden, it prompted me to write this letter.

I watched a magpie invade a blackbird's nest and fly off with a blackbird's egg.

The blackbirds have managed, against all the odds for the second season, to set up a nest in a bush which remains after the tree massacre at Dyfan Road open space last year.

The trees they had their nest in then, which I pointed out to the tree cutters at the start of the breeding season, were callously chopped down in front of me.

The bird population in the area has declined badly since their habitat has been destroyed.

For two years in succession these birds have been struggling to survive.

I have also witnessed a wren building a nest inside the culvert.

Since the council cleared the vegetation around the watercourse in preparation for the lagoon as part of the Coldbrook catchment flood scheme, that nest will also be destroyed along with others seeking new nesting sites in the area.

Many more birds will suffer loss again due to the work taking place along the catchment throughout the nesting season now through to August.

The RSPB are insistent of the legislation protecting nesting birds, so I would urge any readers who are aware of any that may be affected to inform the local authority or the developers of the nesting site.

We must remind them it is against the law to destroy an active birds nest.

If the company involved in any construction is a reputable one they will be compliant with the law on nesting birds and act accordingly.

They should be reminded that they could be liable for a fine and their reputation disputed if they don't!

T Abery

Laburnum Close

Barry