Birds and Hawthorn hedgerows

[Midgimoo]

Greetings all,
I am new to the forum. I have a growing interest in birds, especially our native birds. My partner and I take possession of a new life-style block next month which will be fun, but it's the anticipation of learning which species of birds I'll find using the Hawthorn hedgerows that has me really excited. I'm getting into photography and the new property is a photographers dream with it's century old oaks, elms, heritage fruit trees and woodland garden.

The vendor tells me there is no shortage of Tui, Bellbird, Wax Eye, Grey Warbler and Wood Pigeons when the fruit is ripening. Also the usual Thrush, Blackbirds, Sparrows and Chaff finches.

What I'd like to know is, which speices of birds are likely to nest in the Hawthorn hedgerows?

Cheers
Midge

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Welcome Midge,
You don't say what part of the country you are in, but around the Waikato where I am you would be likely to have blackbirds, song thrush and grey warblers nesting in dense hedges like that.
Cheers,
Neil.

[Jan]

Hi Midge,

I hoped you might be in Canterbury, but the mention of Tuis makes that unlikely.

Around Christchurch there were many hawthorn hedges but the weedbuster fanatics
have outlawed hawthorn as 'a noxious weed' and I suspect they suggest to those
acquiring land with hedges that they be grubbed out. One really notable one has been replaced with a
wire fence and.....river shingle underneath. It is heartbreaking. The supposed interest in native revegetation
can be taken far too far. If we really want plains veg. we can have dairy farms. The diversity in a hedge-y
landscape is far greater. Not that I'm agin' low tussock plains.

[Midgimoo]

Thanks so much for your replies and the welcome Neil and Jan - very much appreciated I look forward to learning from you guys.

Sorry about not stating which area we're moving to - Waikouaiti, East Otago. Rest assured that the extensive Hawthorn Hedgerows are there to stay. The vendor tells me there are 26 different species of Hawthorn on the property all up. I love how the Hawthorn offers so much beauty for 3 out of the 4 seasons. I imagine there'll be no shortage of wood pigeon when the berries are ripe!

I'm pleased to hear that the Grey Warbler may nest in Hawthorn as I love these camera-shy little birds. I used to hear them a lot on the life-style block we currently live on, but numbers have dwindled over the past 5 years.

Tui are sometimes seen not too far from where I live at the mo. but I've not had them visit me here. I'm so looking forward to seeing them on the new block. As well as many old English trees there's a well stocked native garden. Only 35 more sleeps before we move!!