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Am I the only one who had a client offer extra cash to ignore a bird nest?

Was pruning a willow tree last month. Spotted a robin's nest with eggs in a crotch. Client saw it too. Offered me fifty bucks to 'accidentally' knock it down. Said the birds were messy. Felt super wrong, like crossing a line. Told him no way, it's illegal and just bad. He shrugged, said fine, but kept eyeing that nest. Finished the job careful, left the nest alone. Still bugs me he even asked.
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4 Comments
oliverrobinson
Come on, it was just fifty bucks and some messy birds! Clients pay us to solve problems for them, not get all moral about some eggs. If the nest really bothered him that much, a little "accident" while pruning seems like a simple fix to keep a customer happy. You might have stood on principle, but you probably just made your client think you're difficult to work with.
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leewalker
leewalker19d ago
Exactly, just show them the fine print.
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noah872
noah8721mo ago
In a similar spot, I made it clear the nest was protected by law. I explained the fines and damage to my license if I messed with it. That usually shuts down the conversation, but did your client give you any grief after?
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barbarab56
barbarab561mo ago
Yikes, my friend's client still fought them even after that warning, @noah872.
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