When best to remove a leylandii hedge?

Hi folks!
I want to remove a nasty 10ft heigh leylandii hedge at the bottom of my garden and was wondering what is the best time of year to do it? I want to cause as little bother to the birds as possible. What's the earliest I could remove it, avoiding upsetting any nests?
I'm thinking of replacing it with some hawthorn, elder and a rowan tree (which had started to grow in my guttering and is now doing well in a pot) with a rambling/dog rose growing through the whole thing. Anything else I should be thinking of adding for the local wildlife?
All suggestions welcome.
Cheers
James
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I grew a wildlife hedge consisting of hawthorn, elder and hazel with wild rose and honeysuckle growing through it - fantastic for wildlife.
I think you could take the Leylandii out from August onwards, that way even very late nests will have fledged.
When we took a similar hedge out we were unaware that it had provided hibernation cover for hedgehogs - we've since replaced the dry shade with more undergrowth and log piles as well as hedgehog houses.
Just thought I'd mention it.
March 1st to end of July is recommended by Natural England as a nesting time and suggest no hedge cutting during this time. lots of info on the net..
Farmers aren't allowed to cut hedges till the end of July, by law as disturbing nesting birds of any sort is a criminal offence. End of July is the best time as few if any nests will be occupied by then.
Very little actually nests in leylandii, the chap who removed ours said that apart from the odd pigeon, he never finds anything in them!
Well, you will certainly get a good crop of squirrels if you do!
This isn't facebook, I can't click like!
the best way to remove leylandii I've found is in autumn after some heavy rain wrap a very sturdy chain around the bottom of the plant (about a foot off the ground)
Then attach the other end to a very powerful machine (a JCB is great although other tractors may work) and then slowly back away from the hedge.
works well as long as there aren't any fences/power cables/buildings in the way!