No good deed goes unpunished?

I have glorious Copper Beech trees, 1 of which had ...accent on the had a heavy burden of Ivy growing up it. I asked my Daughter about a week agoto get a saw, yup that kind of stem system! and cut through the stems to kill off the Ivy in the tree to lessen the burden.
Daughter arrives home today post having been listening to Gardeners Question Time while driving an artic down to London (I'll make a gardener of her yet) and informs me that the panel of experts said it WASN'T a good idea to remove Ivy from an old tree. OMG if I have lessened the life of my favourite tree by trying to do the right thing I will cry AND it overhangs my kitchen. If it comes down my kitchen will go for a burton!!
Anybody any ideas as to why it is a bad idea to remove Ivy? Daughter said she didn't hear the reasons as was negotiating a difficult reverse at the time the answers were given.
This is the lovely tree I haven't done seriously the wrong thing.

 

Oh many thanks @Marley Farley. I have never heard of it being a bad idea before either. Yes ok i think some Blackbirds use the tree for nesting but there are plenty other trees here to choose from. I have a friend who also is a professional arb but he's in darkest somewhere doing something to do with rain forests so can't contact him.

 

I think there is some idea that ivy is good for wildlife, insects etc.
But if it puts a strain on a tree, I'd get rid of it.

 

Yeah right

Should have gone to Gardeners Corner

 

Ivy can strangle a tree and slow it's growth and make it weak, ivy is good for wildlife
Some pictures of a tree that has had ivy around it which i've cut off when we move here
Barad wire through the centre of the tree


This one is 5 inches deep
1 and half inches deep
1 inch deep

2 inches deep
Not sure if it's a good idea or not to remove ivy if it's done this/worse damage to a bigger tree, it may weaken it

 

Thanks @Jiffy Pete and Zigs. I really will find it odd if I've done the wrong thing. I have a feeling as Pete mentioned it could be a wildlife consideration. I don't think this really applies here as we have a small wood and loads of other areas with Ivy. We purposely leave a few fallen trees for Woodpeckers to get grubs from plus it's home to a host of other birds including a long standing pair of Buzzards who make it known it is THEIR wood if you deign to venture within about 50 ft of their huge nest.
I was speaking to a pal last night about the pros/cons of removing Ivy from trees and she told me that somewhere in America post a tornado/hurricane...a very strong wind! all the trees which had Ivy growing in them had fallen while the ones minus Ivy hadn't showing that the Ivy inhibited the air flow through the trees.
Whatever the answer I can't mend the Ivy that has been cut through so I suppose it's a "wait and see" job

 

Just want to point out that old festooning ivy is an excellent wildlife plant. The fruits mature in February and are a valuable food source for the thrushes (Fieldfares, Redwings, Blackbirds and others) when there is little for them to eat. I encourage ivy to grow in this way. I think probably a balance is what is needed. Can't comment on how damaging it is to your Beech @silu but I would allow some ivy certainly.

 

Seen iron railings going right through tree trunks, I dont think it harms the tree as such as the process is really slow and the tree kind of eats anything its way.
The thing with ivy is, that being evergreen it does put extra forces on the tree during the winter months, as gales set in, when the tree should not be taking all those forces, as @silu says.

Although ivy has some benefits to wild life, I'd not want it clogging up big trees, if I had any.

 

It's a big tree and you will not see the nests now as they are tiny in comparison and could be high up and you probably wouldn't see them. Wait til the end of the nesting season to be sure.

 

Thanks all for your input. Have no intention or for that matter hope! of removing the Ivy atm or ever . All that has been done is to saw through the stems at the base of the tree. It's about 80/90 ft high and so it will be a case of the stems dying off and then falling over time I expect. I certainly won't be doing anything to disturb nests.
It is mayhem here atm as we have god knows how many Swallows who have returned and taken up residence in the stables, Jeeess what they lack in size, they make up for in their self opinionated behaviour. Our fairly brave cats have been told to keep out as we have. Add a few Pipistrelle Bats into the mix and the evening skies are like the M1 here. I'm expecting a head on! Quite fascinating to watch the aerobatics, we are very lucky to be able to watch some of natures best fliers doing what they do best.