Wintering Bird Surveys

Background

Many species of bird will spend winter in the UK, gathering in large numbers within a variety of habitats such as wetland, floodplains, agricultural land and the coast. These wintering sites are crucial to bird populations and as such it is important to assess the use of habitats by wintering birds. All birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

Wintering Bird Survey

Wintering bird surveys are conducted to determine the species composition and the numbers present at potentially important wintering sites. This allows an assessment of the importance of the site for wintering birds to be made.

Methodology

This methodology is applicable where a full coverage of a site is required. This methodology is largely similar to the breeding bird survey method and involves walking a transect that allows survey coverage of a site. Surveys will be used to qualify the diversity of birds interacting with a site, in the context of their specific ecology and population status.

The more visits undertaken, the more species are likely to be recorded, until, due to the law of diminishing returns, the species detection curve flattens out. As standard, monthly surveys are undertaken between November and February, inclusive. For sites that may have importance for passage of birds, the survey window may be extended to September to March, inclusive. Should it be identified following the initial visit that additional visits be required then additional fees are likely to be incurred, this will be discussed with the client prior to determination. A survey transect will be walked at a slow, ambling pace, stopping to scan priority habitat/features where appropriate. Priority habitat/features could include (but are not limited to) open fields, trees, dense hedgerows or berry-bearing shrubs or small bodies of water.

Survey transects should enable visual coverage of the entirety of the site, but without excessive disturbance of the habitats. This will be determined by the terrain and habitats present. For example, large open fields may be possible to survey from one or two key locations, whereas dense woodland would require much greater coverage. Where areas within a site cannot be accessed, this will be noted in the report as a constraint to the survey.

All species encountered on the site or adjacent land will be reported. The approximate locations of priority species will be plotted on a site map together with behavioural notation where appropriate. Counts of secondary species will be recorded separately and based on the highest number of each species in a distinct location, being careful to avoid repeat counting of individuals.

It may be prudent to undertake specific species surveys during the core winter months. These may include an assessment of the habitat for its suitability to support winter roosting harriers and owls or roosting or foraging waders where specific methodology will need to be adopted to ensure that species are not under recorded. Methodology will be devised and confirmed with the client, following a desk based assessment and a reconnaissance visit/initial survey visit of the site.

Following the Survey

Report

We will provide a report detailing the results of our survey and any required mitigation as soon as possible following the survey, however; should you have a specific date for submission of a planning application we will do our utmost to accommodate this.

Mitigation Measures

Mitigation measures will be dependent on the nature of any planned works, the species of birds present and how they are using the site. Our Land Management team are experienced in implementing a variety of mitigation measures, for example creation of alternative habitats such as reedbeds.