Ecological Baseline Data - Breeding and Wintering Birds (BID-EC-009-000)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
E46 High Speed Two Phase 2a (West Midlands - Crewe) Background Information and Data Ecology and biodiversity Ecological baseline data - breeding and wintering birds (BID-EC-009-000) High Speed Two (HS2) Limited Two Snowhill Snow Hill Queensway Birmingham B4 6GA 08081 434 434 [email protected] E46 July 2017 BID E46 High Speed Two Phase 2a (West Midlands - Crewe) Background Information and Data Ecology and biodiversity Ecological baseline data - breeding and wintering birds (BID-EC-009-000) July 2017 BID High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has been tasked by the Department for Transport (DfT) with managing the delivery of a new national high speed rail network. It is a non-departmental public body wholly owned by the DfT. High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, Two Snowhill Snow Hill Queensway Birmingham B4 6GA Telephone: 08081 434 434 General email enquiries: [email protected] Website: www.gov.uk/hs2 A report prepared for High Speed Two (HS2) Limited: High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has actively considered the needs of blind and partially sighted people in accessing this document. The text will be made available in full on the HS2 website. The text may be freely downloaded and translated by individuals or organisations for conversion into other accessible formats. If you have other needs in this regard, please contact High Speed Two (HS2) Limited. © High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, 2017, except where otherwise stated. Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with High Speed Two (HS2) Limited. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence v2.0. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ version/2 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or e-mail: [email protected]. Where we have identified any third-party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Printed in Great Britain on paper containing at least 75% recycled fibre. BID-EC-009-000 Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Breeding birds 3 2.1 Methodology 3 2.2 Evaluation 5 2.3 Deviations, constraints and limitations 6 2.4 Baseline 8 3 Wintering birds 20 3.1 Methodology 20 3.2 Evaluation 22 3.3 Deviations, constraints and limitations 23 3.4 Baseline 23 4 References 37 List of tables Table 1: Summary of general breeding bird surveys undertaken within the West Midlands to Crewe area 4 Table 2: Summary of breeding barn owl surveys undertaken within the West Midlands to Crewe area 5 Table 3: Summary of locations within the West Midlands to Crewe area where requirement for general breeding bird survey was identified but no access was available 7 Table 4: Summary of locations within the West Midlands to Crewe area where the requirement for Schedule 1 species survey was identified but access was not available for survey 8 Table 5: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Pipe Ridware Floodplain (000-BB1-193001) 9 Table 6: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Moreton Meadows (000-BB1-201001) 10 Table 7: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Tithebarn Farm (000-BB1-204001) 11 Table 8: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Great Haywood Floodplain (000-BB1- 205001) 12 Table 9: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Upper Hanyards (000-BB1-208001) 13 Table 10: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Highlow Meadows (000-BB1-223001) 14 Table 11: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Swynnerton Heath (000-BB1-226001) 15 i BID-EC-009-000 Table 12: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Meece Meadows (000-BB1-230001) 16 Table 13: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Whitmore Wood (000-BB1-233001) 17 Table 14: Notable birds recorded during the surveys at Checkley (000-BB1-240001) 18 Table 15: Summary of wintering bird field surveys undertaken within the West Midlands to Crewe area 20 Table 16: Notable wintering bird survey records from Pipe Ridware Floodplain (000-WB1-193001) 24 Table 17: Notable wintering bird survey records from Moreton Meadows (000-WB1-201001) 25 Table 18: Notable wintering bird survey records from Tithebarn Farm (000-WB1-204001) 26 Table 19: Notable wintering bird survey records from Great Haywood Floodplain (000-WB1- 206001) 27 Table 20: Notable wintering bird survey records from Upper Hanyards (000-WB1-208001) 28 Table 21: Notable wintering bird survey records from Highlow Meadows (000-WB1-223001) 29 Table 22: Notable wintering bird survey records from Hatton Common (000-WB1-228001) 31 Table 23: Notable wintering bird survey records from Meece Meadows (000-WB1-231001) 32 Table 24: Notable wintering bird survey records from Whitmore (000-WB1-233001) 33 Table 25: Notable wintering bird survey records from Checkley (000-WB1-240001) 34 Table 26: Notable wintering bird survey records from Chorlton Heath (000-WB1-245001) 35 ii BID-EC-009-000 1 Introduction 1.1.1 This report presents a summary of the ecological baseline data relating to breeding and wintering birds. 1.1.2 Ecological baseline data has been collected for the assessment of High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe). The Proposed Scheme will pass through the following community areas (CA): CA1: Fradley to Colton; CA2: Colwich to Yarlet; CA3: Stone and Swynnerton; CA4: Whitmore Heath to Madeley; and CA5: South Cheshire. 1.1.3 This report should be read in conjunction with the Breeding Bird Map Series EC-08 and the Wintering Bird Map Series EC-09 in the Background Information and Data, Ecology Map Books. 1.1.4 The following baseline ecology reports can also be referred to: Ecological baseline data - phase 1 habitat survey (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-002-000); Ecological baseline data - protected and or notable flora (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-003-000); Ecological baseline data - national vegetation classification and ancient woodland (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-004-000); Ecological baseline data – hedgerows (Background Information and Data: BID- EC-005-000); Ecological baseline data - river habitat, river corridor, and ditch surveys, (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-006-000); Ecological baseline data - amphibian and pond surveys (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-007-000); Ecological baseline data – reptiles (Background Information and Data: BID-EC- 8-000); Ecological baseline data - otter and water vole (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-010-000); Ecological baseline data - hazel dormouse (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-011-000); Ecological baseline data – bats (Background Information and Data: BID-EC- 12-000); 1 BID-EC-009-000 Ecological baseline data - white clawed crayfish and other invertebrate (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-013-000); and Ecological baseline data – fish (Background Information and Data: BID-EC-014- 000). 1.1.5 Note that baseline data for badger is not made publically available due to the historic persecution of this species. 1.1.6 The ecological assessment is detailed in the High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Environmental Statement1 (ES): Volume 2, Community area reports; Volume 3, Route-wide effects; Volume 4, Off-route effects; and Volume 5, Appendices. 1 HS2 Ltd (2017), High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Environmental Statement (ES), www.gov.uk/hs2 2 BID-EC-009-000 2 Breeding birds 2.1 Methodology 2.1.1 Details of the standard methodology utilised for breeding bird surveys are provided in the Technical Note HS2 Ecological Surveys: Field Survey Methods and Standards (FSMS) included in the Scope and Methodology Report (SMR) Addendum2. 2.1.2 The approach taken to sampling the route section for the presence of breeding birds in order to assess potential receptors and likely significant effects, was based on: desk study records relating to breeding birds for the area within 2km of the land required for the construction of the Proposed Scheme obtained from the county biological records centres (Staffordshire Ecological Record3 and rECOrd4 for Cheshire); records of breeding birds for the area within 2km of the land required for the construction of the Proposed Scheme included in the West Midland Bird Club Annual Report 20135 and Cheshire and Wirral Bird Report 20146; and interpretation of aerial photography and Phase 1 surveys to identify habitats that may be particularly suitable for breeding birds and nest sites for species subject to special protection (e.g. barn owl), which were then subject to a ground-truthing walkover survey. General breeding bird survey 2.1.3 Survey visits to each site were carried out between April and July 2016, depending on when access was first granted. Visits to a site were undertaken at least one week apart as required by the methodology. Table 1 summarises the 10 sites where breeding bird surveys were undertaken. This information is cross-referenced to the accompanying Ecology Map Series EC-08. 2 Environmental Impact Assessment Scope and Methodology Report Addendum, Volume 5: Appendix CT-001-002 3 Staffordshire Ecological Record, The Ecological Database for Staffordshire, http://www.staffs- ecology.org.uk/html2015/index.php?title=Main_Page 4 rECOrd, Local Biological Records Centre serving Cheshire, http://www.record-lrc.co.uk/ 5 West Midland Bird Club (2016), The Birds of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands 2013: West Midland Bird Report Annual Report No.80. Healeys Print Group, Ipswich 6 Cheshire and Wirral Ornithological Society (2016), Cheshire and Wirral Bird Report 2014, Swallowtail Print Ltd, Norwich 3 BID-EC-009-000 Table 1: Summary of general breeding bird surveys undertaken within the West Midlands to Crewe area Ecology Survey site Location Centroid OS Habitat types Survey date(s) CA Approximate survey code name grid included in distance reference survey from the land required for the construction of the Proposed Scheme (m) 000-BB1- Pipe Ridware East of Pipe SK103174 Grassland, 11 July 2016.