Breeding Bird Survey 2015
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BREEDING BIRD SURVEY 2015 Rufford Colliery Harworth Estates Applied Ecological Services Ltd Ramshaw House, Ramshaw County Durham AES-LTD DL14 0NG [email protected] 01388 835084 AES-LTD Field Investigations and Data Where field investigations have been carried out these have been restricted to a level of detail required to achieving the stated objectives of the work. Where any data supplied by the client or from other sources have been used it has been assumed that the information is correct. No responsibility can be accepted by AES - Ltd for inaccuracies in the data supplied by any other party. Copyright © Applied Ecological Services Ltd (AES-LTD 2015). All rights reserved. This document has been provided for your reference by Applied Ecological Services Ltd . No material from this document may be otherwise copied, altered, republished, transmitted or distributed in any way without permission. Third Party Disclaimer Any disclosure of this report to a third party is subject to this disclaimer. The report was prepared by AES – Ltd at the instruction of, and for use by, our client named on the front of the report. It does not in any way constitute advice to any third party who is able to access it by any means. No other warranty, expressed or implied is made as to the professional advice included in this report Report Reference & History: Document 1, version 1 Name Signature Date Originators Alan Jones (AJ) April / July 2015 Authors AJ July 2015 Approved By AES - Ltd July 2015 2 Applied Ecological Services Ltd AES-LTD CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 4 2.0 Legislation and policy background .............................................................. 5 THE UK BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN ................................................................ 6 THE NOTTINGHAMSHIRE BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN .................................. 6 3.0 Methods........................................................................................................... 7 DATA SEARCH ...................................................................................................... 7 WALKOVER SURVEYS ......................................................................................... 7 4.0 Results ............................................................................................................ 9 DESK STUDY ......................................................................................................... 9 Table 1: NBN Gateway Records ............................................................................. 9 HABITATS ............................................................................................................ 11 BREEDING BIRD SURVEY 2015 ......................................................................... 11 TABLE 2: WALKOVER SURVEY DETAILS ......................................................... 11 TABLE 3: SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE BREEDING SEASON 2015 (Part 1) .......................................................................................................................... 12 TABLE 3: SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE BREEDING SEASON 2015 (Part 2) .......................................................................................................................... 13 BREEDING STATUS KEY .................................................................................... 14 BREEDING SPECIES ACCOUNTS 2015 ............................................................ 15 5.0 Discussion & recommendations .................................................................. 24 List of Figures: Figure 1: Rufford Breeding Bird Survey Visit 1 Figure 2: Rufford Breeding Bird Survey Visit 2 Figure 3 Rufford Breeding Bird Survey Visit 3 Figure 4: Rufford Breeding Bird Survey Visit 4 Figure 6: Rufford Breeding Bird Territory Map 2015 Figure 7: Rufford Woodlark Sightings 2015 Figure 8: Rufford Walkover Route 3 Applied Ecological Services Ltd AES-LTD 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report details the results of monthly breeding bird surveys undertaken by Alan Jones, ornithologist with AES Ltd. during April through to July 2015 at the former Rufford Colliery, Rainworth, Mansfield. The site, situated at grid reference SK 593 603 (approximate central point), exists mainly as large areas of hard standing, spoil heaps and bare ground with some mixed woodland, scrub, heath land and a reed lined lake. 1.2 Areas within the site are currently being developed and these areas as well as the less disturbed areas and parts of restored site were subject to surveys. 4 Applied Ecological Services Ltd AES-LTD 2.0 LEGISLATION AND POLICY BACKGROUND 2.1 Birds are afforded various levels of protection and levels of conservation status on a species by species basis, with the inclusion of a number of species on the following legislation or lists of conservation concern: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) [Department of the Environment (1981)]. EC Birds Directive 1979 (79/409/EEC). UK Biodiversity Action Plan (1995) lists of globally threatened or declining species Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Red and Amber Lists of species of conservation concern (RSPB, 2002). 2.2 The most significant general legislation for British birds lies within Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). Under this legislation it is an offence to: Kill, injure or take any wild bird; Take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while that nest is in use or being built; Take or destroy an egg of any wild bird. 2.3 In addition to the above protection for breeding birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, Schedule 1 of the Act lists a number of species which are protected by special penalties at all times. 2.4 Annex 1 of the EC Birds Directive also lists rare and vulnerable species of wild birds that are subject to special conservation measures. 2.5 The RSPB (2002) has published Red and Amber Lists of species of conservation concern. Red List species are those whose breeding population or range is rapidly declining (50% or more in the last 25 years), recently or historically, and those of global conservation concern. Amber List species are those whose breeding population is in moderate decline (25 – 49% in the last 25 years), rare breeders, internationally important and localised species and those of unfavourable conservation status in Europe. 5 Applied Ecological Services Ltd AES-LTD THE UK BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN 2.6 The UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) (2007) lists 59 bird species as priority species requiring conservation action, and consequently action plans have been developed for the conservation of these species. THE NOTTINGHAMSHIRE BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN 2.7 The Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) lists 32 bird species as priority species requiring conservation action. 6 Applied Ecological Services Ltd AES-LTD 3.0 METHODS 3.1 Survey design, methodology, fieldwork and assessment has been carried out in accordance with standard guidance Bibby et al. 19921 and Gilbert et al. 19982 DATA SEARCH 3.2 A data search was carried out for all faunal/ floral groups and statutory and non- statutory protected sites. This included the following contacts with respect to birds: National Biodiversity Network Gateway (NBN) Information from the Survey Area and the surrounding area (up to 2km distance from the survey boundary) was requested. WALKOVER SURVEYS 3.3 During survey visits, a predetermined transect route, was walked at a slow pace so that all birds can be located, identified and recorded using standard British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) notation. Also two vantage points (VP`s) were located and a period of 30 minutes was spent on each VP recording bird activity in the viewable area. Binoculars and telescopes were used throughout to scan the open for the presence of birds. All species are identified by their common name followed by their Latin equivalent. Bird species are listed with their BTO Code and their Conservation Status3, if they have red or amber status they are listed as species of conservation concern (SCC). UK Biodiversity Action Plan Species (UKBAP) and Local Biodiversity Action Plan Species (LBAP) are also identified. All birds that were observed during the surveys were recorded including breeding species, passing individuals and species on migration. 3.4 Optimal times for breeding bird survey occur between dawn and mid-morning (approximately 10.30am) and from early evening (approximately 5.30pm) to dusk. 1 Bibby, C.J., N.D. Burgess & D.A. Hill (1992): Bird Census Techniques. London: Academic Press. 2 Gilbert et. al. (1998) Bird Monitoring Methods. RSPB. Sandy. 3 The UK's birds can be split in to three categories of conservation importance - red, amber and green. Red is the highest conservation priority, with species needing urgent action. Amber is the next most critical group, followed by green. 7 Applied Ecological Services Ltd AES-LTD During these times, breeding birds are more active and can be detected in song more frequently. 3.5 Nesting and territorial behaviour (singing, nest building, carrying food, fighting, copulation, nest locations, alarm calling, carrying faecal sacs) were noted by standard codes, as were the age and sex of the birds concerned where observed. Non-nesting behaviour such as over-flying the site was also noted, together with the direction of movement. Birds not considered likely to be nesting on site were still noted where observed. 3.6 Results obtained