Derwent Barn Owl and Breeding Bird Report FINAL

Capita Blackburn Business Centre, CastleWay House, 17 Preston New Road, Blackburn BB2 1AU

Tel 01254 273000 Fax 01254 273559 www.capitasymonds.co.uk

Capita Symonds Ltd

www.capitasymonds.co.uk

Derwent Forest Barn Owl and Breeding Bird Report

August 2009

Quality Management

Job No CS/030885-07 Doc No. Final

Project Derwent Forest Ecology

Location Broughton Moor, Cumbria

Document

Ref Bird Survey Report

File reference

Date August 2009

Prepared by Des Callaghan (Principal

Ecologist Ecostudy) Signature (for file)

Checked by Tabatha Boniface Signature (for file)

Authorised

by Lee Conroy Signature (for file)

Contents

Page i

Contents

1. Summary 1

2. Introduction 3 2.1 Background 3 2.2 Relevant Legislation & Policy 3 2.3 Personnel and Quality assurance 4

3. Methods 5 3.1 Desk based study Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.2 Field Survey 5

4. Site Description 6

5. Results 7 5.1 Desk based study Error! Bookmark not defined. 5.2 Field surveys 7

6. Recommendations 9 6.1 Recommendation 1 – Protection of nesting birds 9 6.2 Recommendation 2 – Protection of nesting Barn Owls 9

7. References 10

Appendix A Barn Owl Survey Results 1

Appendix B Breeding Bird Survey Results 1

Appendix C Photographs 3

Appendix D Location of Transects 5

Appendix E Locations of confirmed barn owl nests 6

1 Summary

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1. Summary

Capita Symonds Ecologists, Blackburn were commissioned in April 2009 by Allerdale

Borough Council and Cumbria County Council to undertake barn owl and breeding bird

surveys at the Derwent Forest site near Cockermouth. The surveys were required to

ascertain the presence of barn owls and species of breeding birds and recommend

appropriate measures to avoid negative impacts on barn owls and breeding bird populations

in relation to the scheduled for asbestos remediation works.

All wild birds, their nests and eggs are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act

1981 (as amended), which amongst other things makes it an offence to:

• Intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird;

• Intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird whilst it is in use or

being built;

• Intentionally take or destroy the egg of any wild bird; and

• Intentionally or recklessly disturb any wild bird listed on Schedule 1 (e.g. Barn Owl)

while it is nest building, or at a nest containing eggs or young, or disturb the

dependent young of such a bird.

Survey for barn owls and breeding birds were undertaken on 10-12th June and 16-18th June

2009.

Evidence of Barn Owl presence was found in a large number of buildings although in most

there was no signs of recent use. It appears that at least some birds use many different

buildings as occasional roosts over the course of an annual cycle.

A total of five active nests were found (Buildings C33, C91, Mag 22, Mag 56 and Mag 93),

plus three further buildings could not be checked adequately and hence there is a risk that

active nests were present but not detected (Buildings C4, C57 and Mag 08).

This represents a high density of nest sites (1.25 breeding pairs/km2), which is probably due

mainly to the high frequency of suitable nest locations within the site (in the disused

buildings) coupled with a large area of good quality grassland feeding habitat nearby. The

lack of disturbance within the site may also be of benefit.

Results of the breeding bird survey are included in Appendix B. In total, 53 species were

observed, of which 40 were either confirmed or likely breeders on-site. All of the species

encountered are either common or frequent within the UK and each is expected to occur

within the local region. Nine of the species are included in the latest national Red List for

birds, including grey partridge, herring gull, lapwing, lesser redpoll, linnet, skylark, song

thrush, starling and yellowhammer. The only specially protected species recorded was Barn

Owl, while the commonest species seen/heard were meadow pipit, chiffchaff, chaffinch,

carrion crow, great tit, wren, yellowhammer and linnet.

1 Summary

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Site clearance and preparation works affecting areas that may be used by nesting birds (e.g.

buildings, scrub and rough grassland), should be undertaken outside the main bird breeding

season (March – September).

If this is not reasonably possible, a survey should be undertaken by a suitably experienced

ecologist to assess the locations of any active bird’s nests prior to works commencing. If

active nests are found, work exclusion zones should be established and maintained with

guidance from the ecologist until nesting activity has finished. Note that individuals of some

species may nest outside the main breeding season, such as Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon,

Feral Pigeon and Barn Owl. If breeding birds are found or suspected during works, all activity

within the area should be stopped and guidance should be sought from a suitably

experienced ecologist.

Noting that barn owls can have active nests at any time of year, where works may affect

buildings (or their immediate surroundings) which are used by nesting barn owls (Buildings

C33, C91, Mag 22, Mag 56 and Mag 93) or buildings where the absence of nesting barn

owls could not be confirmed (Buildings C4, C57 and Mag 08), surveys should be undertaken

by a licensed barn owl surveyor prior to works commencing to avoid disturbance to nesting

barn owls.

Based upon the results of those surveys and the timing and nature of the proposed works,

advice from the surveyor should be followed with regard to compliance with the law and best

practice. This may include measures such as the establishment of a work exclusion zone

around buildings until breeding activity has finished, retention of access holes into buildings1

or the provision of alternative nest sites (e.g. Barn Owl boxes) when buildings require

removal.

2 Introduction

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2. Introduction 2.1 BACKGROUND

Capita Symonds Ecologists, Blackburn were commissioned in April 2009 by Allerdale

Borough Council and Cumbria County Council to undertake barn owl and breeding bird

surveys at the Derwent Forest site near Cockermouth. The surveys were required to

ascertain the presence of barn owls and their nests and any breeding birds that could be

impacted up on through the scheduled asbestos remediation works.

2.2 RELEVANT LEGISLATION & POLICY1

2.2.1 LEGISLATION

The European Community Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the Conservation of Wild Birds

(commonly known as the ‘Birds Directive’) provides a framework for the conservation and

management of wild birds in member states. Species listed in Annex 1 of the Birds Directive

are subject to special conservation measures through the designation of Special Protection

Areas (SPA) to safeguard important sites and habitats within their area of distribution.

The Birds Directive is transposed into English law by the Wildlife & Countryside Act (WCA)

1981, as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000 and the Natural

Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006.

All wild birds, their nests and eggs are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act

1981 (as amended), which amongst other things makes it an offence to:

• Intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird;

• Intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird whilst it is in use or

being built;

• Intentionally take or destroy the egg of any wild bird; and

• Intentionally or recklessly disturb any wild bird listed on Schedule 1 (e.g. Barn Owl)

while it is nest building, or at a nest containing eggs or young, or disturb the

dependent young of such a bird.

In addition, Section 40 of the NERC Act 2006 places a duty on public authorities to have due

regard for biodiversity and nature conservation during the course of their operations.

2.2.2 POLICY

Planning Policy Statement 9 (PPS9) and its accompanying document ODPM 06/2005 sets

out government policy on biodiversity and nature conservation and places a duty on planners

to consider impacts on legally protected species as a material consideration in determining

planning applications. PPS9 also promotes sustainable development by ensuring that

developments take account of the role and value of biodiversity and that it is conserved and

enhanced within the development.

1 Please note that this legal information is a summary and intended for general guidance only. The original legal documents

should be consulted for definitive information. Web addresses providing access to the full text of these documents are given

in the References & Bibliography section.

2 Introduction

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• The UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) (Anon, 1995), as amended, written to

fulfil the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992, to which the UK is a signatory,

has produced a national priority species list (including 59 species of bird) with all

species included having Species Action Plans. Regional and local BAPs have also

been written and adopted to develop plans for species of nature conservation

importance at regional and local levels.

2.3 PERSONNEL AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

All ecologists employed by Capita Symonds are members of, or are under application for,

membership of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) and follow

the Institute’s code of professional conduct when undertaking ecological work.

Surveys have been undertaken based on the Common Bird Census methodology (Gilbert et

al., 1998).

All survey work and reporting has been undertaken by specialist sub-contractor Dr Des

Callaghan MIEEM, Principal Ecologist of Ecostudy. He has been a professional ecologist for

18 years. He holds a survey license for Barn Owls and has significant experience with

surveying birds. Des is a Full Member of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental

Management (IEEM) and operates within their Code of Professional Conduct.

3 Methods

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3. Methods 3.1 FIELD SURVEY

3.1.1 BARN OWL

All buildings with roofs (n=281) within the site were searched for signs of Barn Owl presence

during daytime on 10-12th June and 16-18th June 2009. Signs that were searched/listened

for included feathers, droppings, pellets, nesting debris and the hissing-calls of birds at

nests. Searching was aided by a high-powered spot-lamp.

3.1.2 BREEDING BIRDS

While undertaking the Barn Owl survey, walked transects (total length = 23.8 km; Figure 1)

between buildings were surveyed for breeding birds. This involved identifying and counting

the number of birds seen/heard along transect routes and noting any evidence of breeding.

The aim was to gain a basic understanding of the species present within the site and their

relative abundance, rather than undertake a detailed breeding bird survey. At the end of the

survey, the breeding status of each species within the site was estimated as follows:

• Confirmed breeding – good evidence of breeding activity observed (e.g. territory

defence, juvenile birds and food-carrying).

• Likely breeding – good evidence of breeding activity not observed, but >50%

probability of breeding on-site based on habitat suitability and species abundance.

• Possible breeding – good evidence of breeding activity not observed, and <50%

probability of breeding on-site based on habitat suitability and species abundance.

• Non-breeding – evidence of breeding activity not observed and very unlikely to be

breeding on-site based on habitat suitability.

4 Site Description

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4. Site Description

The Derwent Forest site was formerly a Royal Navy Armaments Depot (RNAD), a Ministry of

Defence (MOD) site known as Broughton Moor. The site covers approximately 425 hectares

and is located north west of Cockermouth in Cumbria. There are approximately 283

buildings across the site that was decommissioned approximately 25 years ago. In the

intervening years a range of habitats have gown up and the buildings that cover the site

have been left open to grazing cattle that were on site until June 2009. Trespassers have

also regularly accessed the site and used the buildings or vandalised them to some extent.

Habitats on site comprise unimproved neutral and calcareous grassland, semi-improved

grassland, a significant area of coniferous plantation woodland in the centre of the site

named Ribton Wood and broadleaved plantation woodland that extends into the site as gills

on the west of the site known as Holdens Gill and Bottoms Wood. Streams run through

these gills off the site. In the centre of the site is a large colliery spoil heap dating from the

time when Buckhill Colliery operated coal mining at the site. Several ponds can be found

across the site some of which are man-made ponds and reservoirs.

5 Results

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5. Results 5.1 FIELD SURVEYS

5.1.1 BARN OWL

The full results of the buildings inspection for Barn Owls are presented in Appendix A and a

summary is provided in Table 1. Figure 2 shows the location of confirmed active nests.

Evidence of Barn Owl presence was found in a large number of buildings (n=150; 53%),

though in most there was no signs of recent use (e.g. fresh pellets were found in only eleven

buildings). It appears that at least some birds use many different buildings as occasional

roosts over the course of an annual cycle. A total of five active nests were found (Buildings

C33, C91, Mag 22, Mag 56 and Mag 93; Figure 2; Photographs 1 to 3), plus three further

buildings could not be checked adequately and hence there is a risk that active nests were

present but not detected (Buildings C4, C57 and Mag 08). This represents a high density of

nest sites (1.25 breeding pairs/km2), which is probably due mainly to the high frequency of

suitable nest locations within the site (in the disused buildings) coupled with a large area of

good quality grassland feeding habitat nearby. The lack of disturbance within the site may

also be of benefit.

5.1.2 BREEDING BIRDS

Results of the breeding bird survey are included in Appendix B and a summary is provided in

Table 2. In addition to the species listed in Appendix B, incidental records collected during

other field surveys on-site found Grey Wagtail, Oystercatcher, Red-legged Partridge and

Grey Partridge. The latter two were confirmed as breeding and Grey Wagtail is possibly

breeding. Oystercatcher was a fly-over observation and the species was not breeding on-

site. In total, 53 species were observed, of which 40 were either confirmed or likely breeders

on-site. All of the species encountered are either common or frequent within the UK and

each is expected to occur within the local region. Nine of the species are included in the

latest national Red List for birds (Eaton et al. 2009), including Grey Partridge, Herring Gull,

Lapwing, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling and Yellowhammer. The

only specially protected species recorded was Barn Owl, while the commonest species

seen/heard were Meadow Pipit, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Wren,

Yellowhammer and Linnet.

5 Results

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6 Recommendations

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6. Recommendations 6.1 RECOMMENDATION 1 – PROTECTION OF NESTING BIRDS

Rationale – to protect nesting birds in accordance with the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981

(as amended).

Site clearance and preparation works affecting areas that may be used by nesting birds (e.g.

buildings, scrub and rough grassland), should be undertaken outside the main bird breeding

season (March – September). When this is not reasonably possible, a survey should be

undertaken by a suitably experienced ecologist to assess the locations of any active bird’s

nests prior to works commencing. If active nests are found, work exclusion zones should be

established and maintained with guidance from the ecologist until nesting activity has

finished. Note that individuals of some species may nest outside the main breeding season,

such as Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon and Barn Owl. If breeding birds are found

or suspected during works, all activity within the area should be stopped and guidance

should be sought from a suitably experienced ecologist.

6.2 RECOMMENDATION 2 – PROTECTION OF NESTING BARN OWLS

Rationale – to protect nesting Barn Owls in accordance with the Wildlife & Countryside Act

1981 (as amended).

Noting that Barn Owls can have active nests at any time of year, where works may affect

buildings (or their immediate surroundings) which are used by nesting Barn Owls (Buildings

C33, C91, Mag 22, Mag 56 and Mag 93) or buildings where the absence of nesting Barn

Owls could not be confirmed (Buildings C4, C57 and Mag 08), surveys should be undertaken

by a licensed Barn Owl surveyor prior to works commencing. Based upon the results of

those surveys and the timing and nature of the proposed works, advice from the surveyor

should be followed with regard to compliance with the law and best practice. This may

include measures such as the establishment of a work exclusion zone around buildings until

breeding activity has finished, retention of access holes into buildings1 or the provision of

alternative nest sites (e.g. Barn Owl boxes) when buildings require removal.

7 References

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7. References

Anon (1995) The UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Joint Nature Conservation Committee,

Peterborough.

Eaton M.A., Brown A.F., Noble D.G., Musgrove A.J., Hearn R.D., Aebischer N.J., Gibbons

D.W., Evans A. & Gregory R.D. 2009. Birds of Conservation Concern 3: the population

status of birds in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. British Birds 102:

296-341.

www.bou.org.uk (Accessed 02/07/2009)

www.bto.org (Accessed 02/07/2009)

www.naturalengland.org.uk (Accessed 02/07/2009)

www.nbn.org.uk (Accessed 02/07/2009)

www.ukbap.org.uk (Accessed 02/07/2009)

Web addresses for access to full UK legislation and policy text:

Birds Directive:

eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/consleg/1979/L/01979L0409-20070101-en

Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1994/uksi_19942716_en_1

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981:

www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1981/cukpga_19810069_en_1

Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000:

www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000037.htm

Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/ukpga_20060016_en_1

Planning Policy Statement 9:

www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/147408

Appendix A Barn Owl Survey Results

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Appendix B Breeding Bird Survey Results

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Appendix C Photographs

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Appendix D Location of Transects

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Appendix D Location of Transects

Appendix E Locations of confirmed barn owl nests

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Appendix E Locations of confirmed barn owl nests

Documents

Derwent Barn Owl and Breeding Bird Report FINAL