Breeding Bird, Wintering Bird, Barn Owl and Nesting Bird Surveys

EMEC Ecology's staff have carried out breeding bird surveys, wintering bird surveys, barn owl surveys and nesting bird surveys throughout England including in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire in the East Midlands.

How to Book a Barn Owl or Bird Survey

EMEC Ecology work with many different clients from large council projects to small residential development sites. Each survey will therefore be specific to a site and the costs will vary accordingly. EMEC Ecology will be happy to provide a quotation for a bird survey that will be both efficient and cost effective to the site specifics. Reports are produced as soon as possible however should you have a specific date for submission with a planning application we will do our utmost to accommodate this.

If you require a quotation please send an email to us at mail@emec-ecology.co.uk including any site plans that you have available (or details and photographs of the site if applicable) with details of the proposed development plans of the site, along with your name and contact details. Should you wish to contact us at the office please call 0115 9644828.

Barn Owl Survey Methodology

The survey will include searching for barn owls or signs of their previous presence. These signs include discarded feeding remains, regurgitated pellets, faecal deposits, and feathers. The assessment will include the level and use by barn owls.

Barn owls will often roost or nest in a building structure (such as an open-fronted barn) or tree. Where a specific barn owl nest or roost is proposed to be destroyed or become sub-optimal, provisions should be provided. EMEC Ecology can design and supervise mitigation required to ensure that the client can complete the proposed works whilst ensuring the barn owls are also protected. This may involve the installation of barn owl boxes or the creation of a dedicated area for the barn owls to nest (such as a barn owl loft).

This species has suffered declines over the past fifty years due to a lack of prey as a result of the degradation of specific agricultural habitats. Although the population may now be increasing, the barn owl is also listed on many county Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP) and is categorised on the RSPB Amber List as a Species of European Conservation Concern. Surveying for barn owl which may result in a disturbance requires a Schedule 1 license. This is due to all wild barn owls, their nests and eggs being protected by law under Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

General Bird Survey Methodology

Initial Assessment

EMEC Ecology can make an initial assessment to establish the presence of any habitat potentially suitable for breeding birds. This would determine the likelihood of breeding birds being impacted by the proposed works and may save the client considerable time and costs if habitat for breeding birds is found not to be present.

Initial surveys can ensure the client is lawful in any future development works and also are important for monitoring biodiversity on larger sites, such as monitoring key species.

If suitable nesting habitat for breeding birds is identified during an initial assessment (i.e. hedgerows), that are proposed to be removed during the bird breeding season, EMEC Ecology can endeavour to ensure there are no delays. For example, this can involve making a visit outside of the bird breeding season (March to September, inclusive) where the hedgerow to be removed will be covered with a durable netting material to prevent access for future bird breeding seasons.

Nesting Bird Survey

A survey can be undertaken directly prior to works commencing at a site. An ecologist would come to a site and undertake a survey to ensure that there are no active nests present. A negative result would allow site contractors to proceed with works with no unlawful actions. However this type of survey is only really applicable to small scale works, such as the removal of short sections of hedgerow or a couple of trees. It should also be noted that when nests are present, works would have to be delayed until all chicks had fledged. Therefore, ideally vegetation removal should be timed to be undertaken outside the bird nesting season (March to September, inclusive).

Breeding Bird Survey

Territory mapping can be used to estimate the abundance and distribution of birds on any site during the breeding season (March to June inclusively). Between 5 to 10 field visits are recommended, however basic breeding bird surveys can be completed with fewer visits. Data collected will include the location of singing / non-singing birds, territorial disputes, birds carrying food and / or nesting material and the discovery of active nest sites. A map will be produced that details the species and territories recorded. This type of survey evaluates the importance of a site for breeding birds.

Wintering Bird Survey

The entire site is systematically walked and all birds observed or heard are recorded. All species flying over the site are recorded. Birds observed on or immediately outside the survey boundary are also noted. This type of survey evaluates the importance of a site for birds during the winter months.

Mitigation Measures

Tussocky grassland can provide suitable foraging habitat for birds of prey such as kestrel, barn owl and potentially peregrine falcon. Retaining specific areas for conservation can mitigate for other areas of lost habitat within a site.

Mitigation can include the enhancement of a site either during or post construction works through bird boxes, including specific designs for species, such as the house sparrow that breeds in colonies.

Recent Projects Completed by EMEC Ecology Have Included:

New Marina, Nottinghamshire / Leicestershire border

Bird surveys were undertaken at the site of the proposed new marina on the Nottinghamshire / Leicestershire border in order to provide recommendations for mitigation and compensation. The project involved wintering and breeding bird surveys; mitigation measures were required due to the area providing habitat for a small number of declining farmland bird species.

Power Station in Nottingham

A breeding bird survey and territory mapping was conducted over three days at the site to map the activities of birds using the standard British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) codes. Important areas key to breeding birds were identified and future recommendations including diversifying the generally homogeneous structure of some areas of the woodland were made.

Recreation Ground in Beeston, Nottinghamshire - Pick Everard

EMEC Ecology was commissioned to undertake a survey at the above site where a tree and hedgerow were proposed to be removed. EMEC Ecology were able on this occasion to ensure that no delays to the works occurred due to breeding birds. A netted material was installed out of the bird breeding season to ensure that no birds could enter the hedgerow and trees. Therefore works were able to commence at the proposed timings to suit the client.

Moor Lane in Tonge, Leicestershire - Severn Trent Water Ltd

A kingfisher habitat assessment and survey of a stream were conducted where pipeline works and asset renewal works were proposed in the direct vicinity.

Skylark Surveys - Numerous Sites

EMEC Ecology has conducted surveys for nesting skylarks at sites in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and recently for a proposed underground electricity cable installation in Norfolk.

Barn Owl Nest Boxes - Numerous Sites

EMEC Ecology has installed barn owl boxes at sites across the East Midlands as part of mitigation for lost barn owl roost sites. Boxes have been installed on the exterior of buildings and attached to mature trees [more....]. In cases where nesting barn owls are recorded within buildings proposed for conversion, it is often necessary to create a barn owl 'loft'.