Bird Surveys

 

Bird surveys are one of our professional strengths. Wild Frontier Ecology offers a range of ornithological services to cater for any project. We also undertake surveys for conservation bodies and contribute data to national surveys such as the ongoing Bird Atlas organised by the BTO.

We use a professional workforce with many years of experience to conduct our surveys, and utilise local expertise for many of our more remote sites. This flexible, sub-contractor policy allows WFE to provide competitive pricing for high-calibre services, not only in Norfolk but throughout the UK.

  

We are able to survey all species and have experience of surveying the full range of habitats encountered in the UK, from lowland arable land to mountain and moorland.

Services

  • Vantage Point Survey: This type of survey is usually used for wind farm developments, and involves monitoring bird flight activity over the site from 1 or more fixed positions. From the resulting data it is possible to assess the numbers of key species that could be impacted by colliding with the turbines through applying a standard collision risk model.
  • Breeding Bird Survey: These surveys can be carried out on any site, and aim to identify the territories of all species breeding within the study area. Surveys can be carried out from mid March to early July and utilise Common Bird Census (CBC) techniques. Typically 5 or more visits will be undertaken during this period, recording and mapping all birds which will be plotted onto maps to give a clear picture of the number of pairs and distribution of territories within a given site.
  • Brown and Shepherd Survey: This survey method is recommended for breeding birds in upland areas and is based on a constant search effort, within a 500m x 500m quadrat, all parts of which are approached within at least 100m. Although primarily a method to census waders, it also provides a good indication of the numbers other species present in the area, including raptors, and passerines such as meadow pipit and wheatear.
  • Winter Bird Survey: In addition to winter vantage point surveys, a winter walkover survey is sometimes recommended. This involves walking a transect of the study area, recording and totalling the number of all encountered species.
  • Other Services: We provide a nest locating service if habitat clearance is required during the breeding season. Additionally WFE can specifically tailor studies to individual species where required.

Project Examples

  • Bird surveys on 80+ proposed wind farm sites, both in lowland and upland areas, leading to considerable experience in this field
  • Specific study of roosting and nocturnal behaviour of wintering golden plover flocks in relation to a development proposal in Cambridgeshire
  • Nest finding of farmland bird species, including cirl bunting, for the RSPB film unit
  • Studies of nesting birds along a pipeline route in West Norfolk
  • Assessment of heathland habitat in Breckland with regard to breeding stone curlews, commissioned by the RSPB