Outline of all Ecological survey work under taken at St ...

Outline of all Ecological survey work under taken at St

Marys Site, Bangor

Undertaken by Alison Johnston Ecology

2014

Outline Ecological Information, St. Marys Site, Bangor

A L Johnston, Ecological Consultant 2

1. Introduction

1.1 This report aims to pull together all the ecological data from previous surveys

under taken at the St Marys Site, Bangor

.

1.2 Bat surveys were undertaken on the site in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Further

ecological survey work was also carried out in 2013, which comprised of the

following elements, Phase 1, NVC if required, Reptiles, Badgers and Breeding

Birds.

1.3 Reptiles - There are two different levels of legal protection for reptiles in the

UK. The adder, common lizard, grass snake and slow worm are protected from

killing and injuring under Schedule 5 (Section 9) and of the Wildlife and

Countryside Act 19812 (as amended). The sand lizard and smooth snake and

their respective habitats are fully protected under Schedule 5 (Section 9) of the

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and under Conservation of

Habitats & Species Regulations 20103. It is illegal to kill, injure, capture,

handle or disturb them, and the places they use for breeding, resting, shelter

and protection are protected from being damaged or destroyed. It is also illegal

to obstruct these animals from using such areas.

1.4 Badgers and their setts are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act

1992, which makes it illegal to kill, injure or take badgers or to interfere with a

badger sett. The term ‘badger sett’ is normally understood to mean the system

of tunnels and chambers, in which badgers live, and their entrances and

immediate surrounds. The 1992 Act specifically defines a sett as “any

structure or place which displays signs indicating current use by a badger”.

Interference with a sett includes blocking tunnels or damaging the sett in any

way. Please note the consequential amendments to the above legislation as a

result of the Hunting Act 2004.

1.5 All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as

amended), making it illegal to:

Kill, injure or take any wild bird (unless under licence)

Take, damage or destroy a bird’s nest whilst it is in use or being built

Disturb any wild bird listed on Schedule 1 of the Act while it is nest

building or at a nest containing eggs or young, or disturb young of such

a bird.

1.6 All bat species are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as

amended by the CRoW Act 2000 and Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.)

Regulations 1994 which states that it is illegal for anyone without a licence to

intentionally or recklessly kill, injure, capture or handle a bat of any species in

Britain; to disturb a bat when roosting; or to damage, destroy or obstruct

access to any place that bats use for shelter, whether bats are present or not.



2. Methods

2.1 Phase 1

A walk over survey of the site was undertaken between May and July 2013. A

quick site survey was undertaken while onsite for other visits.

2.2 National Vegetation Classification (NVC)

No NVC survey was undertaken as no habitats that warranted further survey

were identified.

2.3 Reptiles

Surveys were undertaken in March and June, but due to the poor weather in

2013 the surveys were continued into September. A total of sixty three

artificial refuges where placed on the site in potential reptile hotspots in March

2013. These were left onsite until the end of the survey period in October. In

addition on each site visit direct observation surveys techniques were used on

each site visit. Any additional natural refuges present onsite were checked

along with the artificial refuges on each visit.

Surveys were only undertaken on days when the weather conditions were

suitable, for example that the air temperature was between 9 and 18°C and

with no wind or rain.

2.4 Badgers

A walk over badger survey was undertaken at the same time as the Phase 1

survey, any other visits to the site also included a search for evidence of

badgers.

2.5 Nesting birds

Breeding bird surveys were carried out using methods as described in Gilbert

et. al. 1998 (Bird Monitoring Methods, RSPB). The surveys were carried out

in early morning and good weather. The grounds were walked in a set route,

whereby all of the habitats on site were surveyed.

2.6 Bats

Building surveys

All buildings on site have been surveys externally for evidence of use by bats

and for potential for use. In addition internal surveys have also been carried

out of the following buildings: Main block, Barlows House, Barlows Block,

Wing & Dining Hall, Wardens House, Block A, Block B, Block E and Block

H.



Dusk emergence surveys

Dusk emergence surveys were carried out on various buildings in 2010, 2012

and 2014. The methodology for the emergence surveys is as follows:

approximately half an hour before dusk the buildings were watched for bats or

birds entering or exiting the building. Bat detectors were used to survey for

emerging bats, which can convert the ultrasonic sounds emitted by bats into

sounds audible to the human ear. These sounds can also be used as an aid to

the identification of the different bat species. For this survey AnaBat and

Batbox Duet bat detectors were used and any bats heard were recorded for

analysis.

A transect survey was also under taken on 14th May 2013. Three experienced

bat surveyor’s walked a set route, two within the St Marys site boundary and

one along the golf course/woodland edge. The transect survey was started

approximately half an hour before sunset. The routes for each surveyor

covered all habitat types in that area. Listening stations stops were chosen on

each transect and the surveyor stopped at the station for 3 minutes before

walking at a steady pace to the next station.

Route 1

Covered the area surrounding the nursery buildings, open grassland and

surrounding trees.

Route 2

Covered the rear of the site, including the quarry and surrounding trees.

Route 3

Covered the boundary line between the site and the golf course.

3. Results

3.1 Phase 1 - 2013

The site comprises of a mixture of amenity grassland, unimproved neutral

grass land, semi natural broad-leaved woodland, buildings and

cultivated/disturbed short perennial land. Please see the attached COFNOD

report for additional details at this time.

3.2 Reptiles - 2013

No reptiles or amphibians have been found during the observation surveys

while onsite.

Artificial refuge checks – 26th June 2013

Start time 9:00

Start temp 12.4°c

Wind 0

Cloud cover 100%



Finish time 10:30

Finish temp 13.8°c

Results No reptiles found

Artificial refuge checks – 4th July 2013

Start time 12:30

Wind 3

Cloud cover 80% hazy

Finish time 13:30

Finish temp 16°c


Artificial refuge checks – 23rd July 2013

Start time 12:35

Start temp 19.4°c

Wind 2

Cloud cover 100% hazy

Finish time 13:45

Finish temp 19°c


Artificial refuge checks – 16th September 2013

Start time 12:50

Start temp 13.3°c

Wind 4

Cloud cover 80%

Finish time 13:45

Finish temp 12.7°c

Results 1 adult male slow worm in east corner of quarry

Artificial refuge checks – 23rd September 2013

Start time 12:22

Start temp 18.2°c

Wind 1

Cloud cover 90%

Finish time 13:40

Finish temp 19.2°c


3.3 Badgers - 2013

No sightings of badgers or evidence of use by badgers was found on any of the

site visits. In addition there have been no records of badgers using the

adjacent golf course.



3.4 Nesting birds - 2013

A phase 1 survey has been carried out to describe the habitats onsite. The

majority of the area consists of mixed broadleaved woodland, scrub and an

area of amenity grassland. Tree species predominantly are sycamore and ash

with blackthorn and hawthorn scrub.

Table 1 Survey times and weather conditions

Date Time %

Cloud

Temperature

(°C)

Wind Weather

30/05/2013 06:45 to

08:30

100 13 0 Dry

26/06/2013 06:30 to

08:00

100 12 0 Dry/drizzle

Table 2 Bird species recorded on each survey (*=breeding on site)

Species seen in May Species seen in June

Blue Tit *

Chaffinch *

Dunnock *

Chiffchaff *

Blackbird *

Wren *

Song thrush *

Bullfinch

Blackcap *

Goldfinch

Great Tit *

Robin *

Jackdaw

Herring gull (on buildings)

Magpie (on buildings)

Wren *

Whitethroat (golf course)

Great Tit *

Woodpigeon

Blackbird *

Blue Tit *

Goldfinch

Chiffchaff *

Blackcap *

Chaffinch *

Jay

Herring gull (buildings)

3.5 Bats

Figure 1 shows the results of the bat surveys in 2010.



Figure 1. Site plan of St Marys Site showing results of day time survey – not to

scale

2012 Activity Surveys

The following species of bats were recorded on the site feeding and

commuting: Soprano pipistrelle, Common Pipistrelle, Brown long eared,

Lesser horseshoe, Noctule and Myotis species. In addition soprano pipistrelle,

common pipistrelle, brown long eared and Myotis species of bats observed

exiting various buildings on the site.

2013 Activity Surveys

The following species of bats were recorded on the site during surveys during

2013: Common pipistrelle, Soprano pipistrelle, Myotis species and Brown

long eared bats.

Old bat droppings

and moth wings

Old bat droppings

in roof void

Fresh bat

dropping in cellar

One old lesser

horseshoe dropping

in middle section of

roof void

Approximately 20 bat

droppings on carpet

Fresh lesser

horseshoe bat

droppings

3 droppings

on stairs

Occasional dropping

on stairs and top

corridor

3 old

droppings

on main

stairs

One fresh lesser

horseshoe dropping

in kitchen

Fresh and old bat

droppings and moth

wings on first floor



There was less activity on site during this year than on previous surveys.

4. Conclusions

4.1 Phase 1

No significant habitats were identified during the survey as the development

site will stay within the footprint of the current development.

There are a number of mature and semi mature trees on the site, these should

be retained. It is recommended that protective fencing be erected around the

trees, as a guide the fencing should be placed no closer than the outermost

limit of branch spread or a distance equal to half of the tree height, whichever

is greater. Signs should be erected stating that the fenced area is protected and

that there is no access for site vehicles or staff. Great care should be taken

when moving heavy plat around the site so that the branches of the trees are

not damaged. If any work is required to any of the trees on site, it is advised

to have a bat survey undertaken prior to works. In addition to the trees on the

edge of the site there a number of individual trees which should be retained.

The woodland to the far west of the site is predominantly oak, hazel and

sycamore with an understory which includes bluebells. Although this is not a

protected site, it should be fenced off during construction works to prevent any

accidental damage or storage of materials in this area. This fencing will also

protect the area of dense gorse, bramble and bracken scrub to the west which

has the potential to contain protected species.

4.2 Reptiles

After completing the reptile surveys onsite, only one male slow worm was

found.

Using the table in the ‘Key Reptile Site Register’ the population of reptiles at

the site is defined as a low population.

There are records provided from the COFNOD search that show that in 2013

slow worms were recorded 410m from the site and in 1973 213m from the

site.

Because of the low population levels on the site and the fact that the

construction work of the new bat roost in the quarry area, where the slow

worm was recorded will be undertaken within the next month it is

recommended that the quarry area and access route is searched by hand by a

qualified ecologist. Once they are happy no reptiles are in the area, the

vegetation should be cut short and kept short to make the habitat unsuitable for

reptiles during the construction phase. As the new roost is to be built of an

area of hard standing the construction should have a limited impact on reptiles

and once completed the area will remain available for use by reptiles. During

the construction phase regular checks of the construction site should be made



by an ecologist in mild weather to ensure that no building material left onsite

are used as refuges.

To improve the site for reptiles, it is recommended that a number of south-

facing banks are created for basking, along with rock and log piles for shelter

and a mosaic of scrub and grassland habitats throughout the site.

4.3 Badgers

No evidence of badgers using the site to date.

The southern and western edges of the St Marys site, contains large areas of

gorse, bramble and bracken scrub which has the potential to hide badger setts.

Although no evidence of use by badgers was found during the surveys, this

may change at any time.

Any trenches or holes onsite must be covered over night or have a plank of

wood in them to act as a ladder to allow any mammal that falls in to escape.

4.4 Nesting birds

Relatively few bird species were recorded on the surveys and most are

common species. Of key interest is the bullfinch as this is noted in the Red

data list for Wales. Other species are generally common although song thrush,

blackcap, whitethroat and chiffchaff are of more interest. No specialist

woodland species (such as woodpeckers or pied flycatchers or wood warblers

were seen).

Any scrub/vegetation clearance and demolition of building should be

undertaken outside of the bird breeding season or first be surveyed by an

experience ecologist, to prevent disturbance to nesting birds.

Mitigation for the loss of roosting, nesting and feeding locations will include

the following: provision of nesting boxes both on trees and on and built into

the new buildings on the site as well as ledges, access slots underneath eves

etc. The boxes should be the ‘Schwegler’ boxes which need little

maintenance. They should be provided for an assortment of species and

include some that are built into the walls of the new buildings. Along with

additional planting of trees and shrubs on the site to provide new nesting and

feeding habitats.

4.5 Bats

Bats have been identified as using the main block, Barlows house, wing and

dining hall and A block in previous surveys on the site. In addition bats have

been identified using all areas of the site to commute and feed.

Any and all bats roost and potential bat roosts will have to be replaced within

the development. A new roost building is to be constructed to replace the loss

of roosts in the caretaker’s house, Barlows block, wing & dining hall, H block



and A block. The area around this new roost should be fenced off to prevent

disturbance and possible vandalism. In addition provisions will be made in

any new construction on site and ‘Schweglar’ bat boxes will be installed on

some trees and buildings. If any roof voids are to be loos tint he Main block

additional mitigation will be required as there is evidence of bats using every

roof spce.

External lighting must be kept to a minimum around those areas where

provision is made for bats to roost.

Alison Johnston

Ecological Consultant

13th Janurary 2014

CCW Licence No. 35113:OTH:CSAB:2011

This report may be copied, reformatted or re-bound. However the content of this

report should not be deleted, reworded or otherwise

altered without the

agreement of the author.

Outline of all Ecological survey work under taken at St ...

Documents

Transcript of Outline of all Ecological survey work under taken at St ...