UES were instructed to carry out a breeding bird nest survey to support a planning application for the demolition and rebuild of a residential property in Curzon Park, Chester, Cheshire.
All wild birds, their nests and young are protected throughout England and Wales by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). It is illegal to kill, injure or take any wild bird, or damage or destroy the nest or eggs of breeding birds. This legislation applies to all bird species, common and rare.
Our client wished to begin work on site in June, which coincides with the breeding bird season (March to August inclusive). As such, a breeding bird nest check was required to determine whether any offence would be caused as part of the works. As part of this survey, our trained ecologists survey the site for evidence of nesting birds. Often it is difficult to find the nests so other evidence, such as pairs of birds, birds carrying food, or alarm calls, are used to help determine the presence of breeding birds.
In this case, a historic bird nest was found within an amenity hedge, though it was not in use at the time of the survey. No other evidence of breeding birds was found and as such, works on site could occur with no risk of an offence.
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