proof of evidence - Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk

PROOF OF EVIDENCE
Review and Evaluation of E.ON Climate and Renewables UK Development Ltd ,
ES Section 8: Ornithology
Proposed wind turbine development at Land between Bagthorpe, Barmer and Syderstone (known as
Chiplow), Main Road, Norfolk
PINS Ref: APP/V2635/A11/2154590
and
Review and Evaluation of RES Energy Systems UK and Ireland Ltd
Proposed wind turbine development at Land between the villages of Stanhoe, South Creake and
Syderstone, Kings Lynn and west Norfolk, Norfolk, known as Jack’s Lane
ES Section 7: Ornithology
PINS Ref: APP/V2635/A11/2154590
Prepared by:
Dr Anthony Prater, The Mill House, Wells Road, Hindringham, Norfolk, NR21 0PN
On behalf of:
Creakes Action to Protect the Environment (CAPE)
Against Turbines At Chiplow (ATAC)

1 Introduction
1.1 My name is Anthony John Prater and I am a resident in north Norfolk living some 13 miles
from the proposed wind farms. I hold a BSc from Exeter University and a PhD from the University of
East Anglia. I am a Member of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. I retired
from working for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds [RSPB] in 2006
1.2 I was involved in ecology for the whole of my professional life: RSPB (1968-1970) assessing
the impact of a proposed water storage scheme on the wading birds in Morecambe Bay, the British
Trust for Ornithology [BTO] (1970-1979) as Birds of Estuaries Enquiry officer and later as Head of the
Populations and Survey section and the RSPB (1979-2006) mainly as a regional manager in South-
east England, East Anglia and Wales. Since retiring I have been employed on a part time contract by
the RSPB as an ecological adviser on various contracts including developing and advising on a
compensation plan for the impacts of an airport on St Helena and undertaking Stone Curlew
wardening and surveying in north mid and west Norfolk.
1.3 I have held many posts both voluntary and elected during my career including Co-ordinator
of International Wader counts for the International Waterfowl Research Bureau, developing
management prescriptions for Environmental Sensitive Areas, membership of the Broads Authority
Advisory Committee and many Environment Agency committees. I have been invited to be a
member of the Technical Advice Note 9 (TAN9) for the Welsh Assembly Government on Renewable
Energy and seconded into the Welsh Assembly Government to aid the development of their
Environment Strategy.
1.4 During my period as RSPB regional manager in East Anglia I was responsible for managing
the Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) wardening teams and the Montagu’s Harrier (Circus
pygargus) protection programme as well as having responsibility for managing the planning
casework actions. In Wales I also was responsible for the Society’s programme on Red Kites (Milvus
milvus).
1.5 I am a member of many organisations including the British Ornithologist’s Union, the British
Trust for Ornithology, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the Norwich
and Norfolk Naturalists’ Trust. I am a keen bird watcher, spending most of my time in north Norfolk
and have contributed local records to the BTO Atlas 2007-2011.

2 The scope of my evidence
2.1 My evidence relates to the numbers and distribution of four key wild bird species present in
the general area around the wind turbine proposals and considers these in a wider context than has
been undertaken for both Environmental Statements. These key species are on Annex 1 of the
Directive 2009/147/EC on the Conservation of Wild Birds (hereafter called the Birds Directive) and
Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). They are Montagu’s Harrier,
Marsh Harrier, Red Kite and Stone Curlew; plus the Pink-footed Goose, an internationally important
feature of the Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated under the Birds Directive. The ecological
interpretation of the information will be covered by Dr T Reed.
3 Pink-footed Goose
3.1 Pink-footed Geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) are the dominant wintering waterfowl which
come inland to feed from the North Norfolk and Wash SPAs designated under the Birds Directive. I
agree with the Jack’s Lane ES that birds using all roosts between Stiffkey on the north Norfolk coast
to Snettisham on the Wash come inland and it is not possible to ascribe specific feeding zones for
birds from each roost as they mix and are considered to change roosts during the course of the
winter. For that reason it is necessary to consider the whole population of the two SPAs together
for the purposes of this Inquiry.
Numbers of Pink-footed Geese
3.2 Prior to 1980 relatively small numbers, a few thousand, wintered in Norfolk (Taylor and
Marchant 2011) but since 1985 peak winter counts have consistently exceeded 18,000 and numbers
have built up substantially since then. The species has been counted regularly and the counts are
summarised in Taylor et al (1999, The Birds of Norfolk; pp143-147) and the annual Norfolk Bird and
Mammal Report (published by the NNNS). The data from these publications for the last 25 years are
provided in Table 1.
3.3 In the last 25 years the 5 year average annual peak number of Pink-footed Geese in North
Norfolk has increased from around 20,000 to a peak of around 97,500 in the period 2000/01-2004/5
(mainly because of the exceptional numbers present in 2004/05) and was 88,000 in the latest period
to 2009/10. The first birds arrive in September; my first for the last three years were on 18 th , 12 th
and 19 th September respectively. The departing birds usually leave around late February or early
March but large numbers often still occur through to the end of April or early May.

3.4 The current Great Britain wintering population is 360,000 (Waterbirds in the UK 2009/10,
Holt et al 2011; pp31-32) having increased from 240,000. This shows that there has been a virtual
linear increase in numbers since 1980. The formal International (world) population of 270,000 is
now rather out of date. As this was approximately 30,000 more than the then GB population , I will
take the world population as being 390,000 for the purposes of this Inquiry. On this basis, the latest
five year average peak count of 88,330 for the east Wash SPA and North Norfolk SPA represents
24.5% of the GB population and 22.6% of the world population.
Distribution of Pink-footed Geese in North Norfolk
3.5 Although many observations have been made of Pink-footed Geese in land in North Norfolk,
few publications have attempted to document them more precisely. The first to do so was Lack
(1986) (The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland, BTO; pp70-71); here the distribution was
mapped by 10km squares. The period covered was 1981 to 1984 and no time limits were placed on
observers. Inland birds were noted (no numerical assessment was part of that Atlas) in the following
10km squares which are of particular relevance to the current applications – TF94, TF 84, TF74, (the
squares on the north coast); TF83, TF73; TF72). The 10km square identification is given in Figure 1.
3.6 The next publication was Taylor et al (1999) (Birds of Norfolk) which did not map the inland
distribution but noted (p147) that “Normally, the southern limit is the A148 Fakenham to King’s Lynn
Road but flights have appeared towards the B1145 in the vicinity of the Peddar’s Way (near Great
Massingham).”
Table 1 Counts of Pink-footed Geese on the Snettisham-Stiffkey roosts from 1985 to 2010.
Data are from the co-ordinated counts of all roosts of the east Wash SPA and North Norfolk SPA
and they are presented as early winter and late winter peaks with the maximum for the whole
winter summarised as averages of consecutive 5-year periods (annual Norfolk Bird and Mammal
Reports 1985 to 2010 and Birds of Norfolk 1999).
Winter max max Oct-Dec max Jan-March
85/86 19900
19900
86/87 19800 19800 heavy snow
87/88 18800 17000 18800
88/89 13500 13100 13500
89/1990 26920 20000 26920
90/91 42950
91/92 35060
92/93 33880

93/94 68560
68560
94/95 53540 49040 53540
95/96 54760 50615 54760
96/97 55500 55500 52650
97/98 76170 76170 36640
98/99 76355 76355 54750
99/2000 64770 64770 50825
00/01 82100 62650 82100
01/02 74940 74940 53380
02/03 91740 91740 57540
03/04 100920 100920 48400
04/05 137610 137610 56020
05/06 104720 104720 97130
06/07 96970 96970 48240
07/08 75313 75313 60563
08/09 96492 96492 50461
09/10 68156 68156 45780
10/11 (73112) 73112
Averages
1985/6 to 1989/90 19784
1990/1 to 1994/95 46798
1995/6 to 1999/2000 65511
2000/01 to 2004/05 97462
2005/06 to 2009/10 88330
3.7 Taylor and Marchant (2011) (The Norfolk Bird Atlas, BTO; pp34-35) mapped for the first time
the distribution of species by tetrads (2x2km squares). The period covered was 1999 to 2007. The
methodology used set tetrads but with no specific time limits. In practice many were 3-4 hours or
more; additionally supplementary records were included. They showed that all of the 10km squares
identified in the Lack (1986) were still used by inland feeding geese, but in addition birds were
recorded further east and south.
3.8 Finally, the provisional results of the BTO’s Breeding and wintering Atlas 2007-2011
(personal data and BTO web data http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/birdatlas) shows that a
similar 10km square distribution was found, but additional tetrad occupancy was observed in all 10
km squares except TF 84. Those new tetrads in TF 73, 82 and 83 at least would be likely to involve
crossing both wind farm areas (in the west of TF83) en route from east Wash SPA and N Norfolk SPA
coastal roosts. The methodology for this Atlas was slightly different to that of the Taylor and
Marchant (2011) Atlas in that the winter visits could be carried out over a slightly longer period
(including November) but the timed visits were limited to a maximum of two two hours each; so

totalling a maximum of four hours and the number of years during which the counts could be made
were limited to four rather than eight years. Additional supplementary records were also accepted.
3.9 The documented data for the two mapped winter tetrad atlases are shown in Figure 1 and
summarised in Table 2. In essence, these surveys show that there has been an increase in the
feeding range of Pink-footed Geese as the numbers have increased: along the southern and eastern
edge of the inland range. So, between 1981-84 and 1999-2007 there were birds recorded using five
tetrads in the two 10km squares to the east of the previous range and in at least two tetrads to the
south of the A148 (around the villages of Dunton and Tatterford). These last two have a bearing on
the possible effects of the two wind farm proposals. The increase has continued into the 2007-11
Atlas.
Table 2 Summary of 10km squares where Pink-footed Geese were recorded during the
three winter Atlases and for the last two, the number of tetrads where they were
recorded.
10 km square Lack 1986: 1981-1984 Taylor and Marchant
2011: 1999-2007
TF 72 Yes Yes (5) Yes (8+)
TF 73 Yes Yes (14) Yes (11++)
TF 74* Yes Yes (3) Yes (5)
TF 82 No Yes (2) Yes (2)
TF 83 Yes Yes (10) Yes (11)
TF 84* Yes Yes (4) Yes (2)
TF 93 No Yes (6) Yes (8)
TF 94* Yes Yes (2) Yes (4)
TG 03 No Yes (1) Yes (6)
TG 04* No Yes (1) Yes (3)
Total tetrads with
geese
Na 48 60++
BTO Atlas: 2007-2011
Note * In the 4-series of 10 km squares only the southern most five tetrads are summarised
as those to the north are coastal sites.

3.10 In summary, there has been a progressive increase in the range used by feeding geese from
the SPA(s) population over the last 25 years as numbers have increased with four new 10km squares
used and within those, a minimum of 12 new tetrads. The population is now using more inland areas
under a rising population. This trend has an increasing potential to bring geese into conflict with any
potential wind farm in the area.
4 Stone Curlew
Numbers
4.1 The Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) is a rare summer visitor to north Norfolk. It is
highly protected through legislation (the Jack’s Lane ES does identify the status of Stone Curlew as
being on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) in the confidential
report but does not state it is on Annex 1 of the Birds Directive). However, though rare, it is
scattered at a low density over parts of suitable soils in north Norfolk, with a substantial population
south east of the proposed windfarm sites at Sculthorpe Airfield and adjacent farmland. Its largest
numbers lie in Breckland in south Norfolk and north Suffolk. The latest publication of the data gives
the UK 5 year mean number as 341 breeding pairs (Holling et al 2011) (Rare breeding birds in the
United Kingdom in 2009. British Birds 104, 476-537 (on p512). The number of pairs in north Norfolk
is very hard to assess, but in addition to my wardening presence in the Sculthorpe area, I undertook
a day time and an appropriate night taping survey, (a method not used by the developers but
recommended per Gilbert et al 1998) and met many of the farmers to ask about the possible
presence of Stone Curlews in 2011. It is hoped that the species will be able to re-establish itself in
this part of its historic range.
4.2 In essence, the number of pairs in the Sculthorpe area has been in the range 11-14 for the
last four years (c3.5% of the UK population and the furthest north concentration in the UK). In
addition, in 2011 birds or pairs were found at three further locations north of both wind farm areas,
with other birds at four locations further away and not in the Breckland area. Similar indications are
available from the surveys for the Jack’s Lane ES (e.g. Stone Curlew maps for 19 May-25 Aug 2009).
As data on this species are highly sensitive, detailed locations are not being publicised.
Distance from the application sites and ecology
4.3 The Stone Curlew is most active at night when the adults fly out of their nesting territories to
collect food from up to 3km away (Green et al 2000) (Journal of Zoology, 250: 161-183). The nearest

distance of a nesting pair on farmland to the south was at 2.5km. However, all but 1-2 pairs of this
important breeding population of 11-14 pairs is within 6km of the nearest proposed turbines.
4.4 In addition, the 2011 late summer/ autumn pre-migration roosting concentration was at
3.2km from Jack’s Lane and 3.6km from Chiplow. So, most pairs are outside the typical foraging
range though not by much. The way birds use the area at night during the spring build up and the
gathering of the autumn roost has not been studied, so it is not possible to be certain that birds do
not fly though the proposed wind farm area. For example, it is possible, but needs to be confirmed,
that the outdoor pig unit to the west of the application site, might attract Stone Curlews at night as
this is a favoured habitat in which to find invertebrates. In Norfolk, most Stone Curlews nest in sugar
beet fields but they will use a wide range of other crops including onions, parsnips, carrots, short
sheep/rabbit grazed grassland and game strips, but they still require a freely draining sandy/stony
soil type.
Roosting numbers
4.5 As well as a breeding area, Sculthorpe also has a major function as a site through which birds
move in the spring. In addition, it is especially important as a roost in the autumn. From reading
colour rings and counting unringed birds, it is possible to assess the number of different birds using
the area. The detailed counts on the airfield in autumn 2010 and 2011 have shown that minima of
51-54 (2010) and 63 (2011) different birds were seen in each autumn. From my assessment of pairs
present, there may be 36 adults and 5 juveniles in the monitored sites in 2011; that still leaves
approximately 22 birds from other locations using the airfield. Where they have come from is not
clear but some, at least are birds known to have been ringed in Breckland. What is clear is that there
is a significant number of birds present in the area around Sculthorpe, including pairs both to the
south and north of it and there is likely to be considerable movement around the area. The scale of
that movement is not known as it will be mostly at night. This has the possibility of bringing the birds
into the Jack’s Lane and Chiplow contact area.
5 Montagu’s Harrier
Numbers
5.1 Montagu’s Harrier, Circus pygargus, is one of the rarest species of birds breeding in Britain;
Holling et al (2011; p502) give the 5-year mean population of just 15 breeding pairs. The Jack’s Lane
ES does identify the status of Montagu’s Harrier as being on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and

Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) in the confidential report but does not state it is on Annex 1 of
the Birds Directive. Norfolk has had a small breeding population which has varied between three
and six females (as males are often bigamous, the recording unit is breeding females) over the last
five year period. The most reliable site has been within 10km of the centre of the application site.
The number of nests in 2004-2011 in this area has been 18; an average of 2.25pa. Thus, the area
has supported approximately 14% of the Great Britain population.
Foraging strategy
5.2 Montagu’s Harriers cover a large area of ground when hunting. Clarke (1996) (Montagu’s
Harrier. Arlequin Press. p154-155) notes that the maximum foraging range is likely to be in the order
of 10-12km. The nests mentioned above are within this distance. Further evidence of the likely
hunting distance in this sector of Norfolk is the number of sightings that I have had on Sculthorpe
airfield and adjacent farmland during my Stone Curlew wardening. Between 2007 and late August
2011, I have made 89 visits (mostly around 2.5hours each) to Sculthorpe during the period from mid
April to mid August which is the Montagu’s Harrier arrival date to the end of the breeding season.
On nine of these I have recorded Montagu’s Harriers: involving the earliest on 4 May, one in June, six
in July and two in August with the latest on 12 August. Thus, even though I was not looking for
Montagu’s Harriers I saw them on 10% of my visits. This timing mostly coincides with the period
when large young are in the nest and intense foraging by the adults takes place. Sculthorpe airfield
is approximately 4-5km from the centre of the proposed wind farm and, as the sightings were of
adults, it is highly probable that the adults from the breeding area were foraging over the whole of
this sector of Norfolk, including both the Jack’s Lane and Chiplow areas.
5.3 My experience of this species is that it will, especially on favourably warm days rise to a
considerable height, perhaps 200m and plane down towards distant feeding grounds, though when
foraging for food they hunt very close to the ground.
6 Marsh Harrier
Numbers
6.1 The Marsh Harrier, Circus aeruginosus, has increased substantially in Britain since it became
virtually extinct as a breeding species in the early 1970s. Holling et al (2011; pp 500-501) give 5-year
mean of 404 breeding females with c85 females possibly to definitely breeding in Norfolk. They note

that the British population may be slightly under-reported and the real figure may be nearer 450
breeding females. So, Norfolk supports around 19% of the British population.
6.2 The Jack’s Lane ES has taken a moderately precautionary approach to the connectivity of the
inland area with the birds on the North Norfolk SPA. I believe this is the correct approach. The
distance birds forage from their nests have been estimated at the normal distance of 2-4 km (Clarke
1996) but Hardey et al (2006) considers that males may hunt up to 7 km from the nesting territory.
The survey to support the ES broadly covers a 3.5 km radius around the proposed Jack’s Lane wind
farm; while this may be suitable for females it is not precautionary for the males.
6.3 The application sites support at least several pairs; in the Jack’s Lane ES three and five pairs
were noted in the two years of survey of the study area relating to Jack’s Lane. Given the limited
temporal cover of the ES, and the fact that other pairs are present around the periphery of the study
area and males from these are likely to use the survey area, it would be prudent to work on the
higher of the counts as the population and therefore the application sites and their immediate
vicinity support c1% of the British population.
Ecology and behaviour
6.4 Marsh Harriers in farmland nest away from hedge lines to minimise predation by, principally,
foxes. They choose winter crops (mainly oilseed rape and winter cereals) which are sufficiently tall
in the spring to provide good cover. Marsh Harriers are quite frequently seen at a moderate height
(my estimate would be 20-100 metres) throughout the breeding cycle and during migration in north
Norfolk; aerial activity ranges from display (territorial and to attract a mate) at the start of the
breeding season, maintaining territory and food passes when young are nest. During the post-
breeding dispersal/migration they drift across farmland; while sometimes going high, much of the
time they are much lower. Hunting takes place at a relatively low level, much of the time being
below 7-10 metres.
7 Red Kite
Numbers and distribution
7.1 The Red Kite, Milvus milvus, has become a very recent breeding species in Norfolk; the first
breeding since they were exterminated, is thought to have occurred in 2008 (NNNS 2009) (Norfolk
Bird & Mammal Report 2008). In the last two (2009 and 2010) years, three, possibly four, pairs have
been present. In terms of the British population (mostly re-introduced and totalling about 1,156

pairs: Holling et al 2011) this number is small, but it remains an iconic species. I have watched at
least two of these pairs which breed within 10km of the application sites. So, at least 50% of
Norfolk’s Red Kites breed close-by.
Behaviour
7.2 Red Kites forage over a large area around the nest sites and tend to be very aerial - floating
around usually in the range of 20-50m above ground level. Because there is an increasing number of
sightings in Norfolk, both of breeding and non-breeding birds, it is not possible to ascribe sightings in
inland central north Norfolk to the breeding birds; but I have had four sightings (April 2008, August
2009, May 2010 and May 2011) at Sculthorpe airfield showing that they are relatively frequent in
this general area of Norfolk.
8 Conclusion
8.1 This area of central Norfolk is remarkably rich in important species of birds. That there are
four species on Annex 1 of the (Birds Directive) in the Jack’s Lane site makes it one of the more
important areas of farmed land in Britain. Marsh Harrier probably has some relationship with the
coastal SPAs, but the other species are farmland birds. In addition, the Pink-footed Goose has an
internationally important population feeding in the fields. While several species (Pink-footed Goose,
Marsh Harrier and Red Kite) are expanding their populations, the other two (Stone Curlew and
Montagu’s Harrier) have small but important breeding aggregations in this area. All have potential
for involvement with an operating wind farm.
References
Clarke, R. (1996) Montagu’s Harrier. Arlequin Press (AJP Appendix 1)
Gilbert, G. et al (1998) Bird Monitoring Methods. RSPB. (TR App8)
Green, R. E. G., Tyler, G. A. and Bowden, C.G.R. (2000) Habitat selection, ranging behaviour and diet
of the stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) in southern England. Journal of Zoology, 250: 161-183.
(AJP Appendix 2)

Hardey, J., Crick, H., Wernham, C., Riley, HG., Etheridge, B. and Thompson, D. (2006) Raptors a field
guide to survey and monitoring. Edinburgh: SNH. (TR App9)
Holling, M. et. al. (2011) Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2009. British Birds 104, 476-
537. (Core)
Holt, C.A. et al (2011) Waterbirds in the UK 2009/10. The Wetland Bird Survey. BTO/RSPB/JNCC,
Thetford. (Core)
Lack, P. (1986) The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland, BTO (AJP Appendix 3)
Norfolk Bird and Mammal Reports 1985 to 2010 published by the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists’
Society (AJP Appendix 4)
Taylor, M. et al (1999) The Birds of Norfolk Pica Press (AJP Appendix 5)
Taylor, M and Marchant, J.H. (2011) The Norfolk Bird Atlas, BTO (Core)

Figure 1 The recorded distribution of Pink-footed Geese in the 10km squares and tetrads of
relevance to the Jack’s Lane and Chiplow wind turbine applications. Data based on the Norfolk Bird
Atlas 1999-2007 and BTO Atlas 2007-2011.