Advice on protection of birds of prey

[Paul_B]

There's an industrial estate near me that has had birds of prey nesting in disused buildings. I'm no expert and don't have binoculars to check but they look like kestrels. I know they breed because I've seen the young fledglings on ledges still being fed. Also old guys who have worked there for decades say they've been nesting in the building for as long as they've been working there.

My issue is they're knocking the building down. Are kestrels protected? Is it nesting season? Are they allowed to knock the building down if there's kestrels there? Should I report it to RSPB?

There could be bats too. I know another building used to have owls. I've seen them and definitely heard the rather scary scream when walking through on a dark winter's evening.

 

[Mesquite]

My issue is they're knocking the building down. Are kestrels protected? Is it nesting season? Are they allowed to knock the building down if there's kestrels there? Should I report it to RSPB?

There could be bats too. I know another building used to have owls. I've seen them and definitely heard the rather scary scream when walking through on a dark winter's evening.

All birds of prey are protected in the UK

My understanding is they can't disturb the nest once eggs have been laid until the chicks have fledged and left the nest. Once that's happened they can demolish but some slightly less scrupulous companies ignore said rules or plead ignorance to the birds being there.

Again, bats are protected including their roosts and they cannot be disturbed at all.

Best course of action is to contact the RSPB and your local bat trust as well as the local council wildlife management dept and voice your concerns.

 

[Paul_B]

A bit early for eggs I think by about a month. Is it worth contacting RSPB anyway? These buildings are going down but there could be scope for nesting resources to be put up elsewhere in an attempt to keep nesting pairs in the area. It's obviously a good area because there's anecdotally 20 years of kestrels in the area perhaps longer.

 

[Robson Valley]

Are you permitted to build and install "bat houses" on your homes?

 

[Paul_B]

I like the idea of putting up wildlife habitats in brownfield sites. This site is likely to become housing sooner or later. The council prefers housing to industry. Houses take priority over jobs for those wanting houses. So I'd not want to suggest any conservation group puts bat boxes or hawk nesting boxes up.

Just heard that nobody has seen the male. I reckon he's around though. There were about 3 young birds hanging around last summer. That's a good brood for one pair I reckon.

 

[Robson Valley]

1. As "white-nose" is killing North American bats by the millions, and
2. we commonly have extremely "buggy" summers,
habitat enhancement is considered rather benign by everyone. The Alberta government bat house plans are very good.
Adding a bat house to the south wall of a home is uncomplicated here. With the open bottom, just don't position it above an area of human activity.

 

[Dogoak]

IIRC if they are building or using the nest it is an offence to disturb.

Here you go.....

https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-campaigns/positions/wildbirdslaw/birdsandlaw/wca/

 

[Wander]

Best course of action is to contact the RSPB and your local bat trust as well as the local council wildlife management dept and voice your concerns.

That. With bells on!
Contact as many appropriate organisations and authorities as you can think of - one of them will do something.
Even if there are no eggs in the nest (it is a bit early for that) now is the time for them to start nesting and once a nest is 'active' it is protected by law.
Do something, and do it sooner than later! All it takes is a few phone calls. Please.

 

[Dogoak]

That. With bells on!
Contact as many appropriate organisations and authorities as you can think of - one of them will do something.
Even if there are no eggs in the nest (it is a bit early for that) now is the time for them to start nesting and once a nest is 'active' it is protected by law.
Do something, and do it sooner than later! All it takes is a few phone calls. Please.

I agree. a.s.a.p.

Incase nothing is happening fast, if you can, take some photographs of nests and birds, ideally with a time/date stamp. A note of GPS co-ordinates, for each nest, if there is more than one. A witness is always good too. This is advice given to me by a Police Wildlife Officer a couple of years back.

 

[Leshy]

Good on you for raising the question here!👍👍

I agree with all it's been said ! Report asap👍👍

 

[Janne]

Birds of prey have a hugely important role in the natural life circle. Outweights economic interests of the owners of the buildings, by far.
Please make sure the buildings stay as they are during hatching!

 

[Robson Valley]

Stand up soon and stand up hard. Really hard. Don't mess this up. The wildlife came first despite the cries for profit.
This is exactly where and how your bushcraft skills can put you (in comfort) in the face of the evidence needed to be documented.

I get annoyed as I watch urban intrusion from the bigger cities compromise wildlife habitat.
Fortunately, we have hawk species which enjoy the inner cities. They feast on the vermin pigeons, to everyone's delight.
Me? I like the bats. I used to be able to hear their cruising calls, hear the pitch rise above my hearing as they closed on prey.

Bats **** a lot. Like a whole lot from 1/2 their body weight of bugs every night. Keeps one of my grape vines really happy.
I had to learn when they were out. What the dusk light looked like when they came out for the night shift.

I don't believe that we need share much concern for prey-borne illnesses beyond Hanta virus.
The damn bugs carry a dozen arboviruses that none of us need.

 

[passer]

Good to see people being pro active with conserving birds of prey, especially in my locality.
Lots of good advice here.
May be a idea to inform the contractor (in writing) regarding his legal obligation regarding nesting birds of prey.
Good luck.

 

[daveO]

Unless it's a conservation area (building conservation not animals) then the planning department don't require a formal planning application to demolish buildings. It should be done via a 'prior approval application' though in case any objections are raised or the council ecologist decides that survey work is required to determine the presence of protected species. It can be worth reporting it to the Planning Enforcement officer with your concerns about nesting birds just in case. Any contractor should have a demolision method statement in place to cover themselves against disturbing protected species but a lot don't bother.

Natural England and Natural Resources Wales set the bird nesting season as February to August as far as I'm aware. Most Planning approvals will condition that no vegetation or nesting sites can be cleared in that time without supervision of a licenced ecologist.

 

[Amy Turner]

I agree. a.s.a.p.

Incase nothing is happening fast, if you can, take some photographs of nests and birds, ideally with a time/date stamp. A note of GPS co-ordinates, for each nest, if there is more than one. A witness is always good too. This is advice given to me by a Police Wildlife Officer a couple of years back.

yes I agree...Preserving wildlife is important to combat climatical change and for our coming generations. Delayed but good initiative

 

[Paul_B]

Update.

Local bat trust has very little information on bats roosting in the industrial buildings around here. Whilst they are likely to be around due to proximity to the river they haven't any records. It is possible bats use those buildings. They went on to say the owners have a responsibility to check for wildlife such as bats including a bat s survey being carried out. Went on to say unscrupulous owners might not do this or know to do this. I should contact bat conservation who might have more information and can advise. Also if the thought offences were being committed they would contact the wildlife protection officer.

 

[Paul_B]

Update 2

Apart from kestrels we now have two owls roosting in a building adjacent to one being knocked down. Smallish owls but high up so in reckon tawny owls. Cute as a button!

One of these buildings was condemned about 10 years ago. The other was still solid. They're not earning rent for the landlords and since new business rates laws/changes they'll now have to pay £60k or so a year which made it cheaper in the long-term to knock them down asap. The kestrels have rested on the side of the condemned building for a few years and we think there were 2 or 3 young kestrels last year. They were perched there yesterday. The owls have been present on the estate for 20 years or so.

We think the owls have been disturbed and moved into the building next door to their usual roost in the building getting taken down. These buildings share a connecting wall. They will be safe in there and there is an escape route when the building is secured at night. However the company renting the building has been fighting to get the roof and holes in the building patched up. This will happen one day so the new roost is not forever.

I think i will report to rspb tonight using the website reporting form. Problem is I work on the site and really don't want it to get back to my employers. I will ask my details to remain confidential. Just hope nobody reads this forum!!!!

Thanks for your advice and encouragement.

 

[mikehill]

Get it reported Paul, it'll put your mind at rest that at least you tried to do something. And well done for caring Now we just need to do something about Hen Harriers ...

 

[Wander]

Also, contact your local wildlife trust.
Here's a link to your local one:
http://www.lancswt.org.uk/

Let them know your personal circumstances and I'm sure they'll handle it discretely.

Oh yeah, and well done for doing something. All credit to you!

 

[bearbait]

Your local Wildlife Trust, or a volunteer therefrom, may be able to lend you a bat detector, or even carry out a survey themselves. It's possible to determine which species are around with the recordings from one of these.