Church Farm – The professionals view

In early March this year a further batch of ecology reports were submitted to the council, by professional ecological consultants, in relation to the proposed development at Church farm. These were updates on previous year’s ecological reports and covered survey work undertaken in 2015 for dormice, bats and reptile species. Most of the survey work took place in August and September 2015. August was a very cool and wet month, but the weather perked up a bit in September.

Dormouse

The most amazing find, as far as I can see, is that a single dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) was found at the southern end of the development area in the old orchard, not far from Church Road and bordering Moat Platt. 

Adult hazel dormouse...found asleep ;-) 

(On one of my own surveys in nearby Foal Hurst Wood).

Granted that the surveyors only actually surveyed the site on two occasions, 23^rd September & 6^th October 2015, but it was on the 6^th October that a single dormouse was found in one of the nest tubes, which had been in place since 30^th July 2015. No other signs of dormice where found during 2015, nor during an earlier survey in 2012.

Rather disappointingly the age and sex of the dormice is not mentioned in the report, but I would not be surprised if it was a youngster, born in the summer and was now dispersing to find a new home territory, which often happens in the autumn.

So, against all my earlier predictions, one dormice has been seen at the edge of this development and begs the questions as to where it came from, as the area does not seem to offer promising dormice habitat. 

The blue dot indicates where the dormouse was found, in October 2015.

Historically the land has been intensively farmed since before the first aerial photograph in 1940. I can only assume that there is a very low density of dormice in the hedgerows, with perhaps the hedgerows links to the railway land hinting at a clue to possible higher numbers of dormice along this railway wildlife corridor. Over the last 10 – 15 years the scrubbing over of the old orchard and tree growth in the Moat Platt may just be enough for a few dormice to survive, but without further surveys we will never know.

Bats

Surveys again took place over August and September and included both manned and automated surveys. Automated surveys are where bat recording machines are left in situ to record passing bats, whereas on manned survey nights trained surveyors are actively looking and listening for bats. In addition trees were searched for possible bat roosts, or roosting potential.

The results were less surprising; in that most bat foraging took place around the edge of the site, along the hedgerows, but also around the larger hybrid black poplar trees, near to the small pond. These trees are due to be felled if planning permission is granted for the development to take place.

Map of bat sightings and foraging areas.

Species recorded were mainly Common (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and Soprano pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pygmaeus), although a single Noctule (Nyctalus noctula) and Serotine (Eptesicus serotinus) bat were also noted near the railway line and Daubenton (Myotis daubentonii) bats were seen around the small pond area.

Common Pipistrelle in flight.

No bat roosts were found on the site.

Reptiles

Surveys again took place in August and September, at a time when young reptiles were being born. Although numbers of Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)& Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis), found during the survey period were lower than in 2012, populations of both animals remain classified as ‘exceptional’ i.e. greater  than 20 adult animals were found on or under refugia objects (0.5m x 0.5m squares of roofing felt) placed at a density of 10 squares per hectare.

Example of maleViviparous Lizards, 

seen in the nature reserve where I work.

                                       Male & Female Slow Worms seen in Paddock Wood.

The animals were found in roughly the same areas on the site as in 2012, as shown below. These correlate with the suitable habitat around the edges and near the old farmhouse i.e. rough grassland and scrub.

Reptile sightings in 2015.

No grass snakes were encountered in 2015 and only one (a juvenile) was seen in 2012.

Prior to 2010, when a large area of rough grassland and scrub was brought back into agricultural production, I suspect that even higher numbers of lizards and slow worms were to be found on the site. As mentioned in an earlier post the source of all these animals is likely to have been the adjacent railway land, which provides highly suitable reptile habitat and also acts as a wildlife corridor for reptile and other species.

Currently the developers plans are to move the lizards and slow worms to a south eastern section of the site, designated to become a country park. This may not actually happen, as there is much debate as to the placement of proposed attenuation ponds, should the development be allowed to be built. In addition it remains debatable as to whether viable lizard and slow worms populations will survive in the long term in the proposed country park area, as any management of the country park is likely to be less suited to lizards and slow worms, but we will have to see how matters turn out.

On the positive side any attenuation ponds are very likely to attract large numbers of amphibians, frogs, newts and toads etc, providing food for grass snakes, which may well result in an increased grass snake population in the area.

Summary

At present flooding concerns related to the area, make it uncertain as to whether planning permission will be granted for the Church farm development. In addition there is also a large groundswell of public opinion against developing this site, in view of the flooding worries.

However the professional surveys undertaken last year, in relation to a few protected species, confirm that wildlife interest on the land is mainly to be found around the edge of the Church Farm site. The information about bats and reptile species is in line with previous surveys and local knowledge, but the new information relating to the single dormouse found, begs more questions as to how widespread dormice are in the Paddock wood area.

If planning permission is granted then I expect more ecological surveys will be carried out before building work begins. These may just confirm what is already know, but maybe new information may be discovered on the wildlife currently living on, or adjacent to, the site. Time will tell.