Identification of wintering and passage roosts on functionally linked land of the Severn Estuary - Gloucestershire and Worcestershire (Phase 5).
Abstract
This report represents the fifth phase of a wider assessment to identify sites of importance to the bird populations within, and now outside of, the Severn Estuary Special Protection Area (SPA). It provides information on waterbird concentrations in winter, and where sufficient information was available, spring and autumn passage, in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. The report aims to: (1) Capture the knowledge of local WeBS counters (and subsequently other knowledgeable persons including wildfowlers and farmers) on bird numbers and movements within and between sites; (2) Map the locations of significant concentrations of birds listed on the SPA and/or SSSI citations as well as four other selected species (referred to in this report as Interest Species); (3) Describe the bird assemblage at each site and the circumstances in which large accumulations of birds have been recorded (where applicable), principally in response to surface water depths and notable flood events; and (4) Record the characteristics of each site (e.g. habitat or feature) in terms of their appeal to the Interest Species. This covered both current conditions and, where information was available and relevant, recent historical conditions.