Toby and Stewart were out with the Cheshire Bat Group on Sunday when the group found the first confirmed Lesser Horseshoe Bat roost in Cheshire for a number of years.
The group found a single bat free hanging in a cave during part of the regular annual round of monitoring surveys. A subsequent search of a nearby cave found a further single lesser horseshoe bat roosting.
All in all a good days work for the group and good find for Ged Ryan who spotted the first bat.
Keep an eye on the groups facebook page for more info.
Starlings flocking and coming into roost at Moore Nature Reserve, Warrington, Cheshire. Filmed by Stewart while walking the dog in November.
Most of the starlings were coming in from the east along the reserve from the direction of Runcorn and joining the main flock. The birds were coming in low in a steady trickle. When they eventually started to drop from the sky and pour into the reed beds a sparrowhawk turned up and waited perched on the ground between two banks of reeds.
We decided to leave before the sparrowhawk got a meal. The aerial display was well worth watching and is always an amazing sight.
UES’ Graduate Ecologist, Kathryn James, has been accepted as a graduate member of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM). Kathryn is the most recent member of the UES team to become IEEM qualified.
IEEM is the professional body that represents and supports, over 4000 ecologists and environmental managers in the UK, Ireland and abroad. Members are required to meet specific levels of training and experience, as well adhering to a professional code of conduct.
As a company we always strive to ensure that the services we offer are high quality and good value. We decided to work towards ISO 9001 certification to further improve the way that we operate and hopefully offer a higher quality service to our customers.
Working towards ISO 9001 certification has meant that we have had to look at every aspect of the business with a critical eye in order to identify any improvements which could be made. We have looked at every area of the business from the point of view of our customers and internally and set up a framework which will help us to continually improve the service we offer.
Some of the areas which we covered are; Customer contact and feedback, staff training, professional insurances, IT systems and data security, compliance with legislation and professional licensing.
We hope that this will enable us to continually improve the way in which we work, and enable our clients to tell us if there is anything we could be doing better.
United Environmental Services carry out surveys across Merseyside. The surveys which are carried out in Merseyside include great crested newt surveys, bat surveys, Phase 1 habitat surveys, breeding bird surveys, water vole surveys and a full range of environmental surveys. United Environmental Services also offer landscape design and garden design services in Merseyside and can provide the materials and implementation work if required. We have a team of experienced surveyors, landscape architects and ground workers who work to a high standard across Merseyside.
Bat Surveys in Merseyside
Bat surveys can be undertaken in Merseyside at most times of the year. Bats are most active in Merseyside during the spring and summer months. Bat activity surveys can only be carried out in Merseyside at these times of year. At other times of year it is possible to carry out bat scoping surveys of buildings, and bat scoping surveys of trees and other structures which may support roosting bats. If signs of use by bats or features which could support roosting bats are found, then it will be necessary to complete bat activity surveys during the spring or summer. In Merseyside many bat surveys are carried out on barns and farm buildings. This is in order to gain planning permission. Barn conversions are one of the most common causes of loss of bat habitat which is why local planning authorities insist on bat surveys prior to planning permission being granted. There are several species of bat which are resident in Merseyside. These include Noctule bat, common pipistrelle bat, soprano pipistrelle bat, Nathusius’ pipistrelle bat, Daubentons’ bat, Whiskered bat, Brandt’s’ bat. United Environmental Services use several pieces of high tech equipment to find bats during a bat survey. These include bat boxes which can detect the echolocation calls of bats and the Anabat system which detects bat echolocation calls and displays them visually on a PDA screen which makes recording of the bat calls and identification of the bat species much more accurate.
Great Crested Newt Surveys in Merseyside
Great crested newt surveys can be carried out in Merseyside during spring and early summer. Pond surveys for great crested newts are undertaken at a time of year when the great crested newt population returns to the pond to breed. Great crested newt pond surveys have to be carried out to strict guidelines and so the people undertaking them must be properly trained, licensed and experienced to carry out great crested newt pond surveys. Merseyside has many ponds and wet areas which are suitable for great crested newts. Any action which has the potential to disturb great crested newts or their habitats must be preceded by great crested newt surveys of the pond or area, to ensure that no great crested newts are disturbed. United Environmental Services have experienced and appropriately licensed staff that can carry out great crested newt surveys in Merseyside. At times of year when great crested newts are not in the ponds, other survey methods can be employed. The main technique used is the habitat suitability index which is an accepted method of assessing a habitat for its suitability for use by great crested newts.
Phase 1 Habitat surveys in Merseyside
Phase 1 habitat surveys can be carried out in Merseyside at any time of year however the optimum time of year to carry out habitat surveys is during the spring and summer months when a more complete range of Merseyside’s flora and fauna are active. Phase 1 habitat surveys are used to catalogue the different types of habitat which are found in a given area. The results of the phase 1 habitat survey can then be used to assess the impacts of a development on an area and if necessary to specify if any further survey work is required. An example of this would be if a badger sett was found inside or close to the development area then badger surveys would be recommended, similarly if an area of habitat was found which was suitable for use by breeding birds then potentially breeding bird surveys would have to be completed prior to the start of works. Merseyside has a variety of different habitat types which support a range of different species, from woodlands to urban areas. Phase 1 habitat surveys are usually required prior to the start of development work and can save time as any potential issues with protected species or protected habitats will be highlighted early in the development.
United Environmental Services are experienced in a wide range of ecological survey work, contact us for more information.
Defra have announced that Natural England will be granted more flexible powers to enforce breaches of wildlife legislation. The legislation applies to certain protected species such as the great crested newt, water vole, badgers and natterjack toads. The legislation also applies to all of our resident bat species.
Formerley Natural England had only three options available, these were
issue of warning letters
issue of caution
full criminal prosecution
New powers
Under the new powers regulators will be able to match the strength of the sanction to the seriousness of the offence and also:
Halt illegal activities
order the restoration of environmental damage
impose fines where legislation has been breached
Further information can be found on Natural Englands website by following the link below
United Environmental Services carry out surveys across Cheshire. The surveys which are carried out in Cheshire include great crested newt surveys, bat surveys, Phase 1 habitat surveys, breeding bird surveys, water vole surveys and a full range of environmental surveys. United Environmental Services also offer landscape design and garden design services in Cheshire and can provide the materials and implementation work if required. We have a team of experienced surveyors, landscape architects and ground workers who work to a high standard across Cheshire.
Bat Surveys in Cheshire
Bat surveys can be undertaken in Cheshire at most times of the year. Bats are most active in Cheshire during the spring and summer months. Bat activity surveys can only be carried out in Cheshire at these times of year. At other times of year it is possible to carry out bat scoping surveys of buildings, and bat scoping surveys of trees and other structures which may support roosting bats. If signs of use by bats or features which could support roosting bats are found, then it will be necessary to complete bat activity surveys during the spring or summer. In Cheshire many bat surveys are carried out on barns and farm buildings. This is in order to gain planning permission. Barn conversions are one of the most common causes of loss of bat habitat which is why local planning authorities insist on bat surveys prior to planning permission being granted. There are several species of bat which are resident in Cheshire. These include Noctule bat, common pipistrelle bat, soprano pipistrelle bat, Nathusius’ pipistrelle bat, Daubentons’ bat, Whiskered bat, Brandt’s’ bat. United Environmental Services use several pieces of high tech equipment to find bats during a bat survey. These include bat boxes which can detect the echolocation calls of bats and the Anabat system which detects bat echolocation calls and displays them visually on a PDA screen which makes recording of the bat calls and identification of the bat species much more accurate.
Great Crested Newt Surveys in Cheshire
Great crested newt surveys can be carried out in Cheshire during spring and early summer. Pond surveys for great crested newts are undertaken at a time of year when the great crested newt population returns to the pond to breed. Great crested newt pond surveys have to be carried out to strict guidelines and so the people undertaking them must be properly trained, licensed and experienced to carry out great crested newt pond surveys. Cheshire has many ponds and wet areas which are suitable for great crested newts. Any action which has the potential to disturb great crested newts or their habitats must be preceded by great crested newt surveys of the pond or area, to ensure that no great crested newts are disturbed. United Environmental Services have experienced and appropriately licensed staff that can carry out great crested newt surveys in Cheshire. At times of year when great crested newts are not in the ponds, other survey methods can be employed. The main technique used is the habitat suitability index which is an accepted method of assessing a habitat for its suitability for use by great crested newts.
Phase 1 Habitat surveys in Cheshire
Phase 1 habitat surveys can be carried out in Cheshire at any time of year however the optimum time of year to carry out habitat surveys is during the spring and summer months when a more complete range of Cheshire’s flora and fauna are active. Phase 1 habitat surveys are used to catalogue the different types of habitat which are found in a given area. The results of the phase 1 habitat survey can then be used to assess the impacts of a development on an area and if necessary to specify if any further survey work is required. An example of this would be if a badger sett was found inside or close to the development area then badger surveys would be recommended, similarly if an area of habitat was found which was suitable for use by breeding birds then potentially breeding bird surveys would have to be completed prior to the start of works. Cheshire has a variety of different habitat types which support a range of different species, from woodlands to urban areas. Phase 1 habitat surveys are usually required prior to the start of development work and can save time as any potential issues with protected species or protected habitats will be highlighted early in the development.
United Environmental Services are experienced in a wide range of ecological survey work, contact us for more information.
This year United Environmental Services decided to take their Christmas jolly in Scotland by Loch Eck. The weather just before Christmas was hovering between a chilly minus 7 and a toasty minus o.5 degrees Celsius. Initially on arrival via the ferry over Loch Long there was no snow but plenty of ice and the local pub took great pleasure in denying our evening meal because we were a bit too late. So it was off to bed with tea and toast.
Bheinn Ime
The next morning we decided to take a trip out and walk up Bheinn Ime which be my first Munro. The weather was again clear and cold but you could see snow falling on the higher ground. The peak of Bheinn Ime was clearly visible as we approached in the car.
The going was good and we reached the peak in around 2 hours the view was non existent as the low temperature had shrouded the top in snow and ice. We didn’t hang around for long on the top and ran most of the way back down in just an hour. So much for a lazy Christmas doo!. Even Milly the dog was tired.
Loch fyne
The next day we took a trip out to the coast before returning in the evening to dine at Loch Fyne restaurant at the head of (you’ve guessed it) Loch Fyne. The food was excellent and we all had a merry time.
Golden Eagle
On the final morning we went for a short walk before setting off back to Cheshire. A couple of inches of snow had fallen overnight and the scenery was spectacular. Toby managed to spot a golden eagle circling above woodlands on the other side of the loch which was a first for me. All in all a great trip which left us looking forward to the challenge of next year.
UES were commisioned for an extended phase 1 habitat survey of a site north of Porthmadog. The desk study and record search revealed no records on the site, but did have several records of Lesser horseshoe bats within 1km of the site boundary.
The site itself both from the record search and from aerial photography looked fairly unremarkable as it was in a packet of land between a busy road and a railway line and had two distinct habitat types. The western end of site was high ground with lots of exposed rock. The variety of flora present suggested it was a species rich grassland as did the numerous ant mounds made by yellow meadow ants (lasius flavus). Several bird species were heard and seen around the site area including Wheatear, Grasshopper warbler and willow warbler. The eastern half of the site was marshy grassland dominated by soft rush, with an artificial drainage channel cutting through it from north to south. There were no rocks or raised areas in the watercourse and it was very smooth and uniform on the bottom suggesting that it had been quite recently cleared. The water was around 1m deep and running slowly from south to north. Toby checked the watercourse for signs of watervole and was surprised to find several latrines and burrows along the banks of the drain. The sites were recorded with GPS references and photographs. The CCW (Countryside Council for Wales) and local record centre (COFNOD) were notified as was the developer. The water vole is now fully protected under Section 9 of The Wildlife and Countryside act 1981 (as amended) which makes illegal any action which might
Intentionally kill, injure or take water voles
posess or control live or dead water voles or their derivatives
Intentionally or recklessly damage destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place used by water voles
The developer was initially annoyed because of the affect the find would have on the project. But realised that the survey which had taken place very early in the planning stages of the development, had saved the company money in the long run.
The early survey had allowed them to properly assess the cost of the development before the start of work, rather than finding the water voles mid-project, and having to stop work redesign the plans and potentially have damaged or destroyed the habitat of a species which is already in serious decline.
