Disturbance Guidance
Solent Relevant Authorities report on changes in levels and impacts from non-licensable activities as part of their duty under the SEMS Management Scheme each year. To help with consistency in responses, we have drafted guidance on how to identify disturbance for recording in this Survey. Methods to mitigate impacts can be found under our SEMS activity pages and in the SEMS Annual Management Report.
The location of protected areas and designations in the Solent can be viewed on the Solent Seascape Data Explorer.
Species
The species covered by the SEMS Management scheme are those that are listed under the SPA designations for the Solent.
Disturbance from people using the coast, particularly dog walking, is continually reported as the activity that is most likely to disturb birds. Bird Aware Solent has been set up to help mitigate this disturbance from new housing development and it has lots of really useful resources.
Bird Aware Solent lists these behaviours as indicative of activities disturbing birds:
- putting up their heads
- bobbing or turning their heads in the disturbance direction
- calling out
- stretching or flapping wings
- walking, swimming or flying away.
The location of the principle roosting areas in the Solent can be seen on the Solent Seascape Data Explorer data layer on key marine roosts. The Brent Goose and Wader Strategy data layer highlights important feeding areas.
Nesting Birds
In addition to birds being disturbed while feeding and roosting, there can also be significant disturbance during the nesting season. Issues to look out for include:
- Birds avoiding nesting in areas that are a suitable habitat type (shingle beaches, saltmarsh, islands and rafts).
- Abandoned or destroyed nests.
- Activities taking place in close proximity to known nesting sites (see: Solent Seascape Data Explorer data layers on Recent Breeding Shorebird and Seabird Locations).
Habitats
The habitats covered by the SEMS Management scheme are those that are listed under the SAC designations for the Solent. Their locations can be seen on the Solent Seascape Data Explorer data layer on baseline habitats.
Disturbance activities to report on in the Survey include:
- Trampling of vegetation or erosion from foot traffic
- The creation of new 'desire paths' through coastal habitats
- The presence of litter
- Loss of habitat due to the operation or maintenance of infrastructure
- Change in access that allows or restricts the movement of people near sensitive habitats
- Organic enrichment, e.g. dog fouling
King Charles III Coast Path
The King Charles III Coast Path is a National Trail around all of England’s coast. As part of the process in establishing the path, Natural England undertakes nature conservation and Habitats Regulations assessments of any impacts of people using the path. The path location and coastal margin can be viewed on Natural England's Green Infrastructure map. Natural England's CROW and Access Maps let you view and download a pdf of various stretches of the coast and shows the location of wildlife sensitive sites in the coastal margin.
