As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Thursday 28 February 2013

HABITATS of an endangered bird could stop HS2 in its tracks north of Birmingham.


Rare bird could halt HS2
Feb 20 2013 by Carl Gavaghan, Uxbridge Gazette

The high-speed rail line will threaten the survival of rare willow tits, conservationists warned last week.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust says the tiny species and other woodland birds are in danger because their habitat is close to the proposed route of the high-speed rail trains.

The £32billion line will pass ancient forests, wetlands and patches of mosses, including some areas that are protected by law because of their scientific value.

They include the Lightshaw Meadows nature reserve near Wigan, a haven for rare birds including willow tits. It is feared bats, water voles, newts and other birds including the rare black redstart, could also be at risk.
willow tit (Wikipedia)

Charlotte Harris, director of conservation at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s clear the government sees high-speed rail as the best deal for the north-west economy, but it’s our job to ensure we get the best deal for wildlife too.”

Up to 11 wildlife sites will be within a 100 metre corridor of the line in the north west, and another 35 are just a kilometre away.

The trust says four sites of special scientific interest are also close to the line, including Holcroft Moss, a wetland reserve near Glazebrook, Warrington.

It says the affected local wildlife sites include ancient woodlands containing trees more than 400 years old.


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