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, 27 November 2014

Europe urged to investigate £60m bird protection scheme

Published on the26November 2014 

THE European Commission has been asked to urgently investigate a £60m scheme to protect birds displaced by a massive “green energy” development on the Humber by a farmer who says it is likely to fail.

Able UK wants to build Europe’s largest offshore wind park on the south bank of the Humber - a £440m development set to create more than 4,000 jobs but which will also destroy mudflats which are one of the top sites in the country for black-tailed godwits.

Proposals to flood hundreds of acres of agricultural land at Cherry Cobbs Sands at Keyingham, almost opposite, as part of legally required “compensation” have not been proven to work, according to tenant farmer Stephen Kirkwood.

Mr Kirkwood who faces seeing a quarter of his land going underwater has now lodged complaints with the European Commission and the European Parliament.

Mr Kirkwood said the disruption could affect five per cent of the Icelandic population of black-tailed godwits and there was compelling evidence from other similar sites “that at least a proportion die or lose vigour.”

He says if that happens it will mean the UK Government has failed its obligations under the Habitats Directive and could be liable to a massive fine.

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