23 May 2018
The RAF Red Arrows are being
forced to change their flight path at an air show because of nesting birds.
Great Yarmouth Air Show is in
talks with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) over a new route to avoid
disturbing little tern colonies at Scroby Sands and the beach at North Denes.
The RSPB wants the show to be
postponed until September when nesting is over.
An organiser said it was
"frustrating" having to make the adjustments with just three weeks to
go.
The bird charity said it had
raised concerns with Great Yarmouth Borough Council and the CAA in October 2016
about the air show being held at this time of year.
It said aircraft passing close to
and over Scroby Sands, "will cause the adult birds to fly up from the
nests" and may cause some to abandon their nests and chicks.
According to the RSPB, little
terns are in decline across Europe and are among the UK's rarest sea birds.
Natural England manages Scroby
Sands, a legally protected site of global importance for wildlife, and little
terns are a protected species.
"We are also concerned that
Natural England will allow Great Yarmouth Air Show to proceed despite these
legal protections," the RSPB said.
Show director Kevin Marsh said
they had already made two adjustments to the Red Arrows' flight path to give the
colonies a wider berth.
He said the new flight path
proposal was for the RAF display team only as it requires a longer fly-past to
be able to do their turns and would not affect other aircraft.
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