Office: 01303230890 / Mobile: 07888683767 seanmcminn@birdsurveysuk.com

About

Our Ornithologists

We have completed numerous bird surveys over many years from small low impact developments to large power generation projects with potentially high ecological impacts.
Examples:

  • Wintering bird survey Folkestone Harbour Kent
  • Intertidal monitoring of sanderling on south Kent coast.
  • Breeding bird survey of disused Colliery in Kent.
  • Breeding bird survey of proposed housing development in Kent.
  • Breeding & wintering bird surveys of proposed solar farm in Kent.
  • Breeding, wintering and VP bird surveys at several proposed wind farms in Nottingham, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire.
  • Breeding bird survey of SPA/Ramsar Dungeness, Kent.
  • VP & Collision monitoring (5 years) at Little Cheyne Court Wind farm Kent.
  • Breeding and wintering bird surveys of proposed pipeline East Kent.
request a survey
breeding bird surveys
A 3 visit transect survey from March to June or full breeding bird surveys of 8 – 10 visits including territory mapping that provides an estimate of the number/density and locations of breeding species.
Suitable for small, medium and large development areas.
Wintering bird surveys
1-2 visits per month October to March that provides detailed information on the species, number and distribution of wintering birds in a given area. This can also include surveys that coincide with high tides at coastal sites to establish the areas used by birds for feeding/resting adjacent to coastal, estuarine and other wetland habitats.
Suitable for medium and large development areas.
Vantage Point Surveys
We are very experienced vantage point (VP) surveyors having undertaken numerous VP surveys at proposed wind farms throughout the UK. Vantage Point surveys are usually conducted over a number of seasons and are used to record information such as flight lines, height, direction, frequency and activity (feeding/roosting) across a defined area. The results of these VP surveys are normally used to provide detailed impact assessments (collision risk) for large projects such as wind farms both on and offshore and other significant infrastructure projects.
Suitable for medium to large development areas.
Species Specific Surveys
We also undertake surveys of specific species such as peregrine, barn owl, kingfisher and black redstart amongst others. The team members hold multiple Schedule 1 licences that are required to undertake surveys for the species above and any others currently protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as amended.
Suitable for small, medium, and large development areas.
Habitat Creation & Mitigation
Habitat creation can be used as a form of mitigation for larger projects in particular tree, scrub and hedgerow planting, grassland seeding, waterbody and wetland creation/restoration can all be used in mitigation and biodiversity enhancement in a range of settings.

Meet Our Team

Sean Mcminn

Principal Ornithologist

Sean McMinn has been working as a professional Ornithologist and Ecologist since 1980 both in the UK and overseas. His experience ranges from working at Portland and Dungeness Bird Observatories in the UK to resident Migration Programme Manager at Long Point Bird Observatory on Lake Erie, Canada.

After leaving Dungeness Bird Observatory Sean became freelance in 1989 setting up www.marsh-environmental.com. He has been a regular specialist contributor on the subject of birds to various books, journals, periodicals and magazines throughout this period.

Sean is also a regular advisor on conservation and legislative issues for both government and non-government organisations having been a Consultant Wildlife Inspector for DEFRA’s Global Wildlife Division for 17 years. He is the holder of several Schedule 1 Bird Licences, is an A class bird ringer/trainer and is a certified JNCC European Seabirds at Sea (ESAS) surveyor.

Sean in addition to the above has led specialist bird tours on five continents over the last 25 years.

Bob Gomes

Principal Ornithologist

After completing a BSc in Zoology, Bob spent his entire career in conservation, initially working for the National Trust as a warden on the Farne Islands and until recently as a nature reserve warden/ Site Manager for RSPB in the South East of England. In his time with RSPB he worked on a number of the major wetland reserves in England and on the upland reserve at Geltsdale Cumbria.

Bob holds a BTO A class ringer licence and is a member of the Swale Wader Ringing Group. He has undertaken sabbaticals in Djibouti, counting migrant raptors; Hong Kong, counting and mapping waders in Deep Bay at Mai Po Reserve. Bob also assisted with raptor counts at Eilat, Israel and at two sites in the French Pyrenees.

He is experienced in a wide range of bird survey techniques, breeding bird surveys, other ecological surveys for National NGOs and continues as a WeBS counter on the Swale Kent.

Bob has travelled widely overseas on bird watching trips and has led specialist bird tours in Europe and North America.

"All bird species are protected in the UK by the Wildlife and Countryside Act (as amended) 1981  as are some of the habitats in which they occur where wider legislation such as that covering Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds and areas recognised under the international Ramsar Conservation of Wetlands agreement as Wetlands of International Importance for example therefore bird surveys are essential to the suite of other ecological surveys that are required when planning developments."
—Sean McMinn Principal Ornithologist.

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Contact us with your enquiry...

Breeding Bird Surveys

Provides an estimate of the number/density and locations of breeding species.

Vantage Point Surveys

Detailed impact assessments for large projects & significant infrastructure projects.

Habitat Creation & Mitigation

Habitat creation can be used as a form of mitigation for larger projects.

Wintering Bird Surveys

Detailed info on the species, number and distribution of wintering birds in a given area.

Specific Species Surveys

Surveys of specific species such as peregrine, barn owl, kingfisher & black redstart.

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07888683767

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