|
|
 |
Action plan details - Shropshire Biodiversity Action Plan
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Dipper |
| Plan status: Implementation underway |
|
Vision statement |
In the short term, maintain existing populations and range of Dipper in Shropshire.
In the longer term, reverse the decline in Dipper population, and restore its previous population and range
Establish and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the distribution, status and ecological requirements of Dippers in Shropshire through research, survey and monitoring.
Utilise Dipper distribution data to assess the water quality in streams and rivers
Promote communication, education and awareness of the status and needs of Dipper
(Plan revised July 2006).For more information on this species please check RSPB facts sheet
|
|
Overview report |
| 06/10/2008 |
Extensive work has been carried out in the River Teme Catchment. This includes the installation of nest boxes and monitoring usage in the Upper Onny area and Clun ESA, and monitoring population, population change and breeding success at breeding sites in these two areas, and also at winter roost sites throughout the Teme catchment.
Dippers were monitored at around 70 winter roost sites from 1987 to 2000. This monitoring resumed in 2006, and comparison of results obtained in 2006 and 2007 with those from the 1980s and 1990s show an overall decline in the number of Dippers present, a much greater decline on the lower reaches of the rivers than the upper reaches, and a deterioration in the condition of the birds (measured by average body weight).
This is attributed to a loss of food as a result of reduced quality of the rivers, primarily due to pollution from, and silting up by, agricultural activities.
Charts showing the overall population trends, and those for the upper and lower reaches of the rivers, are included in progress reports on the relevant Targets and Actions.
The Report of this Project recommended further long term monitoring of the Dipper population, to iron out any effect on the results from annual fluctuations, and also recommended the Environment Agency to analyse water sampling results from these river systems for the last 20 years, to ascertain if specific causes of the Dipper decline can be identified.
A nest box scheme has also implemented. Before the 2007 breeding season, boxes had been installed at 55 sites, mainly in the upper reaches of the Rivers Onny and Clun, and 20 of them were used. More nestboxes were installed before the start of the 2008 breeding season, and their use has again been monitored.
Ringing of chicks at known natural nest sites, and more recently also those in nest boxes, has been carried out for many years. In 2008 158 chicks were counted at 37 nests of which 157 were ringed.
Further monitoring at winter roost sites will take place in the autumn and winter 2008-09, and will be reported by February 2009.
The work has been funded by Natural England’s River Teme Catchment Sensitive Farming Project, together with the Shropshire Hills AONB Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) and the Upper Onny Wildlife Group. The work has been coordinated by the “Conservation of Threatened Birds in the AONB” SDF Project, and been carried out by Tony Cross and John Swift, with the support of the Upper Onny Wildlife Group and the Upper Clun Community Wildlife Group.
|
More > |
| View earlier reports > |
|
Targets |
| Code |
Text |
Status |
Assessment date |
Latest progress report |
|
| SHR DIP T01 |
Restore the population to the 1985-90 estimate of 160-480 breeding pairs by 2015. |
Some progress (on schedule) |
09/04/2008 |
Lapwing and Curlew and other wildlife of the Upper Onny Valley - Survey and results 2007.
The nest box scheme started in 2005 continued in 2006 and 2007. A total of 31 bridges in the area had boxes installed prior to the 2007 breeding season. Virtually every bridge in the area now has a Dipper box.
12 nests were found in 2007, compared with 7 in 2006. Ten of these nests were in boxes, compared with three nests in a box last year. It is believed that the nest box scheme has increased the Dipper population in the area by 5 pairs, an excellent result. |
More > |
| SHT DIP T02 |
Restore the range to the 1985-90 figure of 166 Occupied Tetrads by 2015. |
No report |
No report |
No report |
More > |
|
Actions |
| Code |
Text |
Start/End date |
Contacts
(lead shown bold) |
Status |
|
| SHR BRD AP 02 |
Establish monitoring arrangements to record the population, population change, breeding success and habitat usage for all BAP and PSA Target Bird Species on all farms covered by any Agri-environment scheme in Shropshire, and measure the effectiveness of such schemes. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2007 |
Natural England |
Not started |
More > |
| SHR BRD AP 03 |
Monitor population, population change, breeding success and habitat usage for all BAP priority bird species on all CSS & ESA Farms in Shropshire until 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Natural England,
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group,
RuralScapes,
Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership,
Shropshire Ornithological Society,
Shropshire Wildlife Trust,
Upper Onny Wildlife Group |
Underway (behind schedule) |
More > |
| SHR BRD FR 06 |
Seek the necessary resources to implement all bird species actions. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Shropshire Council,
Shropshire Wildlife Trust |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP HS 01 |
Implement Multi-agency catchment sensitive farming (MACSF) project on River Teme Catchment, and monitor progress by 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Environment Agency,
Natural England |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP HS 02 |
Develop action plan for monitoring and improving water quality using Dipper distribution and breeding success data by 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Environment Agency,
Upper Onny Wildlife Group |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP SM 01 |
Install nest boxes in the Upper Onny Area annually until 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Upper Onny Wildlife Group,
Shropshire Wildlife Trust |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP SM 02 |
Install nest boxes in the Clun ESA annually until 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Shropshire Wildlife Trust,
Upper Onny Wildlife Group |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP SM 03 |
Install nest boxes under bridges during maintenance work until 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Shropshire Council |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP SM 04 |
Incorporate nest boxes into design of new & refurbished bridges by 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Shropshire Council |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP SM 05 |
Eliminate Mink from Dipper breeding range by 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Upper Onny Wildlife Group |
Not started |
More > |
| SHR DIP SU 01 |
Monitor population, population change and breeding success annually at breeding sites in the Upper Onny Area until 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Upper Onny Wildlife Group,
Shropshire Wildlife Trust |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP SU 02 |
Monitor population, population change and breeding success annually at breeding sites in the Clun ESA until 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Shropshire Wildlife Trust,
Upper Clunn Community Wildlife Group |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP SU 03 |
Monitor population and population change annually at winter roost sites in the River Teme catchment until 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Shropshire Wildlife Trust,
Upper Onny Wildlife Group |
Underway (on schedule) |
More > |
| SHR DIP SU 04 |
Survey use of nest boxes installed by SCC outside Upper Onny & Clun areas (these areas already covered by Actions SU 01 & SU 02) annually until 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Shropshire Wildlife Trust,
Upper Onny Wildlife Group |
Not started |
More > |
| SHR DIP SU 05 |
Survey population in 2010 and 2015. |
01/04/2006 - 31/12/2015 |
Shropshire Wildlife Trust,
Shropshire Ornithological Society |
Not started (for this period) |
More > |
|
|
|
|
