Our staff are currently undertaking a number of wintering bird surveys in the Irish Midlands. Here we have provided some photos and videos from bird surveys we undertook during December 2015. Our bird surveys are undertaken to inform both the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) reports being prepared for proposed wind energy developments. The photographs include Annex I listed Greenland White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons flavirostris and Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus recorded along the Lower River Suck and nearby wetlands. It must be noted that the photos and videos provided here are not from proposed wind farm sites. In most cases these photos were taken several kilometres away from any proposed turbines.

Winter bird surveys need to be undertaken throughout the winter months, from early October until the end of March. The methodology we use generally differs from site to site but usually involves a combination of formal vantage point watches and general survey approaches. We always use standard and approved methodologies. Our professional ornithologists have extensive experience of undertaking winter bird surveys on a range projects including road schemes, wind farms and conservation monitoring.