Survey reveals wealth of birds at former theme park - but for how much longer?

Natural England is objecting  to the application by a Lidl-led consortium to redevelop the former Pleasure Island theme park  in Cleethorpes.

It says it does not consider that the mitigation measures proposed to safeguard wildlife are sufficient in the absence of detailed assessment of the potential visitor numbers, current levels of recreational disturbance and the particular sensitivities of nearby habitats and bird species.

The application is due to be determined shortly by North East Lincolnshire Council.

SUMMER bird surveys of the former Pleasure Island theme park in  Cleethorpes have revealed  58 species - either on the site or within 50 metres.

However, many of the birds - and almost 350 trees - are under threat because the land  has been earmarked for redevelopment to include a Lidll supermarket, a drive-thru Costa, two hotels, a casino and up to 272 holiday lodges.

The research was conducted in 2019, 2020 and 2022 by a Hebden Bridge-based consultancy, OS Ecology.

It contains some surprises.

For instance, who would have thought nuthatches breed there - or that it provided a temporary roosting habitat for great white egret? 

In alphabetical order, the species list is as follows:

* Barnacle Goose - a regular flock is present on amenity grassland to the south of the site
* Blackbird - breeding on site* Black-headed Gull - recorded on site (non-breeding)
* Blue Tit - breeding on site
* Bullfinch -  breeding on site
* Buzzard - overflying
* Carrion Crow - breeding on site
* Chaffinch - breeding on site
* Cetti’s Warbler - a single bird recorded singing within scrub by the Buck Beck 
* Chiffchaff - breeding on site
* Common Gull - overflying
* Coot - probable breeding species on lake
* Cormorant - overflying 
* Cuckoo - single record of female in July (non-breeding)
* Curlew - recorded on saltmarsh and single bird on southern section of the site 
* Goldcrest - breeding on site
* Goldfinch - breeding on site
* Great Spotted Woodpecker - overflying
* Great Tit - breeding on site
* Great White Egret - overflying September 2019 and roosting on site August 2022
* Grey Heron - regularly recorded on lake (non-breeding)
* Grey Lag Goose - part of a regular flock is present on amenity grassland to the south of the site
* Herring Gull - overflying
* House Martin - overflying
* House Sparrow - breeding on site
* Jackdaw - breeding on site
* Kestrel - overflying
* Kingfisher - recorded on pond September 2020 (non-breeding)
* Lesser Whitethroat - likely breeding on site
* Linnet - breeding on site
* Little Egret - regularly recorded on pond and Buck Beck (non-breeding)
* Little Grebe - likely breeding on site
* Magpie - breeding on site
* Mallard - likely breeding on site
* Meadow Pipit - recorded on adjacent saltmarsh
* Moorhen - breeding on site
* Mute Swan - breeding on site
* Nuthatch - breeding on site
* Oystercatcher - recorded on grass to the south (non-breeding)
* Pheasant - likely breeding on site
* Redshank - recorded on the Buck Beck and saltmarsh (non-breeding)
* Reed Bunting - recorded on adjacent saltmarsh
* Reed Warbler - breeding on site
* Robin - breeding on site
* Sedge Warbler - breeding on site
* Skylark - recorded on adjacent saltmarsh
* Song Thrush - breeding on site
* Sparrowhawk - overflying
* Starling - breeding on site
* Swallow - breeding on site
* Swift - overflying
* Twite - recorded on adjacent saltmarsh
* Whitethroat - breeding on site
* Wigeon - recorded on Buck Beck (October 2019)
* Willow Warbler - breeding on site
* Woodpigeon - breeding on site
* Wren - breeding on site
* Yellowhammer - recorded on adjacent saltmarsh

The  planning application for redevelopment is likely to be determined by North East Lincolnshire Council later this spring.