AN AIRFIELD IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE A BIRD

Stone curlew, nightjar and swift among collision casualties

Swift - one encroached into jet fighter space

 DATA  has emerged on bird strike incidents at two US Airforce bases in eastern England.

Among the species recorded as having been involved since 2016 are stone curlew, nightjar, redwing, golden plover, swift, sedge warbler, buzzard, redwing and meadow pipit.

Somehow, a brown hare has also found itself included on the list of casualties for the bases at Lakenheath and Mildenhall.

The USAF is currently recruiting a “wildlife-control” operative to “deny the use of airspace to birds there.”

The contract also requires, where appropriate, the removal of nests within a three-mile radius of the sites.

The job description is extremely wordy, but, suffice it to say,the successful bidder for the contract will be required to provide regular (sometimes monthly)  reports containing:

* A summary of bird activity, migratory, roosting and nesting patterns by species.

* Data regarding bird activity on the airfield/aerodrome by species to include; total numbers observed, number of dispersal actions, average number dispersed, results of dispersal actions and vegetative height/type.

* Data on bird flyover activity across the airfield/aerodrome to include; date, time, number, species, location, weather conditions and direction and annotated maps.

* Data on wildlife activity on the airfield/aerodrome by species to include; total numbers observed, number of dispersal actions and average number dispersed.

* Status and effectiveness of passive controls utilised on the airfield/aerodrome.

* Identification of species which may impact flight operations and a plan for mitigating bird control activities, strategies and method of bird dispersal.

* A summary of bird/wildlife strikes and analysis of contributory factors such as weather condition, location, phase of flight, speed and altitude, time of day and type of aircraft involved in strike.

*A summary of new actions taken to reduce bird habitats and attractants within the contractor’s area of performance.

* Recommendations for Government actions to reduce bird/wildlife activity

The specifications document continues: "This complex programme seeks to deny the use of airspace to birds at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall.

"These measures may include, but are not limited to, the use of trained working dog(s), non-lethal harassment (pyrotechnics), trapping, relocation, depredation, removal, disposal, airfield patrol, perimeter fence monitoring, etc. in accordance with site specific regulations.

"The contractor is encouraged and expected to use innovative approaches.

"The contractor shall perform regular daily patrolling of the airfield perimeters and base areas where birds and wildlife tend to congregate.

"The contractor shall co-ordinate all wildlife depredation efforts, trapping efforts and procedures.

 "The contractor shall remove nests to prevent/reduce breeding at each installation.  The contractor shall be responsible for the disposal of all culled nest material and the removal of items/refuse involved in nest removal operations. 

 "The contractor shall recover and provide feather/remains samples no later than the following duty. In the case of multiple birds involved in a single strike, the contractor shall keep individual samples in separate containers. 

"It is acceptable to have one annotation tag for the entire lot with the caveat that each container shall be marked with the location of strike on the aircraft and location of remains at time of recovery."

Importantly, the document adds: "The contractor shall be capable of employing dispersal/removal techniques without harming protected species." 

The closing date for applications has passed and the bids are now being evaluated.