Restrictions soon on Humber Bank birding - until 2025!

It looks like birding activity may soon need to be restricted along a 4.5 km stretch of the Humber Bank for many months to come.

The Environment Agency is set to start work soon on an essential  project to strengthen the estuary wall from near Pyewipe up to Immingham. Huge quantities of heavy stone and rocks will be brought in from Coalville and Oban.

Inevitably, plentiful truck-movements, along with heavy machinery working, will make the stretch dangerous so pedestrian access is likely to be closed - probably until autumn 2025.

Because the mudflats are so precious to wading birds, the works will only be conducted between the months of March and September when their numbers are fewer.

August tends to be a productive month for more unusual species such as curlew-sandpiper, greenshank and ruff, but this is one of the months when the works will be proceeding. 

The impact on the new Novartis Ings mitigation area remains to be seen. Hopes that the site may see the return of breeding lapwings may need to be put on hold, though there is some preliminary commentary about installing temporary sound barriers to limit disturbance to the site (which was only completed last year).

Mitigation is also proposed for uncommon invertebrates such as the sea aster bee.

The project, which will also involve strengthening three drains that flow into the Humber, is deemed essential to safeguard homes, businesses and agricultural land in the Stallingborough area.