BIRD life on the shores of Southampton Water will be hit for six if the new dock goes ahead.

Leading ornithologist Dr Tony Prater told the inquiry in Southampton's Eastern Docks yesterday that six different species would suffer.

Speaking for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, he said the numbers of widgeon, teal, dunlin, grey plover, oyster catcher and curlew would all be diminished by the building of a new container terminal.

He insisted that dumping dredged materials on marshland between Hythe and Fawley Refinery was not an adequate way of providing new feeding grounds for them.

Dr Prater disputed figures previously issued to the inquiry by Philip Colebourn, the nature conservation consultant for Associated British Ports, the Southampton docks operator aiming to build the new terminal.

He said Mr Colebourn had under-estimated the impact caused by the loss of habitats which would occur if the dock was built.

As well as pumping sediment on to the Hythe to Cadland foreshore, ABP is planning to dig a creek near the proposed new dock to accommodate bird life and also has the Church Farm area earmarked for wildlife.

But Dr Prater said: "I do not consider that ABP's proposed offsetting measures would provide adequate compensation for the damage which would be caused by the Dibden Terminal proposals.

"I believe that additional and replacement compensatory measures would need to be brought forward and secured by ABP is the Dibden Terminal proposals were to be considered suitable to proceed."

He had earlier forecast that between 4,500 and 5.250 waterfowl would be displaced by the scheme - a higher figure than that predicted by ABP.

There would be increased competition for food, increased interference, depletion of food supply.

Speaking of "increased mortality rates" because of the various pressures, he said: "Forcing birds from their preferred sites so that they have to compete with other birds on other 'recipient' sites will create significant pressures."