DIBDEN foreshore is a vital part of an internationally-important ecological system - so said English Nature's leading bird expert at the public inquiry into proposals to build a container terminal at Dibden Bay.

At the hearing at Southampton's Eastern Docks, Allan Drewitt said: "You can't just remove a part of a delicate system and expect it to function as before."

"We can only speculate that birds displaced from Dibden foreshore may not be as fit afterwards, even if they find somewhere else to feed in what may be an overcrowded estuary," said Mr Drewitt.

He said recent studies on wading birds displaced by a development in Cardiff Bay in Wales, proved they were in poorer condition since they lost their territory.

For ABP, Martin Kingston said: "We can agree that birds don't respond to boundaries - even SSSIs! - and they are very mobile.

"Their mobility means it is highly improbable that there would be an increase in mortality because of the loss of one feeding resource.

"They are used to exploiting different parts of the Solent according to different times of day and different tides."

Mr Drewitt said alternative sites might not be such a high quality feeding habitat as Dibden Bay.

He also accused Associated British Ports of jumping to conclusions about the impact of their scheme on local wildlife.

"I am not complaining about the lack of data - I commend the approach of ABP on that issue - but I do complain about data being used inappropriately," he said.

"If you want to find out if a site will support more birds, you need more information than just counting them," said Mr Drewitt.

He said ABP had admitted that, although bird-counting was under way, no records had been made of behaviour which might indicate whether the birds were under competition stress.