Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Species
Peak counts per monthly visit
11/11/09
04/12/09
20/01/09
18/02/10
27/03/10
16/04/10
25/05/10
10/06/10
23/07/10
08/08/10
Peak
count as
% of SPA
qualifying
population
Canada goose 2 2 - - - - - - - - N/A
Common sandpiper - - - - - - - - 12 10 N/A
Common tern - - - - - - - - 4 1 N/A
Goosander 1 - - 1 - - - - - - N/A
Greenshank - - - - - - - - 2 - N/A
Greylag goose - - - 8 - - - - - -
Herring gull - - - - - 110 15 6 - 5 N/A
Mute swan 2 - 2 - - - - - - - N/A
Teal 34 70 150 25 65 6 - - - - N/A
Tufted duck - - 8 - - - - - - - N/A
12.3.28 With regard to non-qualifying species, only teal and herring gull were recorded in large
numbers within the estuary count survey area.
12.3.29 Outside of the winter period the number of most species recorded was generally very low, with
numbers showing a general trend of gradually declining throughout the spring passage period
before reaching their lowest levels during the summer with many species being completely
absent at this time.
12.3.30 Several species which typically occur around the Forth Estuary during the postbreeding/autumn
passage period were recorded in the survey area in the late summer months.
These included greenshank, common sandpiper, common tern and sandwich tern, the latter of
which is of note as it is an SPA qualifying species and the peak count of 22 represents over
1% of this species qualifying population. The number of common sandpiper recorded was also
of note. However, all other species were recorded in low numbers.
Breeding Bird Surveys
12.3.31 Table 12.14 presents the list of birds of conservation concern and other target species along
with the number of breeding territories which were recorded for these species within the
proposed wind energy development site (application site) and wider survey area during the
2010 breeding bird surveys. The approximate central location of these territories is show in
Figures 12.5 and 12.6. A full list of the species recorded during these surveys is presented in
Appendix 12.1, Table 12.1.9.
12.3.32 A total of 70 species were recorded during the breeding season, of which 33 were species of
conservation concern/target species (i.e. those included in Table 12.13). These included 8
SPA qualifying species, 2 Annex I, 3 Schedule 1, 14 UK BAP species and 13 red listed
species.
Table 12.14 Birds of Conservation Concern Recorded During the Forthbank 2010
Breeding Bird Surveys
Species
Conservation Status
Number of territories/pairs
Within the survey
area (to 500m)
Within proposed
wind energy
development site
Curlew SPA; UK BAP; SBL P -
Lapwing SPA, Red-listed; UKBAP; LBAP; SBL 2 -
Mallard SPA 5 P
Oystercatcher SPA 1 -
Pink-footed goose SPA - (flying over) -
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 18
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