Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
VOR
Schedule 1 Species
Barn owl
Black-tailed godwit
Crossbill
Recorded Presence at Forthbank
(Vantage Point (VP), Winter Walkover (WW), Breeding Bird
Surveys (BBS), Estuary Count (EC), and Barn Owl (BO) Surveys)
• Peak count 1.
WW Surveys:
• Recorded on 1 of 6 visits. Peak count 1.
BBS:
• Not recorded.
EC Surveys:
• Not recorded.
VP Surveys:
• Not recorded.
WW Surveys:
• Not recorded.
BBS:
• Not recorded.
EC Surveys:
• Not recorded.
BO Surveys:
• Not recorded within the proposed wind energy development
site.
• One individual recorded during the Feb 2010 survey at roost
site within 1km of the proposed wind energy development site.
No recordings made during the July 2010 survey.
VP Surveys:
• 1 flight event comprising 2 birds. This was not considered to be
“at risk”.
• Peak count 2.
WW Surveys:
• Not recorded.
BBS:
• Not recorded within the proposed wind energy development site.
Present in the BBS area but with no evidence of breeding.
EC Surveys:
• Recorded on 2 of the 10 visits. Peak count 19.
VP Surveys:
• N/A.
WW Surveys:
• Recorded on 1 of 6 visits. Peak count 1.
Conservation
Designation
Directive; and
• Scottish
Biodiversity List.
• Schedule 1 of the
Wildlife and
Countryside Act
1981 (as
amended); and
• Scottish
Biodiversity List.
• Schedule 1 of the
Wildlife and
Countryside Act
1981 (as
amended);
• Red-listed BoCC;
• UKBAP Priority
Species; and
• Scottish
Biodiversity List.
• Schedule 1 of the
Wildlife and
Countryside Act
1981 (as
Comments
Six records of an individual short-eared owl were recorded within
the application site, although five of these were recorded on the
same day and were thus probably of the same bird.
Lowland/coastal open grasslands such as those in the Forthbank
area and along the fringes of the wider Forth Estuary are important
wintering grounds for short-eared owl 25 . However, the infrequent
presence and low abundance of this species suggests that the site
is of negligible importance for short-eared owl.
As a Schedule 1 protected species barn owl is a species of
national importance.
Although barn owl was not recorded during any of the broad bird
surveys (e.g. VP, WW, BBS or EC surveys), a single bird was
recorded at a known roost site within 1km of the application site
during the specific barn owl surveys. Although the survey
identified evidence of historic use of this site no breeding was
recorded at this location and there are no records to suggest that it
has been used as such in the past. However, despite the lack of
sightings it is likely that barn owl is regularly present at Forthbank.
As such, the site is considered to be of local importance for this
species.
As a Schedule 1 protected species black-tailed godwit is a species
of national importance.
Black-tailed godwit were recorded infrequently during the surveys
and were generally present in very low numbers. The exception to
this was the peak count of 19 which was recorded in April during
the spring passage period. The 5-year (2004/05-2008/09) peak
mean for black-tailed godwit within the Forth Estuary is 391 26 of
which the peak count from the Forthbank surveys represents 4.9%
of this district level population. However, numbers of this size are
considered to be an infrequent occurrence at Forthbank and as
such the site is assessed as being of negligible importance for
black-tailed godwit.
As a Schedule 1 protected species crossbill is a species of
national importance.
Crossbill was only represented in the surveys by a single bird
which was observed flying over the site. Crossbill predominantly
occurs in coniferous woodland of which there is none within, or in
Species Conservation
Value (Sp) and Level
of Importance at
Forthbank (Site)
Sp: National
Site: Local
Sp: National
Site: Negligible
Sp: National
Site: Negligible
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 31
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