Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
VOR
Snipe
Snow goose
Teal
Recorded Presence at Forthbank
(Vantage Point (VP), Winter Walkover (WW), Breeding Bird
Surveys (BBS), Estuary Count (EC), and Barn Owl (BO) Surveys)
• Not recorded.
VP Surveys:
• 8 flight events comprising 22 birds, of which 2 flight events
comprising 4 birds were “at risk”.
• Peak count 5.
WW Surveys:
• Recorded on 5 of 6 visits. Peak count 4.
BBS:
• Not recorded.
EC Surveys:
• Not recorded.
VP Surveys:
• 1 flight event comprising 1 bird. This flight was not considered to
be “at risk”.
• Peak count 1.
WW Surveys:
• Not recorded.
BBS:
• Not recorded.
EC Surveys:
• Not recorded
VP Surveys:
• 8 flight events comprising 57 birds, of which only 1 flight event
comprising 2 birds was “at risk”.
• Peak count 30.
WW Surveys:
• Recorded on 6 of 6 visits. Peak count 96.
BBS:
• Present in the BBS area but no evidence of breeding, also
present in the proposed wind energy development site with no
evidence of breeding.
EC Surveys:
• Recorded on 5 of 10 visits. Peak count 150.
Conservation
Designation
Comments
Snipe is also included on the amber list of BoCC (see common
sandpiper above for definition). As such snipe is considered to be
of regional importance.
Snipe was frequently recorded within the Forthbank survey area
during the winter and passage period but was only present in low
numbers of no more than 5 birds. Snipe are common on coastal
and lowland wetlands during winter with the Scottish wintering
populations being 10,000 to 30,000 birds 23 . Given this, the peak
count of 5 at Forthbank represents a fraction of the regional and
expected district populations. However, owing to the presence of
this species throughout the winter and passage period the site is
considered to be of local importance.
Snow goose is a rare vagrant to Europe and the UK and as such is
not considered to be a species of importance at the national or
European/International level (negligible).
The only record of snow goose was of a single bird recorded
during the flight activity surveys recorded outside of the application
site. This bird was amongst pink-footed geese and was most likely
to be one of the few winter vagrants which occur in Scotland each
year. Given the infrequent presence and low abundance of this
species, the site is considered to be of negligible importance for
snow goose.
Teal is also included on the amber list of BoCC (see common
sandpiper above for definition). As such teal is considered to be of
regional importance.
Teal were recorded within the Forthbank survey area throughout
much of the year. Unsurprisingly the highest counts were
recorded during the winter months, the peak being 150. The 5-
year (2004/05-2008/09) peak mean for teal within the Forth
Estuary is 2110 24 , of which the peak count from the Forthbank
surveys represents 7.1% of this district level population.
Therefore, given the abundance and frequent occurrence of teal at
Forthbank the proposed wind energy development site is
assessed as being of district importance for this species.
Species Conservation
Value (Sp) and Level
of Importance at
Forthbank (Site)
Sp: Regional
Site: Local
Sp: Negligible
Site: Negligible
Sp: Regional
Site: District
Tufted duck
VP Surveys:
• 14 flight events comprising 52 birds, of which 11 flight events
Tufted duck is also included on the amber list of BoCC (see
common sandpiper above for definition). As such tufted duck is
Sp: Regional
Site: Local
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 36
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