Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Species
Conservation
Value at
Forthbank
Effect Construction Significance Operation Significance
SPA qualifying population) although a flock of 130 birds was
recorded flying over the site on 18 September 2009.
Meanwhile, two pairs/territories were recorded at Black Devon
Wetlands during the breeding season, approximately 200m
from the application site. Despite this, the potential impact of
short-term construction related disturbance on breeding
lapwing at these nearby wetlands is expected to be of low
magnitude and is not predicted to result in significant
displacement of the species away from the Forthbank area.
is unlikely to affect the presence or any future breeding
attempts at this location. Furthermore, given that the majority
of the survey area does not include the Firth of Forth SPA, and
considering the availability of suitable alternative foraging and
roosting grounds in the surrounding area (e.g. intertidal
mudflats and arable fields) it is considered highly unlikely that
birds will be displaced entirely from the Forth Estuary. Indeed,
any displaced birds are likely to remain within Upper Forth
Estuary. Given the above, such an effect is predicted to be of
low magnitude.
Barrier Effect N/A at construction N/A Of the 36 recorded lapwing flights approximately 27 (75%)
passed directly through the proposed wind energy development
(the area enclosed by a line on a map joining the outermost
turbine rotors of the wind farm),. However, most of these were
circling flights around Black Devon Wetlands which are
characteristic of this species when disturbed. Only a few
recorded flights were of birds commuting between Black Devon
Wetlands and the Forth Estuary or other habitats in the
surrounding area. Considering the low proportion of
commuting flights, the small scale of the wind energy
development and the possibility that birds may still pass
through the corridor between turbines 1 and 2, it is concluded
that the proposed wind energy development will not act as a
significant barrier to the movement of lapwing (neutral).
Collision N/A at construction N/A Of the 36 flights recorded within and adjacent to the application
site, 11 (84 birds) were “at risk”. Lapwings were present during
both the breeding and non-breeding season and therefore
collision estimates were carried out for both of these seasons.
During the breeding season the collision risk modelling
produced a collision estimate of between 1 bird every 1-2 years
(95% avoidance) and 1 bird every 6-7 years (99% avoidance).
Meanwhile, during the non-breeding season the predicted
collision rate was between 1 bird every 9-10 months (95%
avoidance) and 1 bird every 4 years (99% avoidance). Taking
the precautionary 95% avoidance rate predictions for the two
seasons combined this would equal 1 bird every six months
which result in approximately 50 collisions over the 25 year
lifespan of the proposed wind energy development. However,
this annual collision rate would represent 0.05% of the SPA
qualifying population per year. Consequently, the collision risk
for lapwing is considered to be well within acceptable limits and
thus will not significantly affect the SPA qualifying population
(neutral).
Not
significant
Not
significant
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 50
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