Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Species
Conservation
Value at
Forthbank
Effect Construction Significance Operation Significance
Disturbance &
Displacement
proposed wind energy development is expected to result in
the loss of foraging habitat for barn owl. However, it is
considered that the total amount of habitat loss is negligible in
the context of the site and that there is an abundance of
suitable alternative foraging habitat both within and
surrounding the application site, including the field margins of
the surrounding farmland. Consequently the loss of habitat is
predicted to have an effect of low magnitude.
Since all construction activities will take place during daylight
hours while the local bird(s) would be at roost, disturbance
during this phase of the wind energy development is
considered to have a negligible effect on barn owls (neutral).
Not significant
The known barn owl roosting site is located outside of the
application site and is well over 100m from the nearest turbine.
Therefore, on the basis of this distance from the disturbance
source and the nocturnal/crepuscular activity pattern of the
species, it is considered that both direct disturbance and
displacement from this roost site will be minimal. In support of
this, there is abundant evidence of barn owls successfully
nesting in close proximity to various sources of disturbance.
From RPS post-construction monitoring of one wind farm in
south Scotland, there is also evidence of successful breeding
within 150m of the closest turbine. Consequently, it is
considered that disturbance/displacement impacts on barn owls
will be negligible (neutral).
Barrier Effect N/A at construction N/A Despite the absence of barn owl records during the ‘wider’ bird
surveys the habitats within the application site represent
suitable foraging grounds for this species. However, the
location of the known barn owl roosting site is outside of the
application site and the majority of suitable barn owl foraging
habitat is located in the wider area to the north and east of the
application site (e.g. the grasslands of Black Devon Wetlands
and the nearby fields and associated margins). Therefore,
given the coastal location of the proposed wind energy
development it is not considered to segregate local birds from
any part of their foraging grounds. Consequently, the proposed
wind energy development is not predicted to have a barrier
effect on the movement of barn owls (neutral).
Collision N/A at construction N/A Despite there being suitable foraging habitat for barn owls
within and surrounding the application site no barn owl flights
were recorded during the flight activity surveys, (although this is
more likely to reflect the nocturnal/crepuscular behaviour of this
species rather than an avoidance of these areas).
Consequently, collision risk modelling was not carried out for
this species. However, it is considered that the majority of
suitable barn owl foraging habitat is likely to be located in the
wider area to the north and east of the application site as
Not
significant
Not
significant
Not
significant
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 65
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