Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Species
Mute swan
Conservation
Value at
Forthbank
Local
Effect Construction Significance Operation Significance
of this species at Forthbank any disturbance from construction
activities is not predicted to affect this species (neutral).
Barrier Effect N/A at construction N/A Of the 10 recorded greylag goose flights 4 (40%) 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, almost all of the flights were
of birds either commuting up or down the Forth Estuary (or at
least parallel to it) or passing over the application site as
opposed to birds moving between habitats within or adjacent to
the application site. Since the proposed wind energy
development will not restrict the passage of birds along the
river it is concluded that it will not act as a significant barrier to
greylag goose flights of this orientation. Meanwhile, it is
expected that birds commuting between foraging and roosting
grounds in the wider area will be able to avoid the small scale
wind energy development by either passing over or around it.
Consequently, it is concluded that the proposed wind energy
development will not act as a significant barrier to the
movement of greylag geese (neutral).
Collision N/A at construction N/A Of the 10 flights recorded within and adjacent to the application
site, 5 (32 birds) were “at risk”. The collision risk modelling
produced a collision estimate of 1 bird every 3 years for the
99% avoidance rate as accepted by SNH. This would result in
approximately 8 collisions over the 25 year lifespan of the
proposed wind energy development. Given the large wintering
population in Scotland (over 85,000), the species favourable
conservation status (see Table 12.17) and the fact that it is a
legitimate quarry species, the loss of 1 bird every three years is
considered to have a negligible effect on the species at all
population levels (neutral).
Habitat Loss No loss of habitat which is of value to the species (neutral). Not significant N/A at operation N/A
Disturbance &
Not significant
Displacement
Mute swans were recorded for most of the year at Forthbank.
However, numbers were low in all seasons, with the peak of
just 4 birds (October winter walkover). Meanwhile, one
pair/territory was recorded at Black Devon Wetlands during
the breeding season, approximately 200m from the
application site. Despite this, mute swans are considered to
be relatively tolerant of disturbance occasionally occurring in
wetlands associated with heavily disturbed industrial sites and
often being associated with busy urban parks. Consequently,
the potential impact of short-term construction related
disturbance on the small numbers of wintering and breeding
mute swan is expected to be of low magnitude and is not
Although present for much of the year, the small numbers of
wintering and breeding mute swans, as detailed previously,
suggests that the site is not of high importance to the species.
Indeed, mute swans are reasonably non-specific in their habitat
preference being found from estuaries and sheltered coastal
waters to freshwater lochs, ponds and watercourses 23 .
Consequently, even if the small numbers typically recorded at
Forthbank are displaced by the proposed wind energy
development, it is likely that they will find suitable alternative
habitats elsewhere within the wider Forth Estuary and
surrounding Forth Valley. Therefore, the impact magnitude of
any disturbance and subsequent displacement of mute swans
Not
significant
Not
significant
Not
significant
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 74
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