Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Species
Shoveler
Conservation
Value at
Forthbank
Negligible
Effect Construction Significance Operation Significance
predicted to result in significant displacement of the species
is predicted to be low.
away from the Forthbank area.
Barrier Effect N/A at construction N/A Of the 16 recorded mute swan flights 12 (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). Most of these were of birds flying around
and between the lagoons of Black Devon Wetlands. Only a few
flights were of birds commuting between Black Devon Wetlands
and habitats in the wider environment (e.g. the Forth Estuary).
Therefore, taking into consideration the small scale of the wind
energy development and the possibility that birds may still pass
over or around it or 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 mute
swans (neutral).
Collision N/A at construction N/A Of the 16 recorded mute swan flight events only two passed
through the risk volume and therefore there was insufficient
information enough to accurately model the collision risk for this
species. However, given this low number of “at risk” flights, it is
reasonable to conclude that there is a very low risk of this
species being significantly affected by collisions with the wind
turbines (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
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 75
Copyright Partnerships for Renewables Development Co. Ltd 2010 ©
Shoveler was only represented by a single individual during
the winter walkover surveys (September) and was only
recorded as present in the wider survey area during the
breeding season. Consequently, given the rare presence of
shoveler, disturbance and displacement is not predicted to
have a significant effect on this species.
Considering the rare presence of shoveler at Forthbank,
potential disturbance of this species during operation is
predicted to be of negligible magnitude.
Barrier Effect N/A at construction N/A Considering the rare presence of snow goose at Forthbank, the
proposed wind energy development is not predicted to have a
barrier effect on the movement of this species.
Collision N/A at construction N/A No shoveler flights were recorded during the flight activity
surveys. Given the rare presence of this species at Forthbank
throughout the survey programme it is reasonable to assume
that shoveler rarely fly through the risk window and that the
collision risk to this species is negligible (neutral).
Snipe Local Habitat Loss Snipe were recorded at Forthbank during the winter and Not significant N/A at operation N/A
passage months, although numbers were low; the peak being
of just five birds, and while the species was occasionally
flushed from the grasslands within the application site, most
birds were recorded around the Black Devon Wetlands.
Snipe are common on coastal and lowland wetlands during
Not
significant
Not
significant
Not
significant
Not
significant