Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Species
Tufted duck
Conservation
Value at
Forthbank
Local
Effect Construction Significance Operation Significance
from the wetlands will be able to continue to commute between
these habitats by simply passing around or over the small scale
wind energy development to avoid the turbines or pass through
the corridor between turbines 1 and 2. Thus the likely impact is
further reduced (neutral).
Collision N/A at construction N/A Of the 8 recorded teal flight events only one passed through the
risk window and therefore there was insufficient information 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
Tufted ducks were recorded inconsistently at Forthbank.
During the winter the species was present infrequently and in
low numbers; the peak count being of just four individuals.
Meanwhile, during the spring/summer months the species
was only identified as being present but with no evidence of
breeding in the wider survey area. Consequently, given the
low abundance of this species and its infrequent use of the
habitats within the survey area any disturbance of tufted
ducks is predicted to be of negligible magnitude (neutral).
The small numbers and infrequent presence of tufted duck at
Forthbank during both the winter and breeding season, as
detailed previously, suggests that the site is not of high
importance to the species. Indeed, the species is more
commonly found on small freshwater lochs and ponds rather
than estuaries and associated backwaters. Given the above,
any disturbance and displacement of tufted ducks is predicted
to have an effect of negligible magnitude (neutral).
Barrier Effect N/A at construction N/A Of the 14 recorded tufted duck flights approximately 7 (50%)
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, the majority of these
were of birds circling around or flying between the lagoons of
Black Devon Wetlands. Only a few flights were of birds
commuting between Black Devon Wetlands and the Forth
Estuary. Given the low number of flights recorded it is unlikely
that the proposed wind energy development will act as a
significant barrier to the overall movement of this species. In
any case, birds passing to and from the wetlands will be able to
continue to commute between these habitats by simply passing
around or over the small scale wind energy development to
avoid the turbines or pass through the corridor between
turbines 1 and 2. Thus the likely impact is further reduced
(neutral).
Collision N/A at construction N/A Of the 14 flights recorded within and adjacent to the application
site, 11 (34 birds) were “at risk”. Tufted duck were
predominantly present during the breeding season and
therefore collision estimates were carried out for this season
only. The collision risk modelling produced a collision estimate
Not
significant
Not
significant
Not
significant
Not
significant
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 78
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