Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ...
Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ... Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ...
Affected Environment Table 14: Number of Bird Observations by Month and Survey Effort Month Number of Surveys Number of Birds Observed Average Birds Observed Per Day September 2008 5 741 148 October 2008 6 2,745 458 November 2008 4 20,665 5,166 2 December 2008 3 1,833 611 January 2009 5 419 84 February 2009 4 191 48 March 2009 5 543 108 April 2009 12 752 63 May 2009 11 1,070 97 June 2009 7 627 90 July 2009 4 531 133 August 2009 4 682 171 September 2009 8 1,283 160 October 2009 1 154 154 No federally listed endangered or threatened species were observed during the field surveys. Three species listed as threatened by the Commonwealth of Virginia were observed, including 10 Bald Eagles, one Gull-billed Tern, and two Peregrine Falcons. All of the eagles were located west or northwest of the wind turbine sites and the Gull-billed Tern was observed south of the project site. Also documented were 15 Red Knot, a USFWS candidate species and Virginia Tier IV (moderate conservation need) species, observed on one occasion in September 2009. Other listed species that may occur in the area but were not observed during the surveys include Piping Plover, Wilson’s Plover, and Upland Sandpiper. The number of birds recorded within the wind turbine rotor-sweep zone, which would occur between approximately 43 meters (140 feet) and 120 meters (395 feet) above ground level, was 598 or 1.9 percent of all observed birds. Of these birds, 188 were Tree Swallows (31.4 percent), 130 were Great Egrets (21.7 percent), 57 were European Starlings (9.5 percent) and 50 were Snowy Egrets (8.4 percent). Flight direction was predominantly to the west (65 percent), followed by south (25 percent), east (5 percent) and north (5 percent). The majority of these birds were hunting or feeding (46 percent) or resting (43 percent). These birds were all observed in the August and September fall migration months. Avian Fatality Study Carcass searches were conducted on 83 days between October 3, 2008, and October 2, 2009, and resulted in 18 recorded fatalities. Eleven observations were located near the 102-meter (335-foot) tall unguyed South Meteorological Tower. Single/small clumps of feathers of seven individuals 2 Includes a single daily observation of 20,000 snow geese on November 20, 2008. 60
Affected Environment were also observed, but not recorded as collision fatalities. Seven dead birds were located near the 47-meter (155-foot) tall guyed North Boresight Tower. Carcasses that could be identified to species include: American Robin (MT 1 ) Red-winged Blackbird (NB, MT) Clapper Rail (MT) Salt Marsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (NB) Common Grackle (NB 2 ) Tree Swallow (MT) Double Crested Cormorant (NB) Unidentified gull (MT) European Starling (NB, MT) Unidentified sparrow (NB) Marsh Wren (MT) Yellow-rumped Warbler (NB) Northern Flicker (MT) 1 MT=Meteorological Tower 2 NB=North Boresight Tower Carcasses were recovered during most months of the year. Few generalizations can be made about what types of birds were most susceptible to colliding with the towers. Both night-flying and diurnal migrant birds were observed, including waterfowl, waterbirds, passerines, and raptors. No State or federally listed endangered or threatened species were among the fatalities. No bird carcasses or remnants were located in the vicinity of the South Boresight Tower; the presence of guy wires may have been responsible for all or nearly all fatalities that were found at the North Boresight Tower. Searcher efficiency rates for the first half of the study period were approximately 50 percent, but improved to 68 percent during the full searcher efficiency study from March 1, 2009, through October 2, 2009. 3 Searcher efficiency for medium to large birds was 78 percent (21 of 27 birds found) and 76 percent (16 of 21 birds found) for small birds. As for total efficiency rates by tower, 62 percent (16 of 26 carcasses) were found by searchers at the North Boresight Tower and 71 percent (17 of 24 carcasses) were each found at the South Boresight Tower and the South Meteorological Tower. A total of 28 birds (based on seven carcasses) were estimated as killed at the North Boresight Tower during the 1-year study period when a factor of four was used for the combined carcass removal and searcher efficiency rate. When 11 (the number of fatalities attributed to the tower) and 18 (total number of fatalities plus the number of individuals identified from single feathers/feather clumps) are used to calculate fatalities for the South Meteorological Tower, an estimate of a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 72 birds were killed at the tower during the 1year period. Summary of Findings The following points summarize the findings of the avian study conducted for NASA’s proposed wind turbine project at Wallops Island: 3 These results include searches for the placed tailless mice (surrogates for bats). 61
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Affected Environment<br />
Table 14: Number of Bird Observ<strong>at</strong>ions by Month and Survey Effort<br />
Month<br />
Number of<br />
Surveys<br />
Number of Birds<br />
Observed<br />
Average Birds<br />
Observed Per Day<br />
September 2008 5 741 148<br />
October 2008 6 2,745 458<br />
November 2008 4 20,665 5,166 2<br />
December 2008 3 1,833 611<br />
January 2009 5 419 84<br />
February 2009 4 191 48<br />
March 2009 5 543 108<br />
April 2009 12 752 63<br />
May 2009 11 1,070 97<br />
June 2009 7 627 90<br />
July 2009 4 531 133<br />
August 2009 4 682 171<br />
September 2009 8 1,283 160<br />
October 2009 1 154 154<br />
No federally listed endangered or thre<strong>at</strong>ened species were observed during the field surveys.<br />
Three species listed as thre<strong>at</strong>ened by the Commonwealth of Virginia were observed, including 10<br />
Bald Eagles, one Gull-billed Tern, and two Peregrine Falcons. All of the eagles were loc<strong>at</strong>ed<br />
west or northwest of the wind turbine sites and the Gull-billed Tern was observed south of the<br />
project site. Also documented were 15 Red Knot, a USFWS candid<strong>at</strong>e species and Virginia Tier<br />
IV (moder<strong>at</strong>e conserv<strong>at</strong>ion need) species, observed on one occasion in September 2009. Other<br />
listed species th<strong>at</strong> may occur in the area but were not observed during the surveys include Piping<br />
Plover, Wilson’s Plover, and Upland Sandpiper.<br />
The number of birds recorded within the wind turbine rotor-sweep zone, which would occur<br />
between approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 43 meters (140 feet) and 120 meters (395 feet) above ground level, was<br />
598 or 1.9 percent of all observed birds. Of these birds, 188 were Tree Swallows (31.4 percent),<br />
130 were Gre<strong>at</strong> Egrets (21.7 percent), 57 were European Starlings (9.5 percent) and 50 were<br />
Snowy Egrets (8.4 percent). <strong>Flight</strong> direction was predominantly to the west (65 percent),<br />
followed by south (25 percent), east (5 percent) and north (5 percent). The majority of these birds<br />
were hunting or feeding (46 percent) or resting (43 percent). These birds were all observed in the<br />
August and September fall migr<strong>at</strong>ion months.<br />
Avian F<strong>at</strong>ality Study<br />
Carcass searches were conducted on 83 days between October 3, 2008, and October 2, 2009, and<br />
resulted in 18 recorded f<strong>at</strong>alities. Eleven observ<strong>at</strong>ions were loc<strong>at</strong>ed near the 102-meter (335-foot)<br />
tall unguyed South Meteorological Tower. Single/small clumps of fe<strong>at</strong>hers of seven individuals<br />
2 Includes a single daily observ<strong>at</strong>ion of 20,000 snow geese on November 20, 2008.<br />
60
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