Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
remaining 38% were categorised as pipistrelle species, with 2% (one pass) recorded as
Daubenton’s bat.
11.3.52 A total of 21 bat passes were recorded along the driven transect routes in all five transect
surveys from May to October. The only species recorded during these surveys were
common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle.
11.3.53 The walked transect, driven transect and automated Anabat passive detector surveys
identified activity levels ranging from moderate to very low. This is to be expected as the site
is dominated by coniferous woodland and is composed mainly of habitats considered of low
value to bats. Comparatively higher levels of activity were recorded in the maternity season
when compared to the mating/dispersal period.
11.3.54 Surveys for Nathusius pipistrelle included vantage point watches, walked transects, static
Anabat surveys and driven surveys. Survey effort for the species was further increased by
using an Anabat recording system at 65 m height in the met mast. The latter was deployed
continuously for a total of 85 nights from 25/05/2012-04/10/2012 throughout all periods within
the bat activity season with bats recorded on a total of 8 nights. The total number of files
containing bat calls recorded on any one night varied between 1 – 14 bppn. A total of 28 files
were recorded over the entire deployment period. No Nathusius calls were recorded on the
Anabat deployed at height nor during any of the other surveys throughout the year.
Great Crested Newt
Legal Protection
11.3.55 Great crested newts are protected through inclusion in Annex IV of the EC Habitats Directive
as translated into UK law by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as
amended) as a European Protected Species (EPS). This species is further highlighted as a
UK BAP priority species and within the Scottish Biodiversity List. Great crested newt is listed
as a priority species in the West Lothian LBAP (2002).
Desk Study
11.3.56 A search of NBN gateway database did not identify records of great crested newt within the
ecology data search area. The consultation process did not return any records of great
crested newt within the site or the ecology data search area.
Field Survey Results
11.3.57 Seven ponds were identified within 250 m of the Camilty site boundary (referred to as Ponds
A - G in Figure 11.7), all of which were located over 200 m from the Camilty site boundary.
The HSI concluded that all of the ponds have no more than average (moderate) potential to
support great crested newts (assuming the absence of fish) while Pond E is likely to have
below average (low) potential.
11.3.58 Given the limited terrestrial habitat suitability, and the potential of the assessed ponds
ranging from “below average” to “average” it is considered unlikely that the species is
present. This assertion is further strengthened by the site’s level of isolation, with the
Pentland hills providing a physical barrier to the east and south, and extensive commercial
forestry present west of the site. It is considered that as a result, in those areas, connectivity
with other populations at a landscape context will be minimal or even non-existent.
March 2013 11-23 ES Chapter 11
Terrestrial Ecology
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