Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
12 Ornithology
12.1 Introduction and Overview
12.1.1 This Chapter assesses the effects of the proposed wind farm development on birds.
Together with Chapter 11: Terrestrial Ecology, it completes the assessment of the effects of
the six wind turbines and associated infrastructure on the natural heritage.
12.1.2 The assessment uses data from specifically commissioned surveys in 2011-2012 and
information and data from organisations and individuals with local knowledge who responded
to consultations on the proposed wind farm development, to form a comprehensive
presentation of baseline conditions. Bird names used in this chapter follow the vernacular
names recommended by the British Ornithologists’ Union.
Site Description
12.1.3 The site of the proposed wind farm is located within Camilty Plantation, approximately 2 km
south of Harburn and 4 km south-east of West Calder in West Lothian. The site, which is
owned by the Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS), is centred at grid reference NT 0561
5932, on Camilty Hill, as shown in Figure 1.1, and is bound to the south by the A70 and to
the west by the B7008. Figure 12.1 shows a satellite image of the site in order to give an
indication of the habitat composition of the site. Access to the site would be gained from
Junction 4 of the M8, the A801, the A706 through Whitburn, the A721 and the A70.
12.1.4 The site is bounded to the north-east, north-west and south-west by plantation forest and to
the south and south-east by open hill area associated with Crosswoodburn Farm.
12.1.5 There are several isolated properties to the north of the site, set within forest to the south of
Harburn. There are also properties along the A70 to the east and south of the site, and farms
on the hill area to the south and east of the site.
12.1.6 Baseline surveys were undertaken from September 2011 to August 2012 with additional
surveys undertaken in Autumn 2012 at Westwater Special Protection Area (SPA) and
Cobbinshaw Reservoir at the request of RPSB Scotland. Survey coverage encompassed the
turbine layout and site boundary, plus a range of buffer zones that were specific to different
surveys. Felling operations over the winter period caused a small number of unforeseen
changes to be made to some survey programmes, specifically the point count surveys (see
Section 12.2: Methodology).
Potential Key Issues
12.1.7 The key ornithological issues associated with the proposed wind farm development are likely
to relate to its potential to adversely affect the:
• Conservation status of bird species given the highest level of statutory protection
through inclusion in Annex 1 of the EU Birds Directive and/or Schedule 1 of the
Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) (as amended) through habitat loss, disturbance,
displacement and collisions with turbines;
• Conservation status of locally-breeding raptors, waders and wildfowl through habitat
loss, disturbance, displacement and collisions with turbines;
March 2013 12-1 ES Chapter 12
Ornithology
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