Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
Flight Activity Surveys
12.2.19 Flight activity surveys were carried out at the site over one full year between 29 September
2011 and 28 August 2012 and followed the standard guidelines for conducting baseline
ornithological surveys for onshore wind farms (SNH, 2005). These surveys, which are
designed to record the flight activity of birds using the airspace over the site and the spatial
and temporal variation of that usage, were conducted from two suitably elevated vantage
points (VPs), the details of which are provided in Appendix 12.1. The viewshed coverage of
these VPs is presented in Figures 12.2a and 12.2b.
12.2.20 Given the proximity of the site to areas which are of recognised importance to migrating
waterfowl (e.g. Westwater and Firth of Forth SPA and Ramsar Sites) survey effort was
increased to account for potential increased flight activity during the autumn (September -
November 2011) and spring (March - mid-May) passage periods in accordance with SNH
guidance (SNH 2005). As such, a minimum of 36 hours of survey effort from each VP was
completed in each of the defined seasonal periods, as follows;
• Autumn 2011 (September - November 2011): 36 hours;
• Winter 2011/12 (October 2011 - March 2012): 54 hours;
• Spring 2012 (March - mid-May): 36 hours;
• Summer 2012 (March-August): 54 hours.
12.2.21 Overall, this gave a total of 108 hours of survey from each VP over the whole year (noting
that not all of the 36 hours per VP in autumn was mutually exclusive from the 54 hours per
VP in winter, as was also the case for the 36 and 54 hours per VP in spring and summer,
respectively – see Table 12.A.2 in Appendix 12.1 for further details).
12.2.22 The information collected on key target species flying over the site and the adjacent airspace
was used to estimate the number of individuals per species, and the spatial and temporal
activities, of birds flying within this 3-dimensional area. For onshore windfarm EIAs, this
information is commonly used to undertake collision risk modelling (CRM) for species with a
sufficient number of flight events recorded, based on the SNH recommended standard Band
et al. (2007) method, further details of which are provided in Appendix 12.1.
Breeding Raptor Surveys
12.2.23 The site plus a 2 km buffer zone (Figure 12.3) was surveyed for all breeding raptor (and owl)
species in 2012. Target species included any Annex 1 (EU Birds Directive) or Schedule 1
(Wildlife and Countryside Act) listed species with the list of likely target species being
informed by information received from the Lothian and Borders Raptor Study Group. Surveys
were carried out by Schedule 1 licensed ornithologists.
12.2.24 Species-specific survey protocols followed the guidelines as set out by Hardey et al. (2009).
Surveys were conducted in areas of suitable habitat within 2 km of the site in mid-March and
mid-July 2011. Areas of suitable habitat included trees along the forest edge and older
stands of trees within the forest, heather moor and other areas of open habitat, craggy rock
faces and cliffs, and steep sided burns.
12.2.25 Surveyors repeatedly stopped to scan for birds whilst undertaking walkover surveys, and the
location of any nest sites, or nesting / territorial activity of raptors was recorded. Full details of
the survey methods are provided in Appendix 12.1.
March 2013 12-8 ES Chapter 12
Ornithology
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