Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
(or during any maintenance work in the operational phase). The best practice measures
outlined below will be adopted in order to minimise or avoid any of the predicted adverse
effects on birds.
Environmental Clerk of Works
12.6.5 Compliance with the law (for example to avoid intentional nest destruction of any species) will
be supported by the appointment of a suitably experienced ornithologist as ECoW to carry
out pre-construction surveys and locate any active nests close to construction works shortly
before these commence. There will be a clear line of responsibility to ensure all mitigation
measures are adhered to by all parties, including the appointed contractor, which will be
specified in the Health, Safety and Environmental Management System (HSEMS) as outlined
in Appendix 4.4.
Pre- and Mid-construction Goshawk Surveys and Consultation
12.6.6 Prior to the commencement of felling for the purposes of the wind farm construction and the
construction works themselves, a pre-construction raptor/goshawk survey of the site and a
surrounding buffer of at least 1km will be carried out. The survey will follow the methods
detailed in Hardey et al. (2009) and will involve a combination of vantage point surveys and
more intensive forest checks. The vantage point surveys will include the late winter/early
spring months when the species engages in display flight activity and may help to target
certain areas during the forest searches. A detailed survey protocol will be prepared and
agreed with SNH prior to the commencement of surveys to ensure appropriate intensity and
coverage by the survey.
12.6.7 Ideally, this survey will be undertaken in the breeding season immediately preceding the
commencement of construction works. The purpose of this survey will be to identify the
presence of goshawks (any other specially protected raptor species which may be present) in
the vicinity of the proposed Camilty wind farm site, establish whether any breeding pairs are
present and where the current nest sites (if any) are located. This survey will be
supplemented by consultation with the Lothian and Borders Raptor Study Group and Forestry
Commission Scotland who may hold information on any other goshawk (or other raptor)
nesting activity which may have taken place in the intervening years between the submission
of this ES and the commencement of works.
12.6.8 The results of this survey will allow for any potential impacts associated with habitat loss or
disturbance and displacement on goshawks during construction to be more accurately
identified and mitigated. For example, in the unlikely event that goshawks were to establish a
nest site within 500 m of the proposed development footprint between now and the
commencement of works, it may be possible to fell this nest site outside of the breeding
season so as to avoid any conflicts during the breeding season. It may also allow early
identification for the requirement and extent of any associated works exclusion zones and
assist the contractor to schedule the works more appropriately to avoid impacts on nesting
goshawks, with minimal delays to the construction programme.
12.6.9 If the construction works are scheduled to coincide with the goshawk breeding season (mid-
February to August inclusive), then a further goshawk survey should be undertaken during
the course of the breeding season in order to identify any potential nesting attempts during
the construction works and any constraints that they may pose to the construction
programme. Surveys would be of the same method as those detailed above.
March 2013 12-54 ES Chapter 12
Ornithology
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