Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
Timing of Construction Activities and Pre-construction Checks
12.6.10 Site clearance and construction activities will be timed to take place outside the main
breeding season so as to avoid nest destruction and disturbance to nesting birds. The
breeding season is taken to extend from March to August inclusive; but for the majority of
birds the main breeding season extends from mid-March to at least the end of July
(depending on the species concerned). However, with regards to goshawk, young recently
fledged birds may still be present around the nest into August and the presence and potential
disturbance of these dependent young must be taken into consideration given the species
Schedule 1 protection status.
12.6.11 It should also be noted that breeding by crossbills (most likely common crossbills), which are
also a Schedule 1 protected species and which were recorded in the forestry areas at
Camilty, is determined by the availability of conifer seeds and therefore nesting may take
place during the winter months (Forrester et al. 2007; Currie & Elliott 1997). These birds may
breed in the remaining intact areas of woodland within and immediately adjacent to the
development footprint.
12.6.12 Based on the current felling plan, it is expected that the vast majority of the proposed wind
farm (i.e. Turbines 1-5 and over 90% of the wind farm infrastructure) will be located within the
clear-fell and recently restocked areas of the site. These areas are expected to be of low
value to nesting birds. Only Turbine 6 (which will be installed by key-holing within the
forestry), and an approximately 200 m section of its associated access track will require the
felling of mature trees which are more likely to support nesting birds. Therefore, the amount
of potential bird nesting habitat to be removed is considered to be small.
12.6.13 SNH (2011) recognises that avoiding construction work within the breeding season for birds
may not be possible, as the season coincides with the best weather for construction.
Therefore, should it not be possible to limit construction works to the non-breeding season
then certain precautionary measures will need to be taken. For instance, attempts should be
made to at least start the works before mid-March. This allows the birds the opportunity to
take potential disturbance into account in the process of selecting a nest site, and those birds
with a choice of nest sites may select an alternative area where disturbance is less intrusive
in which to nest for that season.
12.6.14 During the breeding season, pre-felling / pre-construction checks will be made ahead of the
works in all areas of potential bird nesting habitat by the ECoW, or other suitably qualified
ecologist, in order to check for the presence of nesting birds. Any active nests found will be
cordoned off to a suitable distance for the species concerned (up to 20 m for woodland and
scrub nesters and up to 50 m for open-ground nesting species) and all site personnel would
be made aware of the works exclusion zone through toolbox talks presented by the ECoW.
Construction operations will be delayed within the cordon until the young have fledged and
the nest becomes vacant. This will be confirmed by the ECoW prior to the recommencement
of construction.
12.6.15 In the unlikely event that goshawks, or any other specially protected Annex 1 of Schedule 1
bird species should establish a nest site in close proximity to the proposed development
footprint (see Pre-construction Surveys - section 12.6.6 onwards), then a buffer zone would
be established around that nest site and no works would be permitted within that area.
Senior site personnel would be made aware of the species presence, its protection status
and the associated works exclusion zone, through toolbox talks presented by the ECoW,
March 2013 12-55 ES Chapter 12
Ornithology
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