Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
Habitat Loss
12.8.17 Given that breeding by goshawks was established at only one other of the wind farm, and
proposed wind farm, sites for which adequate information could be accessed, and that birds
were recorded at just a further two of these sites, it seems highly unlikely the cumulative
habitat loss from wind farm construction will cause more than a small magnitude of effect on
the regional goshawk population. Therefore, the cumulative level of effect is predicted to be
slight, and not significant in terms of the EIA Regulations.
Disturbance/Displacement
12.8.18 As for 12.8.17 above, the infrequent occurrence of goshawks at the other wind farm, and
proposed wind farm, sites for which adequate information could be accessed, strongly
suggests that the cumulative effects of construction disturbance and operational disturbance
and displacement on nesting and/or foraging goshawks are unlikely to have more than small
magnitudes of effect. Therefore, the cumulative level of effect is predicted to be slight, and
not significant in terms of the EIA Regulations.
Cumulative Collision Mortality
12.8.19 The effect of collision risk to goshawks due to the proposed wind farm alone was not
considered significant on the regional or national scale. However, when considered in
conjunction with other sources of potential mortality, especially from other wind farms, it is
possible that the combined additional mortality may be sufficient to initiate a population
decline that cannot be reversed unless the adverse effect is removed.
12.8.20 When assessing cumulative mortality from multiple developments, SNH (2012b) notes that
simply summing collision mortality across all developments may overestimate cumulative
mortality, as once a bird has been removed from a population due to collision with one
development, it cannot collide again. This is particularly pertinent where population sizes are
small and mortality can represent a significant proportion of the population.
12.8.21 For those wind farm and proposed wind farm sites at which goshawks were recorded,
collision risk estimates were given as follows:
• Carcant: Predicted to be 0.03 individuals/year with no avoidance, so that over 25
years with a 95% avoidance rate this would be 0.04 individuals, at 99% 0.01
individuals (and by extrapolation 0.02 individuals at the SNH (2010) recommended
98% avoidance rate);
• Clyde Extension: No estimates as too few ‘at risk’ flights to justify collision risk
modelling;
• Fauch Hill Wind Farm: Predicted to be 0.04 individuals/year with 98% avoidance,
which would be the equivalent of one bird colliding every 23.4 years.
Conclusions
12.8.22 Within the Border Hills NHZ there are ten operational, two under-construction and three
planned wind farms that may contribute to a cumulative collision risk. From collision risk
modelling predictions in respective Environmental Statements (as indicated in 12.8.21
above), a total annual mortality of 0.36 birds per year from collisions was predicted for the
goshawk population occurring within (or close to) the Border Hills NHZ (Table 12.18).
Therefore, in addition to the predicted collisions at the proposed Camilty wind farm, two other
March 2013 12-61 ES Chapter 12
Ornithology
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