5.2.1.1     Wildfowl

Pink-footed goose

Pink-footed goose, a qualifying species for the Firth of Forth SPA, was recorded on all four survey visits. A total of 51 registrations of pink-footed goose totalling 4,139 individuals were recorded across the four visits (See Appendix Figure 8.2.3 and Table 2). Two large groups of 1,250 and 640 individuals were recorded in the south-east of the Site during the first survey visit in October. Numbers of records and individuals were significantly higher on the first survey visit in comparison to visit 2-4 (See Table 2).

Eider

Eider, a qualifying species of both the Firth of Forth SPA and Outer Forth SPA, was only recorded on a single occasion during all four survey visits. A group of 36 individuals was identified on the fourth visit in February in the north-west of the Site, recorded along the coastline close to the proposed cable landfall (See Appendix Figure 8.2.3 and Table 2).

Shelduck

Shelduck, a qualifying species for the Firth of Forth SPA, was only recorded on two occasions, with an individual noted on the coastline west of Torness Power on the second and fourth visit in December and February (See Appendix Figure 8.2.3 and Table 2). 

Wigeon

Wigeon, a qualifying species of the Firth of Forth SPA, was only recorded on a single occasion, with an individual noted on the coastline north-west of Torness Power on the fourth visit in February (See Appendix Figure 8.2.3 and Table 2). 

5.2.1.2     Waders

A total of eight wader species, curlew, dunlin, golden plover, grey plover, lapwing, oystercatcher, redshank and turnstone, all of which are qualifying species of the Firth of Forth SPA, were recorded during the four survey visits (See Appendix Figure 8.2.3 and Table 2). 

Curlew

Curlews were commonly recorded throughout all four visits, with a total of 40 registrations comprising 440 individuals and with all the records along the cost or inland coastal 1-2 km strip (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2). There were two registrations of over 100 individuals, one of 120 and one of 112 recorded on the first and third visits respectively, both recording birds in fields inland from the coast.

Dunlin

Only two records of dunlin were made; two birds on the first visit and 30 on the third visit. On both occasions these were recorded on the coast to the north-west of the proposed landfall (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2).

Golden plover

Golden plovers were recorded during all four visits, with a total of 15 registrations including 893 individuals recorded, of which five groups of over 100 birds were noted. As with curlew, the large groups involved roosting individuals in fields inland from the coast (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2).

Grey plover

Only two records of grey plover were made, with 22 birds recorded on the third visit and four on the fourth visit. On both occasions birds were recorded on the coast to the north-west of the proposed landfall (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2).

Lapwing

Lapwings were recorded during all four visits, with a total of 11 registrations and including 659 individuals recorded, of which two were groups of over 200 birds. As with other species, the large groups (220 birds during the first visit and 240 birds on the fourth visit) involved individuals roosting in fields inland from the coast (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2).

Oystercatcher

Oystercatchers were recorded during three of the four visits, with a total of 20 registrations including 388 individuals being recorded. The majority of records involved birds along the inter tidal zone, with occasional birds roosting or foraging in fields inland from the coast (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2).

Redshank

Redshanks were recorded in small numbers along the coast west of Torness Power station on all four visits. A total of 21 registrations were noted and comprised a total of 77 individuals (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2).

Turnstone

Turnstones were recorded in small numbers along the coast west of Torness Power station on all four visits. A total of seven registrations were noted and comprised 20 individuals (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2).

5.2.1.3     Seabirds

Black-headed gull

Black-headed gulls were common and widespread within the Study Area during all four survey visits. A total of 53 registrations, which included 402 individuals, were recorded (See Appendix Figure 8.2.5 and Table 2). A group of approximately 600 individuals was noted offshore east of Torness Power station during the first survey visit in October.

Common gull

Common gull was only recorded on the second and third survey visits (in December and January, respectively) when six and seven registrations were made, the records totalling 43 individuals, widespread within the Study Area (See Appendix Figure 8.2.4 and Table 2).

Herring gull

Herring gulls were frequent and widespread within the Study Area on all four survey visits. A total of 167 registrations comprising 1,453 individuals were made, with occasional large groups noted, including two groups of 120 and 160 individuals recorded close to the railway tracks on the first survey visit in October (see Appendix Figure 8.2.5 and Table 2). In addition to birds recorded within the Study Area itself, a group of approximately 1,500 individuals was noted offshore east of Torness Power station during the first survey visit in October.

Cormorant and gannet

A gannet and a group of three cormorants were the only records for these two species, with all records being made along the coastal strip (See Appendix Figure 8.2.5 and Table 2).

5.2.2           Other Species of Conservation Concern

In addition to the SPA qualifying species outlined in Table 2, a further 26 species of conservation concern were recorded during the four survey visits; these are shown in Table 3. These 26 species included the following five Schedule 1 listed species: Fieldfare, merlin, peregrine, redwing and snow bunting. Of these, merlin and peregrine are also Annex 1 listed species. The location of the Schedule 1 and Annex 1 listed raptor species records are shown in Volume 5, Confidential Appendix Figure 8.2.6 In addition, of the 26 species, 13 are BoCC Red list species, 12 are BoCC Amber list species and 18 are SBL priority species. The most frequently recorded species were linnet, skylark, tree sparrow, starling and fieldfare all of which are typical of low lying farmland habitats in the winter months.

Table 3 - Wintering bird survey results – Other bird species of conservation concern

Common Name

Scientific name

Sch1/ A1/ SBL

BoCC

Visit 1 (Count)

Visit 2

Visit 3

Visit 4

Bean goose

Anser fabalis

SPL

AMBER

 

 

 

1

Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

SPL

AMBER

1

5

 

3

Dunnock

Prunella modularis

SPL

AMBER

21

11

9

8

Fieldfare

Turdus pilaris

Sch1

RED

22

114

2

35

Great black-backed gull

Larus marinus

 

AMBER

18

11

12

5

Greylag goose

Anser anser

 

AMBER

32

61

 

17

House sparrow

Passer domesticus

SPL

RED

38

5

 

42

Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus

SPL

AMBER

1

 

 

 

Linnet

Linaria cannabina

SPL

RED

243

340

 

161

Lesser redpoll

Acanthis cabaret

SPL

RED

 

6

 

2

Mistle thrush

Turdus viscivorus

 

RED

16

7

1

36

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

 

AMBER

13

4

 

12

Merlin

Falco columbarius

Sch1/A1/SPL

RED

 

1

 

 

Meadow pipit

Anthus pratensis

 

AMBER

31

12

3

13

Grey partridge

Perdix perdix

SPL

RED

 

5

 

2

Peregrine

Falco peregrinus

Sch1/A1

 

 

 

 

 

Reed bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

SPL

AMBER

16

4

2

3

Redwing

Turdus iliacus

Sch1/ SPL

RED

40

36

2

35

Skylark

Alauda arvensis

SPL

RED

117

11

2

232

Snow bunting

Plectrophenax nivalis

Sch1/SPL

AMBER

3

 

 

 

Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

SPL

RED

189

58

 

55

Snipe

Gallinago gallinago

 

AMBER

 

 

 

1

Song thrush

Turdus philomelos

SPL

RED

3

11

3

4

Siskin

Spinus spinus

SPL

 

12

11

 

 

Tree sparrow

Passer montanus

SPL

RED

107

95

33

44

Twite

Linaria flavirostris

SPL

RED

4

 

 

 

5.2.3           Common Species

A further 22 common species were recorded during the four survey visits; see Table 4. The three most frequently recorded species were jackdaw, rook and woodpigeon which in winter form large feeding flocks in open fields and are typical of this low-lying farmland landscape.

Table 4 - Wintering bird survey results – common bird species

Common Name

Scientific name

Visit 1 (Count)

Visit 2

Visit 3

Visit 4

Blackbird

Turdus merula

25

36

14

46

Blue tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

5

50

19

67

Buzzard

Buteo buteo

10

11

2

3

Carrion crow

Corvus corone

49

62

21

45

Collared dove

Streptopelia decaocto

12

19

6

6

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

69

73

22

167

Coal tit

Periparus ater

 

6

 

1

Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

171

132

63

81

Great tit

Parus major

 

2

5

4

Grey heron

Ardea cinerea

1

3

 

 

Jackdaw

Corvus monedula

332

625

307

384

Long-tailed tit

Aegithalos caudatus

59

 

 

 

Magpie

Pica pica

23

7

12

24

Pied wagtail

Motacilla alba

1

18

4

12

Robin

Erithacus rubecula

36

26

8

24

Rock pipit

Anthus petrosus

1

5

 

4

Rook

Corvus frugilegus

505

1105

551

774

Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

2

2

 

 

Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

3

5

 

 

Water rail

Rallus aquaticus

 

 

 

1

Woodpigeon

Columba palumbus

507

627

260

823

Wren

Troglodytes troglodytes

28

6

7

7