Appendix 3C: List of Species Screened in but not Contained within the MS Strategic Level Report and Associated Parameters

Species

Proxy Species

Migration Front (km)

Footprint Length (km)

Proportion of Overlap Between Fronts (%)

Cormorant

-

531

40

0.15

Gadwall

Mallard

533

40

7.5

Shoveler

Goldeneye

531

40

7.5

Shelduck

-

530

40

7.5

Goosander

Goldeneye

531

40

7.5

Purple sandpiper

-

1100

72

6.5

Eider

-

524

40

7.6

Goldeneye

-

531

40

7.5

Great crested grebe

-

304

40

13.2

Knot

-

1100

72

6.5

Lapwing

-

528

40

7.6

Mallard

-

533

40

7.5

Red-breasted merganser

-

564

32

5.7

Red-throated diver

-

490

40

8.2

Ringed plover

-

524

32

6.1

Sandwich tern

-

1100

40

3.6

Slavonian grebe

-

1100

40

3.6

 

[1] Marine site detail (naturalengland.org.uk)

[2] Note that the summary of LSEs for the ornithology features of European sites presented in Table 7.1 of the HRA Stage One Screening Report contains a number of errors in terms of the effect pathways and project phases for which LSE is determined for the relevant qualifying features of the different SPAs (and Ramsar sites), and does not accurately reflect the conclusions for each SPA (and Ramsar site) as set out in Tables 5.17 – 5.62 of the HRA Stage One Screening Report.

[3] as defined by the mean maximum foraging range plus 1 standard deviation in Woodward et al., (2019).

[4] Inch Cape Offshore Windfarm (Revised Design), Firth of Forth – Proposed Variation – Screening Request and Report | Marine Scotland Information

 

[5] Screening – Inch Cape Offshore Windfarm (Revised Design), Firth of Forth – Proposed Variation | Marine Scotland Information

 

[6] C = Construction, O = Operation and maintenance, D = Decommissioning

[7] Displacement / barrier effects are determined in relation to the Proposed Development array area and two kilometre buffer for those species for which this effect pathway is screened in (volume 3, appendix 11.4 of the Offshore EIA Report).

[8] A minimum 24 month programme of baseline offshore ornithology surveys (as undertaken for the Proposed Development) is considered a standard requirements for UK offshore wind farm assessments, providing (at least) two density estimates for each calendar month for use as inputs to the CRM (e.g. Natural England 2022a).

[9] Based on comments from MSS in MS-LOT email response of 2nd March 2022 to the Applicant’s ornithology-related concerns with the Scoping Opinion, as issued to MS-LOT on 9th February 2022.

[10] Details on the collection of these data are presented in volume 3, appendix 11.7, and involved flight height estimates collected from the survey vessel using both a laser rangefinder and visual estimation.

[11] ‘As-built’ designs refers to the wind turbine number and specifications which have been built and which may be associated with lower collision estimates than the maximum design scenario on which the consent is based (MacArthur Green 2017).

[12] ‘As-built’ designs refers to the actual wind turbine number and specifications which have been built at a project site and which may be associated with lower collision estimates than the maximum design scenario on which the consent is based (MacArthur Green 2017).

[13] Data are shown as the count of individuals on land, which needs to be multiplied by 1.34 to give the estimated number of breeding adults (volume3, appendix 11.3) (with the citation population size shown on the amended accordingly to be comparable with the count data).

[14] Noting that this advice also recommends the use of a higher avoidance rate of 0.992 (as opposed to 0.989) for gannet for use with the deterministic version of the CRM, which would reduce the collision estimates presented in this assessment by a further 27%.

[15] The data in Furness (2015) do not specifically identify the Farne Islands SPA population, so these percentages are calculated by relating the 2019 count from the SMP to the seasonal BDMPS population sizes as estimated in Furness (2015).

[16] This omits the data from 2014 – 2018, which are based on counts of AOS rather than of individuals and may not be directly comparable.