Ornithology
An appropriate suite of bird surveys was undertaken to determine ornithological baseline conditions at the Rushy Mead site. These included vantage point surveys (timed observations from a defined location scanning for and recording bird flights), territory mapping (surveys looking for various signs of bird breeding) and winter walkover surveys, all informed by a desk study and in compliance with the relevant guidance.
Barn owl was the only species of conservation importance confirmed to be breeding on or immediately adjacent to the site, with the main species of conservation importance recorded regularly during vantage point surveys being red kite.
With regards to disturbance and displacement during construction and operation, the following effects have been assessed:
- As a result of the short term nature of construction activities, and turbines being located at least 50m from features such as woodland, hedgerows and watercourses where birds are likely to breed, it is considered that birds are not likely to suffer disturbance effects as a result of construction activities;
- As less than 0.5% of the site would be permanently lost as a result of wind energy development infrastructure, there is considered to be a negligible impact on nesting and foraging habitat;
- Studies show that displacement due to operational disturbance on bird species including raptors and passerine (perching) birds is likely to be minimal.
It is therefore concluded that the proposed development would result in negligible effects as a result of disturbance or displacement.
As far as collision risk during operation is concerned the only species recorded to regularly use the Rushy Mead site which is thought to be at risk of collision with turbines is red kite, and collision risk modelling which was undertaken using standard methodology predicted 0.06 to 0.065 red kite collisions per year at the site. This figure, which is expected to be an overestimate, represents less than a 0.1% increase in the number of red kites expected to die per year in southern England and it is therefore concluded that there would be no significant effects in relation to collisions as a result of the proposed wind energy development.
Overall there are predicted to be no significant effects in relation to ornithology as a result of the proposed wind energy development at Rushy Mead.