b5dffdc9-d96e-4483-b74d-cc9e3599e21a eng series The Crown Estate +44 020 7851 5000 16 New Burlington Place London W1S 2HX United Kingdom enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk pointOfContact 2015-12-17 MEDIN Discovery Metadata Standard Version 2.3.8 urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326 OGP 2008-2009, Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies Ltd., (CMACS), Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm, Post-construction (Year 2) Ornithological Monitoring 2009-08-28 publication This series presents results of surveys undertaken to monitor the effects of construction and operation of Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm on bird use of the local area. The results of monitoring during the second year of wind farm operation (September 2008 to April 2009) are presented here. Surveys were undertaken from a vessel which followed seven established set transects through the wind farm, buffer (edge of the wind farm) and reference areas. Two experienced ornithologists noted all bird species seen and also made observations on any marine mammals encountered. Analysis efforts are focused on four target species: common scoter, red-throated diver, cormorant and common tern. These species are important to local conservation sites such as the proposed Liverpool Bay SPA, Dee Estuary SPA and the Mersey Narrows and North Wirral Foreshore SSSI/candidate SPA. Previous reports have presented results of baseline and during construction ornithological surveys (2005/06 and 2006/07 respectively). This is the second set of post construction surveys. Five surveys were completed in 2008/2009, reflecting an agreement with statutory consultees to focus effort in months of interest (September to April). Subject to no significant adverse effects being identified there is an agreement to conclude the ornithological monitoring programme at this stage. Low numbers of birds were recorded in the survey, which continues to demonstrate that the area is not intensively used by seabirds. However, this year’s survey did provide the first evidence of birds (auks) present within the wind farm array area, assumed to be foraging. This was reflected as a shift in distribution rather than a marked change in abundance. There is no evidence from the surveys that continued operation of the wind farm has had any detectable adverse impact on local seabird use of the area. The Crown Estate +44 020 7851 5000 16 New Burlington Place London W1S 2HX United Kingdom enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk custodian Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies Ltd +44 (0)151 327 7177 +44 (0)151 327 6344 Head Office, CMACS Ltd, 80 Eastham Village Road, Eastham Wirral CH62 0AW United Kingdom info@cmacsltd.co.uk http://www.cmacsltd.co.uk/ originator notPlanned PDF Renewable Energy Lease area The Crown Estate Renewable Energy Development Areas 2012-05-15 revision 1 Post-Construction monitoring The Crown Estate Renewable Energy Development Phases 2012-05-15 revision 1 Bird counts Bird behaviour Seal abundance SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2015-09-09 revision 89 Cetacean abundance SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2017-09-06 revision 103 Marine Environmental Data and Information Network Marine Environmental Data and Information Network http://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/pages/terms-of-use.aspx copyright copyright http://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/pages/terms-of-use.aspx eng biota environment -3.22354287211443 -3.14823996449776 53.470125002674 53.5039100333246 2008-09-22 2009-04-20 http://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/search?q=#fq=fq%3DProject%253Amde1r1bb1357 download https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/180/summary A link to the web service or dataset. https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk A link to the general host site. dataset This report focuses on numerical data derived from the field surveys and compares counts from the wind farm site and the control site to provide an indication of the effect of wind farm operation on bird presence and numbers. Comparison is also made with counts and distribution data gathered in pre-construction surveys. The data are presented in tabular format (Appendix A), giving a total number of individuals recorded for each species along each transect. The data were collected so as to allow the use of Distance software to calculate population estimates if required. Given the small numbers of birds recorded no adjustments for distance of sightings from the surveyors have been made.