Renewable energy has a major role in mitigating climate change. The United Kingdom Government aims to install 50 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 to realise ambitious net zero targets. However, offshore windfarms can pose risks to marine wildlife. In particular, black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) are thought to be particularly vulnerable to the collision risk posed by wind turbines. So, when kittiwakes were first observed nesting on the offshore substation of Walney Two Offshore Windfarm this piqued the interest of industry, regulatory and conservation bodies alike. This colony provides a unique opportunity to understand interactions between windfarms and biodiversity that may inform how to implement species-specific compensatory measures, apply nature-inclusive design, and, ultimately, develop renewable energy that supports biodiversity.

In 2023, the kittiwake colony on the substation of Walney Two was surveyed for the first time, resulting in an initial report into its breeding behaviour, productivity and nest quality. This report builds on the 2023 investigation, initiating a multi-year monitoring campaign and conducting the first inter-annual comparisons to provide further insights into the kittiwake colony. Also, this study considers the health and safety implications of kittiwake colonies nesting on offshore substation which involved analysing evidence from OFTO technician questionnaires. In addition, the survey method was evaluated to present recommendations for future monitoring to bolster the robustness of the multi-annual dataset.