2007, ECON Ecological Consultancy, Lincs Offshore Wind Farm, Additional Information on the Potential Use of the Proposed Lincs Offshore Wind Farm by Common Scoters (Melanitta nigra) and the Potential Collision Risk of Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)

Description

Following submission of the Environmental Statement of the Lincs OWF, both the statutory consultee on nature conservation, Natural England (NE), and a further significant stakeholder, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), requested further clarification of the potential issues surrounding two species; Common Scoter Melanitta nigra and Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus.

The aim of this report is to provide further information on both Common Scoter and Pinkfooted
Geese, in order to satisfy both NE and RSPB that the conclusion that no significant
effects were predicted on either species as reached in the ES, was robust.

In conclusion, the report found that boat-based and aerial surveys generally indicate that very few Scoters are likely to occur on the sea surface within the proposed OWF+buffer, with the few records of Scoters generally relating to birds en-route to what are suggested to be preferred areas between North Norfolk, Docking and the area around Gibraltar Point. Moreover, a direct route between any of these areas
would mean that Scoters would tend to pass through the southern end of Lincs site+buffer
only when heading for the more northerly sites along the Lincolnshire coast

With regard to the Pink footed Goose,  the report states that despite the very high sensitivity of Pink-footed Goose on account of its status as a qualifying species in both the Wash and North Norfolk Coast SPA’ s, the magnitude of any effect of collision can only be seen as negligible (<1% rise over background mortality) according to the standard matrix analysis procedure developed by the BWEA (and used in all
Round 2 OWF’ s to date