2009-2010, ECON Ecological, Sheringham Shoal, Ornithological Monitoring

The FEPA licence issued for Sheringham Shoal OWF (REF) stipulates that ornithological monitoring will comprise “a Before-After Control-Impact (BACI) and will be undertaken at the survey areas consisting of the wind farm site, a 1km and 2- 4km buffer zone surrounding the wind farm and the selected reference site”.1 Monitoring was expected to identify any possible changes in the ornithological value of the area (since Environmental Statement surveys), and provide an immediate baseline for comparison with data collected during the construction phase. There was also a requirement to conduct post-construction monitoring to provide a minimum of three years data from the operating phase. The following objectives were specifically required by the FEPA licence: 1. To determine whether there is change in bird distribution, use and passage, measured by species abundance and behaviour, of the wind farm site, 1km and 2-4 km buffer zones and the reference site. 2. To validate the collision risk modelling to identify avoidance rates of the Sheringham Shoal Wind Farm site with reference to Tern species. This is to be achieved by a minimum of three years boat-based, plus radar study (and / or appropriate alternative) during the breeding season from 15 May to 31 July. Specific periodicity and geographic coverage is to be determined with Natural England and the Licensing Authority. It was specified that the realised monitoring programme (including both aerial and boat-based surveys, radar studies and any other appropriate monitoring techniques), would be subject to separate written agreement with the Licensing Authority following consultation with Natural England (NE), to be finalised four months prior to the proposed commencement of the monitoring work. In consultation (meeting on 12th January 2009), NE agreed with the assessment documented in ECON (2009) that there was no requirement for aerial surveys or radar studies in relation to Objective 1. However, NE outlined that a full boat-based survey programme across all seasons would be required as this has now become a standard requirement for all OWF’s. It was acknowledged, however, that a review of survey frequency could be adopted at the end of the pre-construction period, with the potential for a reduction in the number of surveys required. In addition to a full program of boat-based transect surveys to provide data to fulfil Objective 1 of the FEPA licence, NE supported the use of visual tracking of terns from a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RIB) as a means of fulfilling Objective 2, focussed on validating the collision risk for terns. It was concluded that this individual-based sampling method was more likely to provide required information on avoidance (both near-field and far-field avoidance) responses of terns to turbine presence than other available monitoring methods such as radar (Desholm