WANSBECK BLYTH HARBOUR WIND FARM ORNITHOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAMME: WINTERING BIRD SURVEYS 2016-17 Clockwise from top left: Black-headed gull, cormorant, great black-backed gull and eider © Steve Percival Steve Percival, Tracey Percival and Tom Lowe Ecology Consulting, Swallow Ridge Barn, Old Cassop, Durham DH6 4QB Email:
[email protected] October 2017 WANSBECK BLYTH HARBOUR WIND FARM ECOLOGY CONSULTING POST-CONSTRUCTION WINTERING BIRD SURVEY 2016-17 October 2017 WANSBECK BLYTH HARBOUR WIND FARM ORNITHOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAMME: POST-CONSTRUCTION WINTERING BIRD SURVEYS 2016-17 Introduction 1. The Wansbeck Blyth Harbour wind farm has a planning consent condition (Condition 17) that requires a scheme of the post-construction monitoring of waders and their feeding and roosting habitats to be implemented. This states that: “(a) Prior to the commencement of construction of the wind farm hereby approved, a scheme of post-construction monitoring of wader habitats and roosting habitats shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall be written in association with the County Ecologist, Natural England and the RSPB and shall identify any measures required to enhance wader habitats and to ensure that sufficient roosting habitats are made available within the immediate area. The scheme shall then be implemented as approved. (b) The scheme submitted pursuant to condition 17(a) shall cover the period from the construction of the first turbine, throughout the 60 months construction period and for an additional 36 months following the construction of the final turbine.” 2. This document reports on the last of the three winters of post-construction monitoring that are being undertaken to satisfy Condition 17.