ENERGY WORKING FOR BRITAIN FOR WORKING ENERGY Wylfa Newydd Project 6.4.47 ES Volume D - WNDA Development App D9-14 - Chough Baseline Report PINS Reference Number: EN010007 Application Reference Number: 6.4.47 June 2018 Revision 1.0 Regulation Number: 5(2)(a) Planning Act 2008 Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 Horizon Internal DCRM Number: WN0902-JAC-PAC-APP-00072 [This page is intentionally blank] Wylfa Newydd Horizon Nuclear Power Chough Baseline Report WN034-JAC-PAC-MEM-00015 | 1 30 March 2017 WN034-JAC-PAC-MEM-00015 Chough Baseline Report Horizon Nuclear Power Document history and status Revision Date Description By Review Approved Phil Shepherd/ 0 March 2017 Issued Jonathan Jackson Rob Bromley Russell Cryer Phil Shepherd/ 1 January 2018 Updated following NRW comments Jonathan Jackson Rob Bromley Russell Cryer Distribution of copies Revision Issue Date issued Issued to Comments approved Chough Baseline Report Wylfa Newydd Project No: 60PO8077 Document Title: Chough Baseline Report Document No.: WN034-JAC-PAC-MEM-00015 Revision: 1 Date: January 2018 Client Name: Horizon Nuclear Power Client No: WN034-JAC-PAC-MEM-00015 Project Manager: Rob Bromley Author: Jonathan Jackson File Name: Jacobs U.K. Limited Kenneth Dibben House Enterprise Road, Southampton Science Park Chilworth, Southampton SO16 7NS United Kingdom T +44 (0)23 8011 1250 F +44 (0)23 8011 1251 www.jacobs.com © Copyright 2017 Jacobs U.K. Limited. The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Jacobs. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Jacobs constitutes an infringement of copyright. Limitation: This document has been prepared on behalf of, and for the exclusive use of Jacobs’ client, and is subject to, and issued in accordance with, the provisions of the contract between Jacobs and the client. Jacobs accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for, or in respect of, any use of, or reliance upon, this document by any third party. WN034-JAC-PAC-MEM-00015 i Chough Baseline Report Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 4 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Overview of the Wylfa Newydd Project .............................................................................................. 6 1.2 Aims and objectives............................................................................................................................ 6 1.3 Introduction to chough ........................................................................................................................ 6 1.4 Description of the study area .............................................................................................................. 6 1.4.1 Wylfa Newydd Development Area ...................................................................................................... 6 1.4.2 Associated Development sites ........................................................................................................... 8 1.5 Consultation ........................................................................................................................................ 8 2. Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Desk study methods ......................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Survey methods ................................................................................................................................ 10 2.2.1 Breeding birds survey methods 2010-2014 ..................................................................................... 10 2.2.2 Wintering birds survey methods 2009-2015 ..................................................................................... 11 2.2.3 Species-specific chough surveys 2017 ............................................................................................ 11 2.3 Defining functional linkages .............................................................................................................. 12 3. Desk study results.......................................................................................................................... 14 3.1 UK population data ........................................................................................................................... 14 3.2 SPAs designated for chough ............................................................................................................ 14 3.3 Review of possible SPA and amalgamated SPA populations ......................................................... 16 3.4 UK SPA reviews ............................................................................................................................... 18 3.5 Associated Development sites ......................................................................................................... 18 3.6 Breeding data from the study area ................................................................................................... 19 3.6.1 Numbers of birds and productivity .................................................................................................... 19 3.6.2 Colour-marked Wylfa Head breeding adult chough ......................................................................... 21 3.6.3 Dispersal of Wylfa Head fledged chough ......................................................................................... 21 3.7 Data from other studies .................................................................................................................... 22 3.7.1 Dispersal distances .......................................................................................................................... 22 3.7.2 Regional numbers of breeding chough ............................................................................................ 23 3.7.3 Records of marked birds within the study area ................................................................................ 25 3.8 Cofnod data ...................................................................................................................................... 25 4. Study area survey results .............................................................................................................. 26 4.1 Breeding bird survey results ............................................................................................................. 26 4.1.1 Breeding bird survey results 2010 .................................................................................................... 26 4.1.2 Breeding bird survey results 2011 .................................................................................................... 26 4.1.3 Breeding bird survey results 2012 .................................................................................................... 26 4.1.4 Breeding bird survey results 2013 .................................................................................................... 26 4.1.5 Breeding bird survey results 2014 .................................................................................................... 26 4.1.6 Chough breeding season transect survey results 2017 ................................................................... 26 4.1.7 Chough breeding season pursuit survey results 2017 ..................................................................... 27 4.2 Wintering bird survey results ............................................................................................................ 27 4.2.1 Wintering bird survey results 2009-2010 .......................................................................................... 27 WN034-JAC-PAC-MEM-00015 ii Chough Baseline Report 4.2.2 Wintering bird survey results 2010-2011 .......................................................................................... 27 4.2.3 Wintering bird survey results 2012-2013 .......................................................................................... 27 4.2.4 Wintering bird survey results 2013-2014 .......................................................................................... 28 4.2.5 Wintering bird survey results 2014-2015 .......................................................................................... 28 4.2.6 Chough survey results winter 2017 .................................................................................................. 28 4.3 Summary of chough records from breeding and wintering bird surveys .......................................... 28 4.4 Limitations of survey results ............................................................................................................. 29 5. Discussion ...................................................................................................................................... 30 5.1 Chough populations ......................................................................................................................... 30 5.1.1 Regional context ..............................................................................................................................