Stop Turbines In North Cornwall

The risk to birds from the proposed Davidstow Community Windfarm

The risk to birds from the proposed Davidstow Community Windfarm

Flocks of starlings at Davidstow

Community Windpower Ltd is proposing to establish a 20-turbine windfarm on land comprising Davidstow Moor, Davidstow Woods and farmland immediately west of the woods and Crowdy reservoir. No mention is made in the brochure for the project of the risk to birds using the area. The whole area is used very extensively by very large numbers of several species of bird as a wintering and roosting area and, for a number of important species, for breeding. It is therefore unsuitable as a site for the proposed windfarm.

The birds most at risk, and in large numbers, are: starling, golden plover, lapwing, rook, crow, jackdaw, herring gull, lesser black-backed gull, greater black-backed gull, black-headed gull, Canada goose, mallard, teal and pochard. In smaller numbers, but equally at risk are: buzzard, peregrine, sparrowhawk, kestrel, merlin, barn owl, tawny owl, swallow, mistle thrush, skylark, wheatear, linnet, pied wagtail, snipe, ringed plover, dunlin, raven, meadow pipit and stonechat.

The greatest risk is to starlings. The woods are used by up to 1 million starlings as a night roost from October to March. The birds fly in from every direction in the evening, circle the woods for some time before settling in the area occupied by six turbines (Nos 6 - 11).

All the other turbines put birds at risk approaching from the north, west and south. The starling although present in such large numbers, is, neverthe less, a Red Data Book species with amber status (a species of medium concern). Besides the direct threat to starlings, their presence attracts numbers of raptors to feed on the approaching and roosting birds. A dozen buzzards have been seen on a number of occasions and there are so often peregrine, merlin and sparrowhawk present that birdwatchers come to see these birds as much as to view the spectacle of the starlings themselves.

Golden plover assemble in numbers of up to 2000 - 3000 in the air over the area of the airfield (turbines 1 - 5). They are also present in numbers over 1000 on and over the very fields on which turbines 12, 14, 17 and 18 - 20 are placed. These areas are used for feeding and roosting. Lapwing which associate with the golden plover are also found in numbers of up to 1000 birds in the same areas. Turbine 15 is sited directly on a corvid roost into which 100s of crows, rooks and jackdaws assemble every night during the winter months. There is also a raven roost about 1km from turbine 20 which, along with turbines 15 - 19 could present a hazard to ravens flying to roost.

Geese over Crowdy Reservoir

A large number of bird species are attracted by Crowdy reservoir. These birds move in and out on a daily basis flying across the whole area where turbines are located. The birds affected are the gull species and Canada geese which may number up to 500 birds. The ducks similarly move in and out in lower numbers from Crowdy. The reservoir also attracts migrants and winter visitors which often move across the area of turbines to feed on Davidstow airfield. This is a sufficiently regular occurrence to attract numbers of birdwatchers to the sites to watch the birds. Davidstow airfield and the woods are a roosting and wintering area for large flocks of pied wagtail.

There are a number of nesting birds which could be affected adversely by the introduction of turbines. There is a tawny owl nesting regularly within 240m of turbines 15 and 16. There is a barn owl presence with possible nesting in buildings within 160m of turbines 15 and 16, and a kestrel nested this year within 150m of turbine 1. Stock dove also nest in the same buildings. Linnet, wheatear and stonechat also nest in the vicinity of turbines 1 and 2. There is a regular buzzard nest within 100m of turbines 6. One of the last breeding sites of snipe in Cornwall is situated within 150m of turbines 9 and 11. Turbine 11 is within 500m of a regular breeding site for several pairs of lapwing.

It is not known whether the species present are susceptibile to blade strikes, although both large and small birds have been killed by the blades elsewhere. Turbines are known to have an adverse effect on birds' willingness to nest when turbines are erected in the vicinity of established nesting sites. This could have an adverse effect on the presence of snipe in Cornwall as a breeding species.

The RSPB were consulted by Community Windpower as to the effect on birds and they advised the windpower company that they should look elsewhere to build their proposed windfarm.

The pictures below show starlings coming in to roost at Davidstow Forestry.

Above and below: Flocks of starlings coming in to roost in Davidstow woods

Arthur Boyt, BSc