Hoylake Bird Observatory (1 Viewer)

[deeestuary]

Hi Jane
I know this is slightly off topic but what is your view on Gwynt y Mor wind farm?
As you will be able to see a total of up to 340 wind turbines (West Hoyle 30, Gwynt y Mor 150 to 250, Burbo Bank - 30 and Rhyl Flats - 30) by 2008 from your bedroom window it will certainly effect your view. According to the (IMO) highly misleading Environmental Statement the visual impact will be 'slight', and effect on the birds in Liverpool Bay 'Negligible'. There are also some highly misleading statements about the cost effectiveness and energy efficiency in this report too. I would be more inclined to accept wind farms if they produced an honest and unbiased comparison of the different energy sources, instead of spouting some recycled nonsense.

 

[Jane Turner]

Richard. I already get my electricity from the North Hoyle Windfarm. I don't mind the appearance of the turbines and especially like them compared to the black smoke belching gas rigs that are out in the bay. I believe offshore windfarms are an essential part of our future and if they colour code them sensibly it will make sea watching so much easier!

 

[Jane Turner]

On Sunday 15th there were an astounding 875 Cormorants in view. Much the largest count I have ever made in North Wirral. I also recorded Sparrowhawk and three Peregrines. There have been good numbers of all the common shore waders. There is still a Song Thrush in the back garden and today I added Red-throated Diver, (2) and Scoter (25) to the year list.

 

[edenwatcher]

New year and still not good at updating. When I do sudeenly get serious about the year list I had better record that today I saw the first Coal Tits and had a Blackcap. There is a big tide due, so perhaps I can pick up a few more unusual species later.

I was beginning to think you had a New Year's resolution to spend less time on BF!

Rob

 

[Jane Turner]

Just been a bit busy Rob. That is all. Fluffed a Ring-billed Gull today. 95% sure it was one and there is one about - just was without bins at th wrong time.

 

[Jane Turner]

Just for the record the year list is 40 so far for 2006

 

[deeestuary]

Richard. I already get my electricity from the North Hoyle Windfarm. I don't mind the appearance of the turbines and especially like them compared to the black smoke belching gas rigs that are out in the bay. I believe offshore windfarms are an essential part of our future and if they colour code them sensibly it will make sea watching so much easier!

Thanks for that Jane, certainly interesting to hear from someone who is positive about wind farms, there doesn't seem to be many!

 

[Jane Turner]

Richard. First and foremost there is a need to reduce wastage of electricity. Then there is a need to move as fast as possible to sustainable and renewable means to generate power. We will need to have a wide range of generation technologies and have clever ways to store and convert "low grade" energy. All of this carries an environmental cost, but none of the new technologies carry as high a cost as doing nothing. We are going to have to make a lot of difficult choices. Offshore wind farms, especially in places like Liverpool Bay where let's be frank there is not a lot to disturb, damage or drive away, are a sensible starting place.

 

[Jane Turner]

I added Chaffinch to the year list at the weekend. A paltry 41

 

[Rob Smallwood]

Jane,

The Observatory's performance seems to have taken a downturn since you changed your Avatar - could there be a connection?!

Rob

PS - 41 is still about 30 more than my suburban back garden has managed!!

 

[deeestuary]

Richard. ...... especially in places like Liverpool Bay where let's be frank there is not a lot to disturb, damage or drive away, are a sensible starting place.

Can't argue against anything you said in that last post, except that last bit.
One wonders why there is a proposed SPA for Liverpool Bay specifically because of the bird interest if 'there is not a lot to disturb'. For example the Wetland and Wildfowl Trust in their surveys sponsored by CCW found in Liverpool Bay 79,000 Common Scoter in Feb 2003 followed by 83,500 in Feb 2004, about a third of these were found just to the south of the proposed windfarm. Add to that a typical 4,800 Manx Shearwater, 150 Red-throated Diver, 4,500 Auks, many hundred Gannets and Kittiwakes etc. Those last two are particularly at risk as many fly at turbine height. As you know hundreds of Little Gulls and Terns migrate overland from Seaforth to the North Sea, the flyway from north Anglesey to Seaforth goes right through Gwynt y Mor. In addition we have no idea how many waders are passing through the area at night. The flight line between Lavan Sands (with typically 15,000+ waterfowl) and the Ribble again goes straight through Gwynt y Mor, and there must be movements between Ireland and the Dee Estuary. Ongoing radar studies on hilbre shows large wader movements taking place at night.
I think there is no doubt that the wind farm will have an impact on these birds, hopefully, as the Environmental Statement say, the impact will be small. But we don't really know until it has been built, when it will be too late.
On a more cheerful note - 2,600 Bar-tailed Godwit off Leasowe this morning but not many knot. All these seem to be in the estuary, we've been getting 10k to 20k at West Kirby last few weeks.

 

[Jane Turner]

Probably not the place to debate this Richard - but the Scoter numbers have been increasing since the first windfarm went up. Cormorant numbers are also increasing - I had a rather staggering 875 last week, nearly three times my previous highest count.

 

[deeestuary]

Probably not the place to debate this Richard - but the Scoter numbers have been increasing since the first windfarm went up. Cormorant numbers are also increasing - I had a rather staggering 875 last week, nearly three times my previous highest count.

Yes, I saw your post re the cormorants, thanks.
There is a quite a difference between the 30 turbines already built and ten times that number planned. But I hope you aren't implying that the Scoter are actually attracted to wind farms! The Environmental Statment itself says "Common Scoter have shown a clear avoidance of the operational wind farm (North Hoyle)". But is clear that the main concentrations are about 5km offshore whereas the Gwynt y Mor is c20km offshore, so lets hope they won't be affected. Anyway, I hope I've made my point that you cannot say "there is not a lot to disturb".

 

[Jane Turner]

I was saying that the existing windfarm has not affected scoter numbers Richard. It a huge expanse of water, and the bulk of the proposed turbines are a very long way out in the one of the least used parts of the bay. I can't think of anywhere in the country I'd rather put them - perhaps that is the best way to phrase it!


Blowing hard today - I'm hopeful of adding a few seabirds to the year list!

 

[deeestuary]

Thanks Jane - better leave it there!

Osprey reported flying over the Mersey today - I think about two months too early! Probably a pale buzzard or may be even a rough-legged buzzard.
The Richard's Pipit is still on the marsh at West Kirby - and birders seem to have stopped wading through the marsh disturbing everything.

 

[Jane Turner]

Added a few species this weekend. Red-breasted Merganser, Eider (2 ducks) and Shag an immature. 70+ Brent Geese in view too and a ubiquitous Peregrines.

 

[Jane Turner]

Turnstone and Kittiwake added today. A good 18,000 waders on the tide yesterday too. 46 species

 

[Jane Turner]

We have a white out today. Redwing, 1200 Fieldfare, 2 Reed Bunting 1, Skylark, 3 Lapwing 25 and Pink footed Goose 75 added.


These facts may not be entirely unrelated.

52 for the year

 

[Jane Turner]

The 53rd species was a flock of 4 Jackdaws on Sunday - a traditional spring migrant here

 

[deeestuary]

The 53rd species was a flock of 4 Jackdaws on Sunday - a traditional spring migrant here

2 White wagtails at Red Rocks this morning, no wheatears yet - surely in the next day or two? Winds going around to SW on Friday and getting a lot milder.