Project name: Bird and bat monitoring prior to construction of Wind Farm Boraja I + II (Environmental studies for the pre-construction phase of Wind Farm Boraja I + II)
Client: Acciona Energija Ltd.
Project partners: Supernatural Ltd.
Period: 08/2022 – 07/2024
Location: Croatia
Field activities for bat and bird monitoring for Wind Farm ‘Boraja II’ were conducted from August 2022 to August 2023.
The following activities were performed as part of bat monitoring:
- periodic bat call recording along transect routes
- continuous bat call recording at stationary points
- roost site surveys
- mist-netting
- mission report preparation
- data processing and analysis
- impact assessment on bats
- communication and consultation with the client
- final report preparation.
The following activities were performed as part of bird monitoring:
- monitoring from observation points (Vantage point methodology)
- transmission line surveys
- raptor nest searches
- transect surveys for nesting birds (songbird fauna monitoring)
- nocturnal bird call surveys (owl monitoring)
- mission report preparation
- data processing and analysis
- impact assessment on birds
- communication and consultation with the client
- final report preparation.
Bat fauna was monitored by recording bat calls at two stationary points and along two transect routes to assess activity levels and by surveying nearby important roosting sites. Mist-netting provided additional data on species composition. Bat call recordings were analysed using BatExplorer software and relevant literature. Bat activity was analysed temporally and spatially within a GIS environment to create a map of presumed space use degree (SUD). Based on these analyses, potential impacts of the project on bat fauna were assessed, and mitigation measures were proposed. The monitoring methodology, results, analyses, and recommendations were presented in the final report.
Ornithofauna was monitored through observations from vantage points, casualty searches under an existing transmission line, raptor nest searches, transect surveys for nesting birds, and call surveys for nocturnal birds. Overflights of species susceptible to wind turbine collisions were analysed within a GIS environment. Nesting pair density and the number of pairs of nocturnal species were calculated. Based on these analyses, potential impacts of the project on ornithofauna were assessed, and mitigation measures were proposed. The monitoring methodology, results, analyses, and recommendations were presented in the final report.
Implementation of this Project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
