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The numbers of inshore waterbirds using Tay Bay during the non-breeding season, and an assessment of the area's potential for qualification as a marine SPA 2007

Abstract

Tay Bay is known to support large numbers of inshore waterbirds over the winter period. This report describes analyses of data from boat and aerial surveys of inshore waterbirds conducted in the Tay Bay area over five winter seasons between 1997 and 2005.

The numbers of red-throated diver (Gavia stellata), common eider (Somateria mollissima), common scoter (Melanitta nigra), velvet scoter (Melanitta fusca), long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis), red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator), and little gulls (Larus minutus) using the waters of Tay Bay were analysed and assessed against the appropriate Stage 1 guideline thresholds, to determine whether the area or part of it might meet the site selection requirements under Stage 1 of the UK Site Selection Guidelines, as an SPA under the EU Birds Directive (79/409/EEC).

Species distributions using the raw count data are presented here; detailed spatial analyses of bird distributions to define boundary location options for any potential SPA may be conducted in the future.

Resource type Publication

Topic category Environment

Reference date 2007·09·01

Citation
Sohle, I., McSorley, C., Dean, B.J., Webb, A. & Reid, J.B. 2007., The numbers of inshore waterbirds using Tay Bay during the non-breeding season, and an assessment of the area's potential for qualification as a marine SPA. JNCC Report No. 401, JNCC, Peterborough, ISSN 0963-8091.

Lineage
This report describes data from boat and aerial surveys of Tay Bay carried out over five winter seasons (1997/98, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2003/04 and 2004/05).

Responsible organisation
Communications, JNCC publisher

Limitations on public access No limitations

Use constraints Available under the Open Government Licence 3.0

Metadata date 2020·12·07

Metadata point of contact
Communications, JNCC

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