5.1.3.2 Noise Monitoring
Noise monitoring activities
were conducted on 21 September 2023 in concurrence with the construction phase
monthly monitoring of the pre-identified active night roosts. Noise monitoring
started at 18:50 and lasted for 30 minutes, until 19:20.
Current survey results
showed noise levels (LAeq (30 min.)) at both monitoring stations to be well
below the action and limit levels as presented in Table 18.
No Action / Limit
exceedance was recorded for noise levels at stations (NMS1 and NMS2) in close
proximity to the two active ardeid night roosts (ANR1 and ANR2) observed within
the Survey Area during the reporting month.
5.1.4
Detection of Any
Unpredicted Indirect Ecological Impacts Arising from the Project
No unpredicted indirect
ecological impacts that arose from the project were noted during the current
monitoring period.
5.1.5.1 Status and Location of Any Active
Ardeid Night Roost
Two active ardeid night
roost areas (ANR1 and ANR2) were observed within the Survey Area during the September
2023 monitoring period. These roosts were located at the mangrove strips in the
east and northeast portions of the Project boundary. These were used by
individuals of Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus.
5.1.5.2 Noise Monitoring Results
Both noise levels at each
of the monitoring stations were below the action and limit levels.
5.2
Ecological Monitoring of Birds
With reference to Section
7.3.6 of the EM&A Manual, monthly ecological monitoring of
birds, focusing on avifauna species of conservation interest, and overwintering
waterbirds utilising wetland habitats in Fung Lok Wai and Nam Sang Wai as well
as along Shan Pui River and Kam Tin River within the monitoring area (500 m
from the Project Boundary) was conducted in addition to monitoring on the
utilization of wetland habitats by birds also within the same monitoring area
as required by Section 7.3.1 of the EM&A Manual.
5.2.2.1 Monitoring Area
The monitoring area
included wetland habitats in Fung Lok Wai and Nam Sang Wai as well as along
Shan Pui River and Kam Tin River within 500m from the Project boundary with
reference to Section 7.3.6 of the EM&A Manual. The location
of point count sites and transect routes is shown in Appendix P.
5.2.2.2 Monitoring Activity
Avifauna surveys on the
different wetland habitats using the transect count and point count methods
were conducted last 21 September 2023 (daytime and night-time) which started at
around 07:30 and 18:22. Additionally, the survey overlooking the mudflats and
mangroves in the Shan Pui River was concurrently conducted on the same date
with the daytime survey during the low tide (generally 1.5m or below) period,
and also started at around 07:30. The methodology for the monitoring activity
followed Sections 8.3.3.6 and 8.3.3.7 of the EIA Report
(AEIAR-220/2019) and as detailed below.
For the transect count and
point count methods, the presence and relative abundance of avifauna species at
various wetland habitats were recorded visually and aurally.
Avifauna species were
detected either by direct sighting or by their call and identified to species
level. Any notable behaviours such as feeding, roosting and breeding were also
recorded. Bird species encountered outside the point count locations and walk
transects were also recorded. A comprehensive list of species recorded from the
Assessment Area was prepared, with wetland-dependence, conservation and/or protection
status indicated. Ornithological nomenclature in this report follows Carey et
al. (2001), Viney et al. (2005) and the most recent updated list from Hong Kong
Bird Watching Society (HKBWS).
Noise levels were recorded
with the methodology and equipment as mentioned in Section
3.4 and Section 3.2, respectively, of
this EM&A report. The parameter as shown in was recorded at each of the
point count locations.
In addition to recording of
noise levels, any changes in site condition or disturbances detected or
observed at the monitoring locations, including both construction and
non-construction related activities with reference to Section 7.3.7 of
the EM&A Manual were also noted.
5.2.2.3 Data Analysis
For the bird communities,
the monitoring results were compared to pre-construction baseline condition
during the dry and wet seasons as summarized in the Baseline Bird Survey Report
with reference to Section 7.3.8 of the EM&A Manual. However,
to further account the seasonality, monitoring results of the current month
were compared to the results of the corresponding month of the baseline data.
The data for point count
method and transect walk method were presented separately to account for the
difference in the survey effort of the two methods. For each method, abundance
and species composition of the avifauna communities during the monitoring month
were summarized.
To check the presence of
variation in bird abundance between baseline and impact monitoring, t-test was
applied (α = 0.05). Moreover, to check the presence of variation in bird
species diversity, the two-sided Hutcheson t-test was also used. The two-sided
Hutcheson t-test was developed as a method to compare the diversity of two
community samples using the Shannon diversity index (Hutcheson 1970). Shannon
diversity index will be computed using the formula, 
where, H’ = Shannon Diversity Index; Pi = proportion of the population
of species; i = number of species in sample; ln = natural
logarithm. Shannon diversity index is used as it accounts the proportion
(relative abundance) of each species; thus, it gives a better description of
diversity than a plain number of species (species richness).
The Action and Limit Levels
for ecological monitoring of birds have been set and are presented in Appendix C.
Wetland habitat utilization
during the construction phase monitoring shall only be compared seasonally,
hence the comparison shall only be done after all the data (dry season and wet
season) were collected with reference to Appendix 8.5 of the approved EIA
Report.
Results of the avifauna
survey on the different habitats within the monitoring area using the transect
count and point count methods as conducted last 21 September 2023 (daytime and night-time),
which started around 07:30 and 18:22, are presented in Sections 5.2.3.1
and 5.2.3.2. Meanwhile, results for
the surveys overlooking the mudflats and mangroves in the Shan Pui River, with
monitoring activities conducted on similar date with the daytime survey during
the low tide (generally 1.5m or below) period around 07:30 had results
presented in Section 5.2.3.3.
5.2.3.1 Abundance
5.2.3.1.1 All
Avifauna Species
An overall total of 376
avifauna individuals was recorded in the monitoring area during the September
2023 monitoring period, of which 288 individuals were recorded from the point
count method and 88 individuals from the transect walk method. Relative to the September
2016 baseline data (point count method = 222; and transect walk = 119), increase
in point count method and decrease in transect walk method was observed.
Details of these findings
are summarized in Table 20.
No Action / Limit exceedance
was recorded for the abundance of all avifauna species (including but not
limited to overwintering waterbirds) for both the point-count and transect walk
method.
5.2.3.1.2 Avifauna
Species of Conservation Importance
Of the 376 avifauna
individuals recorded in the monitoring area during the September 2023
monitoring period, 129 individuals (point count method = 123 individuals;
transect walk method = 6 individuals) were of
conservation importance. With reference to September 2016 data, (point count
method = 119; and transect walk = 45), increase in point count method and decrease
in transect walk method was also observed. Details of these findings are
summarized in Table 21.
No Action / Limit
exceedance was recorded for the abundance of avifauna species with conservation
importance only for both the point-count and transect walk method.
5.2.3.2 Diversity (Species Richness1
and Shannon Diversity Index2)
5.2.3.2.1 All
Avifauna Species
A total of 42 avifauna
species (species richness) were recorded during the September 2023 monitoring
period, of which, 33 species were recorded by the point count method while 21 species
were also noted by the transect walk method. Relative to the baseline data
(point count method = 34 species; transect walk method = 24 species), decrease
in total species richness for the point count method and increase for transect
walk method were noted. In terms of Shannon diversity index (H’) values,
current result in point count method showed a insignificant decrease (t-value =
1.88; t-crit = 1.97; p-value =0.061; α = 0.05) relative to the baseline
reference value. The current results in the transect walk method showed slightly
decrease (t-value = 3.61; t-crit = 1.98; p-value =0.0004; α = 0.05) from
baseline reference value. Details of these findings are summarized in Table 22, Appendix F.6.1, and Appendix F.6.2.
No Action / Limit
exceedance was recorded for the decline in species diversity of all avifauna
species in the point count / transect walk method.
5.2.3.2.2 Avifauna
Species of Conservation Importance
Of the 42 avifauna species
identified during the September 2023 monitoring period, 12 species were of
conservation importance (point count method = 12 species; transect walk method
= 3 species). Meanwhile, relative to the baseline values in September 2016
(point count method = 12 species; transect walk method = 6 species), no change
in the number of species with conservation importance were recorded from point
count method and a decrease was recorded in the transect walk method. In terms
of Shannon diversity index (H’), no change in point count method (t-value = 2.38;
t-crit = 1.97; p-value =0.02; α = 0.05) and a significant decrease in
transect walk method (t-value = 1.75; t-crit = 2.37; p-value =0.12; α =
0.05) was noted relative to the baseline reference values. Details of these
findings are summarized in Table 23,
and Appendix F.6.3.
No Action / Limit exceedance
was recorded for the decline in species diversity of avifauna species with
conservation importance in the point count / transect walk method.
5.2.3.3 Wetland Habitat Utilization
Avifauna communities were
observed during the current monitoring period in the different wetland
habitats, i.e. mangrove, modified watercourse, ponds, and reed bed.
With reference to Section
7.3.1 of the EM&A Manual, the utilization of the wetland
habitats by birds within the monitoring area was recorded and monitored.
5.2.3.3.1 All
Avifauna Species
During the current
monitoring period, majority of the different wetland habitats were observed
with very low (VL) abundance. In terms of species richness, different wetland
habitats were generally observed with very low (VL) number of species (Table 24).
5.2.3.3.2 Avifauna
Species of Conservation Importance
Majority of the different
wetland habitats had very low (VL) abundance of avifauna species of
conservation importance; and were also generally utilized by very low (VL)
number of species (Table 25).
5.2.3.4 Noise Levels
Noise levels LAeq (30 min)
recorded on 21 September 2023 (daytime and nighttime) from each of the point
count locations during the ecological bird monitoring are shown in Table 26.
No Action / Limit
exceedance was recorded for noise levels at all stations for the ecological
monitoring of birds in the reporting month.