5.1.3.2 Noise Monitoring
Noise monitoring activities
were conducted on 23 May 2024 in concurrence with the construction phase
monthly monitoring of the pre-identified active night roosts. Noise monitoring
started at 19:07 and lasted for 30 minutes, until 19:37.
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 May 2024 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, Great
Egret Ardea alba and Little Egret Egretta garzetta.
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 13 May 2024 (daytime) which started at around 07:15.
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 07:15. 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 13 May 2024 (daytime) which started at
around 07:15 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 07:15 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 587
avifauna individuals were recorded in the monitoring area during the May 2024
monitoring period, of which 313 individuals were recorded from the point count
method and 274 individuals from the transect walk method. Relative to the May
2017 baseline data (point count method = 190; and transect walk = 2), increases
were noted for both the point count and transect walk methods.
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 587 avifauna
individuals recorded in the monitoring area during the May 2024 monitoring
period, 110 individuals (point count method = 87 individuals; transect walk
method = 23 individuals) were of conservation importance. With reference to May
2017 data, (point count method = 71; and transect walk = 2), an increase was
noted for both point count and transect walk method. 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 40 avifauna
species (species richness) were recorded during the May 2024 monitoring period,
of which, 35 species were recorded by the point count method while 30 species
were noted by the transect walk method. Relative to the baseline data (point
count method = 31 species; transect walk method = 1 species), increases in
total species richness for both transect walk count and point count methods
were recorded. In terms of Shannon diversity index (H’) values, current result
in point count method showed an increase (t-value = 0.13; t-crit = 1.97;
p-value = 8.99E-01; α = 0.05) relative to the baseline reference value.
The current results in the transect walk method also showed a significant
increase (t-value = 29.6; t-crit = 1.97; p-value = 1.99E-87; 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 40 avifauna species
identified during the May 2024 monitoring period, 12 species were of
conservation importance (point count method = 12 species; transect walk method
= 6 species). Meanwhile, relative to the baseline values in May 2017 (point
count method = 7 species; transect walk method = 1 species), an increase in the
number of species with conservation importance was recorded with both the point
count and transect walk method. In terms of Shannon diversity index (H’), a
slight decrease was noted in point count method (t-value = 0.50; t-crit = 1.97;
p-value = 0.62; α = 0.05) while an increase in transect walk method
(t-value = 8.63; t-crit = 2.07; p-value = 1.134E-08; α = 0.05) was
observed 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 Moderate (M) 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 generally utilized by Very Low to Low (VL -
L) number of species (Table 25).
5.2.3.4 Noise Levels
Noise levels LAeq (30 min) recorded on 13 May 2024(daytime) 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.