5.1.3.2
Noise
Monitoring
Noise monitoring activities were conducted on 18
February 2022 in concurrence with the construction phase monthly monitoring of
the pre-identified active night roosts. Noise monitoring started at 18:03 and
lasted for 30 minutes, until 18:33.
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 5.3.
5.1.4
Detection of Any Unpredicted Indirect Ecological
Impacts Arising from the Project
No unpredicted indirect
ecological impacts that arose from the project was noted during the current
monitoring period.
5.1.5
Summary
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 February 2022 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, Eastern Cattle Egret, and Intermediate Egret.
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
5.2.1
Monitoring Requirement
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
Monitoring Methodology
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
Daytime time avifauna survey on the different
wetland habitats using the transect count and point count methods was conducted
on 15 February 2022 (daytime) which started around 07:45 and 18 February 2022 (night
time) around 18:22. For the survey overlooking the mudflats and mangroves in
the Shan Pui River, it was concurrently conducted on
the same date with the day time survey during the low tide (generally 1.5m or
below) period at also around 08:57. 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.
5.2.3
Monitoring Results
Results of the avifauna survey on the different
habitats within the monitoring area using the transect count and point count
methods as conducted last 15 February 2022 (daytime) and 18 February 2022 (night time) 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 which started around 08:57 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 778 avifauna individuals was recorded in the monitoring area during the February
2022 monitoring period, of which 672 individuals were recorded from the point count method and 106 individuals from the transect walk method. Relative to the February
2017 baseline data (point count method = 642; and transect walk = 2), current increases
in total abundance for both the point count method and transect walk method results
were noted. Details of these findings are summarized in Table 5.5.
5.2.3.1.2 Avifauna Species of Conservation Importance
Of the 778 avifauna individuals recorded in the
monitoring area during the February 2022 monitoring period, 410 individuals (point count method = 334 individuals; transect walk method = 76 individuals) were of conservation importance. With reference
to February 2017 data, current results showed an insignificant decrease in
total abundance of point count method (t-value = -0.25; p-value = 0.81; α
= 0.05) while an increase in transect walk method was noted. Details of these
findings are summarized in Table 5.6 and Appendix F.7.1.
5.2.3.2
Diversity
(Species Richness[1] and
Shannon Diversity Index[2])
5.2.3.2.1 All Avifauna
Species
A total of 48 avifauna species (species richness)
were recorded during the February 2022 monitoring period, of which, 46 species
were recorded by the point count method while 20 species were noted by the
transect walk method. Relative to the baseline data (point count method = 58
species; transect walk method = 1 species), decrease in total species richness
for both the point count method was noted. In terms of Shannon
diversity index (H’), an increases from baseline
reference values were observed in both point count and transect walk methods. Details of these findings are summarized in Table 5.7.
5.2.3.2.2 Avifauna Species of
Conservation Importance
Of the 48 species of avifauna identified during the
February 2022 monitoring period, 21 species were of conservation importance
(point count method = 20 species; transect walk method = 11 species). Relative
to the baseline values in February 2017, decrease in the number of species with
conservation importance was recorded from the point count method while an
increase in the number of species with conservation importance for the transect
walk method was noted. In terms of Shannon diversity index (H’), an insignificant decrease
(t-value = 1.09; t-crit = 1.96; p-value =0.28; α = 0.05) from baseline reference
value was observed in point count method; while an increase was noted in transect walk method. Details of these findings are
summarized in Table 5.8 and Appendix 7.8.1.
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, and ponds.
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, the different
wetland habitats such as Shan Pui River adjacent to
Project site; Upper course of Shan Pui River along
YLIE; Active Ponds North to Nullah 2 in Fung Lok Wai; and Active and Inactive
Ponds in Nam Sang Wai were observed with low to moderate (L-M) abundance. In
terms of species richness, the Upper course of Shan Pui
River along YLIE; Active Ponds adjacent to Project site in Fung Lok Wai; and
Active Ponds North to Nullah 2 in Fung Lok Wai were noted with very high (VH)
number of species among the other habitats during the period (Table 5.9).
5.2.3.3.2 Avifauna Species of
Conservation Importance
Among the different wetland habitats, only the
Upper course of Shan Pui River along YLIE was
observed with low to moderate (L-M) abundance. In terms of species richness,
only the Upper course of Shan Pui River along YLIE
was utilized by moderate to high (M-H) number of species, while the rest of
wetland habitats had very low (VL); and low to moderate (L-M) number of species
(Table 5.10).
5.2.3.3.3 Overwintering Avifauna Species
A total of 18 winter visitor species were observed
utilizing the wetland habitats within the survey area during this monitoring
period. Among these wetland habitats, the Shan Pui
River adjacent to Project site; Upper course of Shan Pui
River along YLIE; and Active and Inactive Ponds in Nam Sang Wai were noted with
very low to low (VL-L) abundances. Moreover, low to moderate (L-M) species
richness of overwintering avifauna species were observed in Shan Pui River adjacent to Project site; and Upper course of
Shan Pui River along YLIE (Table 5.11).
5.2.3.4
Noise
Levels
Noise levels LAeq
(30 min) recorded on 15 February 2022 (day time) and 18 February 2022 (night
time) from each of the point count locations during the ecological bird
monitoring are shown in Table 5.12.