Campaigners have branded the arrival of bird-scarers at the proposed Golticlay wind farm site as a cynical “ecological clearance” designed to dodge nesting laws and fast-track construction.
The tranquillity of the Causewaymire area, which incorporates parts of the Flow Country, has been interrupted by a series of garish bird-scaring devices spaced along parts of the A9 and the Achavanich road at 150-metre intervals.
Caithness residents raised a massive red flag after spotting contractors, believed to be from McGowans, installing the scarers across prime nesting ground just as waders return. For the people of Dunbeath and the surrounding area, the timing is seen as a deliberate move to drive away protected species before they can even scrape a nest into the peat, effectively “clearing the decks” for industrial construction.
The core of the controversy lies in a perceived loophole in environmental protections. If these birds were allowed to settle and nest, construction would legally have to grind to a halt to protect the hatchlings.
By deploying scarers now, critics argue that developers are conveniently avoiding a “construction inconvenience” by ensuring the birds never settle in the first place.
Alison Ellerington of Dunbeath is firm in her belief that it is tactical displacement rather than genuine stewardship.
Thurso and Northwest Caithness councillor Matthew Reiss has been monitoring the situation closely from the A9, noting that the devices appear to be spaced roughly every 150 metres. He believes the legality of the move hinges entirely on a calendar; if they were erected after the birds had already started nesting, it could constitute a serious offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/angry-birds-wind-farm-bird-scarers-spark-fury-as-breeding-s-432964/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRVaLJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETA0QjExV0ZZSkxCY0pienNxc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHiDOtygG5tRzPoilaX3EFY5aTvFUsAl-vBZQNKrFErY4f-hmTxvpgdKIZqfJ_aem_K22Mu72KpnxMqklqlFrApQ
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