First up: no #fieldwork. AT ALL. 1/
Instead, they depended on studies already published for other reasons.
How did that work out? 2/
In the 17 years since, the #Tagus has changed a lot for birds. Improved #water treatment but drastic increase in #shellfish harvesting. 3/
No data on protected #breeding spp. No autumn #migration, when #birds are most numerous. 🤦
Plus, unequal coverage of the estuary. 4/
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESsVgZZWsAAAE_U.png)
But important areas in the northeast of the estuary were still omitted.
ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/research/publi… 6/
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESsVnuMWsAMo0wp.png)
e.g. site fidelity quantified locally for Black-t #Godwit by @TeresaCatry &al doi.org/10.1371/journa…
& for #Sanderling by @PedroLo43221019 &al dx.doi.org/10.7717%2Fpeer…
but EIA cites much older work from north UK. 7/
#Spoonbills by @WGLepelaar, #godwits by @GlobalFlyway @NIOZnieuw
Little #Bustard by @jpcampbellsilva
Plus many more spp colour ringed by @_JoseAAlves_ @afonso_dr_rocha @J_Reneerkens & many others 8/
The #ornithology in the EIA rests upon a #model of #disturbance from #aircraft takeoff/landing.
Where did they get the data from? 10/
wildfowl.wwt.org.uk/index.php/wild…
The catch – noise was a 3 second horn blast, which is not very much like an #aeroplane landing. 🤦11/
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESsW8ZkWoAMsJZi.jpg)
Based on small flocks of very few spp (see col 4) - not representative of huge flocks & #biodiversity found in the Tagus. 12/
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESsXUT6XgAI7iyg.png)
Oddly, the cited paper found ~14% disturbance at this level 🤨. This error shrinks the area affected in the EIA. 🤔🤔
Other studies of chronic traffic noise also show effects at 50-60dB. 13/
The only compensation measure proposed in EIA is creation & mgmt of saltpans- largely used for roosting! 14/
If someone from ANA ever invites you to dinner, make sure you eat first – but expect to stay the night! 15/
What about other species? Who knows? Who cares? 🤷♂️ Not @apambient nor @govpt 16/
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESsaZU1WsAAuA5T.png)
SPAs are intended to provide refuge from human disturbance. 17/
This effect is not considered in the EIA. 18/
Therefore, #Montijo airport’s impacts would harm #wildlife across half the world – not just in #Portugal. 19/
But it’s worse than that – a coordinated attempt by @govpt and private business to override the law, the needs of #conservation and the wishes of local people. 20/
By attempting to force this crazy location, @govpt & @antoniocostapm make themselves look reckless, short-sighted and incompetent. 21/
My thread refers to the assessment of impacts on the wider Tagus estuary, in particular the SPA.