Scores of the protected birds have been dying each year after colliding with the blades of about 5,000 wind turbines. [...]
‘It would take 167 pairs of local nesting golden eagles to produce enough young to compensate for their mortality rate related to wind energy production,’ field biologist Doug Bell, manager of East Bay Regional Park District's wildlife programme, told the Los Angeles Times. ‘We only have 60 pairs,’ he added. [...]
Nationwide, about 440,000 birds are said to be accidentally killed at wind farms each year, as well as thousands more bats. With the government pushing for more wind energy farms, that statistic is likely to rise. [...]
Danger Captain Journalist, danger! Math overload!
... the moves have done little to protect the golden eagles, which weigh about 14 pounds and stand up to 409 inches tall.
Getting their skinny little heads lopped off, they is.
They must live in those giant california redwoods.
Syncrude paid $1,875 per duck killed in the tailings pond.
Are the Greenies going to pay the $825,000,000 for their fowl deeds?
One quibble, Kate — that should read "arithmetic overload."
I have yet to find a journalist that can actually do math.
Just as well they get their heads lopped off. America doesn't need 10-meter-high eagles roaming the country side.
America doesn't need 10-meter-high eagles roaming the country side.
Actually, I think that would be awesome.
10 metre tall eagles are a known consequence of global warming.
Them birds need to eat more. They must be REALLY skinny.
The Tasmanian sub-species of the wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi) is protected by State and Federal law and, under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, it is an offence even to disturb its general habitat. Fewer than one hundred and thirty breeding pairs are left in the State.
Well, that’s all right then.If anyone else killed a wedge-tailed eagle, The Greens would be calling loudly for exemplary punishment—but not when wind-turbines slaughter the birds.
sylvanguy nails it.
The answer, of course, is no. The beauty of the green scam is that environmentalists never directly pay, unlike corporations.
I don't believe one word of the "birds killed by rotating blades" theory. The story may serve certain political factions, however no bird is stupid enough to fly into a rotating blade except in a situation where high winds would direct it there or make it's flight difficult. And most wind generators shut down when winds reach high speeds. Wind farms are just not economically feasible, period, end of story.
It's interesting to compare the delta smelt to the bald eagle.
Environmentalists have damn near shut down most of the irrigation in the Central Valley of california (a major agriculture centre) to purportedly save an insignificant fish of no worth, meanwhile the ongoing slice and dice by windmills of thousands of useful birds and bats continues.
What could be the reason for a difference in regulatory regimes? Perhaps one of the affected species-the bald eagle-is a national symbol and should therefore be destroyed while the other is insignificant. Which one would you expect Obambi to champion?
Holy Giant Eagle Batman!!!
I for one welcome our new 409" tall eagle overlords....
I heard, ( and I can't supply references) that the pressure difference going through the windmills is sufficient to cause bleeding in the lungs of birds causing them to die. I wish I could provide a reference. Can anyone help with this, is it an urban legend or is there some truth to it.
mid island mike
409 inches?
I think somebody might be compensating for something.
Kleen Bill, why should the operators of a windfarm falsely claim that their own turbines killed protected species?
Remind me again why we went from sail ships to steam powered ships? Oh ya, that thingomajig called "Constant Reliability"...
In the US they have "Giant Eagle" here in Canada we have "Giant Tiger"...They slay their big bird problem with giant blades...Were still debating on how to address our big feline problem here: Surround them, corner them and drive them so they fall and get stuck in our 'tar' sands? Or better; direct them down south so the can feed on those giant eagles...Yeah, that's the ticket!
OK I'm putting the bong away now...
What I can not figure out why the oil industry doesn't let things like this become known. The Oil Sands industry does its best to protect the enviroment - though more is being done than before - and the wildlife.
The MSM is afraid to touch this ... perhaps Sun Media can start doing documentaries on this bird butchering power generators. The enviroMENTALists are also afraid of this becoming public.
Somebody should write Elizabeth May and Dr. Fruitfly to start a campaign to ban wind-turbines - never will happen though until the public become aware of problem.
I think I see the problem. The article transposes carbines for turbines:
"Newer carbines are said to be less harmful to birds"
Its those old carbine windmills-Obambi will be wanting to control firearms.
Or is a yet another example of the MSM being incapable of proof-reading.
"I don't believe one word of the "birds killed by rotating blades" theory. "
What part of "dead bird on ground by turbine, smashed" is so hard to grasp?
"Some animals are more equal than others"
Some source of energy are too, it seems.
Even scarier than a giant walking bird is the man who is even taller. Check out the pics in the article. Some giant has his hand and completely around the monster.
How long have I been asleep?
I don't believe one word of the "birds killed by rotating blades" theory.
~Kleen Bill
It isn't just a theory.
http://tinyurl.com/6hcowwy
Wanna bet that when confronted with green technology™ (AKA Greed Technology) failing the species at risk test, that some green™ (AKA Greed) mouthpiece will haul out the old saw about these birds being the sacrifice made for "progress" -- now where have we heard that before?
I heard, ( and I can't supply references) that the pressure difference going through the windmills is sufficient to cause bleeding in the lungs of birds causing them to die. I wish I could provide a reference. Can anyone help with this, is it an urban legend or is there some truth to it.
mid island mike
Posted by: mike at June 7, 2011 12:19 PM
Well, Mike, I don't know about birds, but perhaps it was bats that you had heard about.
I heard, ( and I can't supply references) that the pressure difference going through the windmills is sufficient to cause bleeding in the lungs of birds causing them to die. I wish I could provide a reference. Can anyone help with this, is it an urban legend or is there some truth to it.
mid island mike
Posted by: mike at June 7, 2011 12:19 PM
Well, Mike, I don't know about birds, but perhaps it was bats that you had heard about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRqu4WiLQfk&feature=related
Kleen Bill, "no bird is stupid enough to fly into a rotating blade."
From SaskPower website: "When generating power, blades rotate at a speed of 17 revolutions per minute and the tips of the blades spin at 256 km/hr."
They have flown into my truck grill and I don't drive that fast. They have flown into my house windows, even when my house was pretty much standing still.
grille
I don't believe one word of the "birds killed by rotating blades" theory.
~Kleen Bill
Somethings are rather hard to believe without seeing them. That does not make them untrue; it just makes them hard to believe. For instance, someone might have a hard time believing that one of these golden eagles could actually fly away with a goat that weighs more than the eagle itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XafAdkZIYKA
Harder to believe is that a golden eagle can kill a full grown wolf. The eagle appears to use its talons to suffocate the wolf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loW4UAmB7lw
Further, the link posted by Oz is obviously about a rather large bird in a calm wind.
To WalterF and Deadman:
Re: rotating blades.
WalterF: Birds hit your truck grill because they're on the shoulder of the highway or road eating seeds and you startle them. Thus they fly up and the truck hits the bird.
True that the tip of the blade may hit speeds of up to 256 KPH, but only because of the large diameter of the unit. An eagle would see those blades at least 3-4 times further away as you and I could. And birds will almost always shy away from motion. I won't argue that on rare occaisions it could happen, but I don't believe it would be very often. What next?? Birds being throttled by a scarecrow?
Great urban legend?
Still don't know why SynCrude hasn't surrounded all their ponds with wind mills. All their bird/environment problems would be solved!
Kleen Bill, you address your last comment, in part, to me, but without addressing my question: why should the operators of a windfarm falsely claim that their own turbines killed protected species?
Maybe they meant 409 -cubic- inches. That would make it a Chevy v8 powered Golden Eagle.
I'd be interested in that. :) Stick or automatic?
Kleen Bill, interesting that one of the maintenance problems windmills have is getting the blades cleaned and inspected. Crud builds up on the leading edges of the blades, leading to loss of efficiency and an out-of-balance condition. The crud comes from splattered bugs, bats and birds.
The leading edges have to be inspected for cracks cause by collisions. With birds.
All this cleaning and inspecting costs a buttload of money, because it has to be done in a basket on the back of the mother of all cherry picker trucks by guys with nerves of pure titanium.
So tell me again about the bird thing?
Sorry, Kleen Bill, but it has been caught on video and there is even one on youtube of a wind turbine killing a big bird. It is really a sad thing to watch.
Of course Kleen Bill won't believe it. His green religion won't allow him to.
"one on youtube of a wind turbine killing a big bird"
A turkey vulture who was hit while scavenging the dead birds scattered under the turbines.
"Still don't know why SynCrude hasn't surrounded all their ponds with wind mills. All their bird/environment problems would be solved!"
That's a good way to look at it. I'm gonna mention this to one of my militant greentard acquaintances and see how she reacts. I have a feeling her head is gonna explode.
I noticed that Lawrence Eagleburger, Reagan-era political figure, died the other day. What a tragedy. Had he lived, he could have licensed his name to some wind power company and made a fortune...
Think of all the homeless these giant birds could feed.Eagle is very tasty. Almost as good as the Albino Grizzly from the great bear rain forest and even better than the white buffalo. Perhaps we could move the homeless under the windmills. Mana from heaven.
For those who don't believe that wind turbines kill birds:
Watch from the 2 minute mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RcTjdY1aN4&feature=related
Or just Google bird kills at Wolfe Island (near Kingston, Ontario):
"Wolfe Island bird kills raise wind power concerns
(07/07/10) A recent study of bird and bat mortality at Wolfe Island's 82-turbine wind farm is raising concerns among environmentalists. Wolfe Island is Canadian territory, located where Lake Ontario empties into the St. Lawrence River. The report found 600 birds and more than a thousand bats were killed by the windmill blades in a six month period. Nature Canada called the numbers "shockingly high." Ornithologist Bill Evans says the real question is which species of birds died. Evans directs Old Bird, Inc. in Ithaca and has consulted for both wind power companies and environmental groups. He told David Sommerstein Wolfe Island is a designated important bird area, so ornithologists predicted high fatalities. Evans says the number of hawks, owls, and other raptors was the most alarming."
As an aside, an estimated million plus birds are killed annually by flying into buildings in Toronto.
More birds have died by hitting the Toronto Star building than in the Syncrude tailings ponds!
California always ahead of its time. Next it will be shutting down its power stations, to save the blue worm.
Than it will inport polar bears to save them.
Even if they do die of heat prostration. Its the trying that counts. California's Foreskin man always planning a head.
It's okay. Polar bears don't fly. [Except Knut when he was put on drugs to calm him down for the tourists.]
Why does the Toronto Star hate blackbirds?
Kleenex Willy
here's a hint for ewe, the wind farm owners now have to offer to buy all properties within a certain distance of any new "wind farm". The reason for this law is pertinent to the reasoning as to why birds fly into these damn things. And if you do enough research you may just come across some other interesting and usefull information
Food source...................
oh heck, it's probably a decimal point that is missing. How about 40.9 inches?
...give em an inch...
I heard, ( and I can't supply references) that the pressure difference going through the windmills is sufficient to cause bleeding in the lungs of birds causing them to die. I wish I could provide a reference. Can anyone help with this, is it an urban legend or is there some truth to it.
mid island mike
Posted by: mike at June 7, 2011 12:19 PM
Mike here's some numbers on bats and pressures that cause them to drown in their own blood, apparently this tidbit has been around since 2004.
Scientific American: Scientists have known since 2004 that wind farms kill bats, just as they kill birds, even though the flying mammals should be able to avoid them....
Pressure drops of as low as 4.4 kilopascals kill common lab rats and all the bats autopsied showed internal damage and bleeding consistent with this type of death, known as barotrauma. “If bats have a lungful of air as they fly through the air-pressure change, there’s nowhere for the air to go,” Baerwald explains. “The small blood vessels around the lungs burst and fill the lungs with fluid and blood.”
Cribbed from
http://ktwop.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/bats-among-the-windmills/
A problem with bats is that -- while birds can see the blades -- bats might not echo-locate the blades because the blades are not in front of them until the last moment.