[donatracy]

http://magicaleye.smugmug.com/photos/133321503-S.jpg America’s national symbol, the Bald Eagle was on the brink of extinction due to the pesticide DDT. Through its ban and captive breeding and release programs, the Bald Eagle has flown off the Federal Endangered and Threatened Species List and can once again be found in many of its historical locations. Americans can be proud of that and other success stories like Peregrine Falcon. Of course, the Bald Eagle is still endangered in some states. And so, we must remain vigilant.

As a wildlife rehabilitator for over 25 years, 99 percent of the injuries I treated were the result of our impact on the environment. Of course, wildlife die from other causes. However, the ones we find are generally injured or killed by collisions with our technologies: automobiles, trains, cars, trucks, planes, windows, power lines, cell phone towers, wind turbines, entangled in barbed and razor wire, poison (pesticides, rodenticides and herbicides) guns, traps and also our pets.

There are new threats to these magnificent birds of prey, wildlife and endangered species that require our knowledge and vigilance. Remember that at one time DDT was an environmental 'hero', but its use led to an environmental nightmare.

Presently, we are in the midst of an energy crisis. Crises often lead to actions we might later regret. Fossil fuels, for example, foster our dependence on foreign oil and are said to be a major contributor to global warming. Unfortunately, we are in danger of exacerbating the problem with the unbridled creation of more industry.

On the surface industrial wind farms such as the Cape Wind project, consisting of 130 440’ wind turbines with a 100’ electrical platform filled with oil slated for the Nantucket Sound, Cape Cod, MA, look good. They use non- polluting wind to generate electricity, and wind, after all, is free. What could possibly be wrong with that? Well, let's just say the devil is always in the details.

http://magicaleye.smugmug.com/photos/48753708-S.jpg Technical issues aside, let's just concentrate on the balance of nature.

In order for wildlife to survive they need places to safely nest, feed and breed. In our modern world there are fewer and fewer of those available due to human encroachment and development (what could be more “developed” in terms of Mother Nature, than a field, a wetland, a mountain, a jungle, an ocean?).

Fortunately, there are people, organizations and government agencies to protect wild places and beings. On the other hand, many of these people, organizations and government agencies are selling out to industry and being compromised. There was a time when no not-for-profit organization would accept money from environmentally harmful businesses. That has changed. Today, many allow themselves to be used by the perpetrators in the quest for funds, power, recognition, credibility and influence. They help the perpetrators 'green-wash' themselves; goodness by association.

We want forms of alternative energy that do not pollute our planet and foster our dependence on foreign oil. But at the same time we want to preserve our wildlife habitats and open spaces. But what choices are we given? The only one readily available is wind power. All of the others are on the back burner waiting for the funding and recognition that the wind lobbyists have usurped.

In order for us to get on the band wagon for this new industry, we are made to feel un-American and un-environmental if we even question it, much less don't buy into it.

But, these whitewashed “green” monsters kill wildlife and wildlife habitat.

Large scale industrial wind farms, like Cape Wind proposed as the largest off shore wind farm in the world, especially when on inappropriate sites, like in the middle of an important migratory flyway, the Nantucket Sound, and endangered species habitat, kill birds especially raptors and bats by the thousands... millions.

Both raptors and bats are extremely focused hunters. They attend completely to the hunt. And that is why they, above all other flying animals, are so badly impacted by wind turbines. They cannot be distracted by ambient sight and noise. They die in the blades because they don't see or hear them even on a clear day or night.

http://magicaleye.smugmug.com/photos/133372749-S.jpg All over the world raptors and bats are dying at industrial wind farms. It is not the old technologies like those at Altamont Pass in CA that have killed raptors by the thousands each year including Golden Eagles. It is the brand new ones like the Smola Wind Farm off the coast of Norway where the entire breeding population of the endangered white-tailed (sea) eagle has been killed, including the adults and their babies, in less than one year. (BBC Article Here.)

Not only do these industrial wind farms directly kill birds and bats, but they wipe out entire ecosystems on which they depend in order to erect the infrastructure they need. They blast the tops off of mountains, plow roads through dwindling wildlife habitat, dredge the life out of our seas, wipe out forests and kill what is left of our prairies.

http://magicaleye.smugmug.com/photos/89365504-S.jpg We, as Americans, pride ourselves on ingenuity, intelligence and ability to solve problems. And we can do it. We only need to be asked to conserve and protect our precious natural resources while we formulate answers that will help to save this incredible place we all call home, today and for the future.

Please, don't be fooled by infomercials of a growing industry. Look into what is being glossed over, dismissed and hidden and then decide.

For more information please visit web sites: National Wind Watch, Industrial Wind Action Group, Country Guardian, AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY WIND ENERGY POLICY, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, BirdLife International report on windfarms and birds, New Jersey Audubon position paper on wind power energy and Bat Conservation International

Photos by Dona Tracy

[KCFoggin]

Hello there and a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum

Once you've acquainted yourself with our very large forum, you will see that there are quite a few discussions (present and past in the archives) regarding wind farms.

Please join in wherever you like.

[Upland Birder]

Hi Dona,

Windfarms are a mennace to birds, general wildlife and habitat. The problem is that windfarm developments are popping up all over the place even in the face of stiff opposition.

At the end of the day humans are quite a destructive mammal on the planet and wildlife including wild birds have no say. They are not valued or respected by the vast majority. The idea of protecting wildlife from being crushed or lost forever is an alien concept or even inconvenient to many politicians, planners, developers and big businesses who's only important concept in life is making money!!

The huge windfarm on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles is just one example of a disaster waiting to happen for wildlife, birds and rare habitat

Dean

Cheadle Birder

[emupilot]

There are problems with wind farms, as you point out, but I don't think infrastructure requirements are one of them. Most other forms of energy are likely to have a bigger footprint than wind for mines, gas drilling, dams, etc. plus burning fossil fuels produces pollution which reaches a wide area and contributes to climate change. I hope that what is learned at Altamont and other locations, combined with proper siting away from raptor concentrations and migratory pathways, can make wind power a positive source of energy.

[Barred Wobbler]

Originally Posted by emupilot

There are problems with wind farms, as you point out, but I don't think infrastructure requirements are one of them. Most other forms of energy are likely to have a bigger footprint than wind for mines, gas drilling, dams, etc. plus burning fossil fuels produces pollution which reaches a wide area and contributes to climate change. I hope that what is learned at Altamont and other locations, combined with proper siting away from raptor concentrations and migratory pathways, can make wind power a positive source of energy.

But our mines have been concentrated in areas of human population. Our windfarms are being erected many miles away on unspoilt habitat for raptors. Scotland's golden eagles and white-tailed eagles of which they are rightly proud are under serious threat. Once they are depleted beyond recovery due to attrition and habitat fragmentation, doubtless someone will launch a re-introduction project in a blaze of self-righteous glory.

After the damage is done.

[emupilot]

Originally Posted by Alan Seaton

But our mines have been concentrated in areas of human population. Our windfarms are being erected many miles away on unspoilt habitat for raptors. Scotland's golden eagles and white-tailed eagles of which they are rightly proud are under serious threat. Once they are depleted beyond recovery due to attrition and habitat fragmentation, doubtless someone will launch a re-introduction project in a blaze of self-righteous glory.

After the damage is done.

Here in the U.S., the coal isn't in cities, nor is the natural gas. It's out in rural areas. Damage done by coal mines can be downright spectacular - knocking off entire mountains and pushing the debris into neighboring stream valleys. Wind farms can't compete with that.

[Barred Wobbler]

Originally Posted by emupilot

Here in the U.S., the coal isn't in cities, nor is the natural gas. It's out in rural areas. Damage done by coal mines can be downright spectacular - knocking off entire mountains and pushing the debris into neighboring stream valleys. Wind farms can't compete with that.

I fully understand the differences in mining between our two countries. The difference here is that the towns were built on the coalfields to enable the resource to be mined. Our natural gas is in the North Sea, over the horizon. We have no remote mountains with coal under them. We do have remote mountains with no mineral resource whatsoever, but which are rich in habitat for important wildlife. It is these mountains that are being covered by wind turbines in the UK, hence our concern.

Mining in the USA is an entirely different creature to mining in the UK, different history, different techniques. We also reclaim the land following mining - a function of our being a crowded little island where every bit of land is precious. As an example, every square inch of land in the attached photo has been disturbed for mining with the exception of the bulding in the centre - a ruin dating from 1313 and the beach. The pools in the background are new nature reserves.