Windmills Take Toll on Wildlife

Los Angeles Times ^ | December 8, 2003 | Rone Tempest

[Willie Green]

ALTAMONT PASS, Calif. — When the giant Altamont wind farm sprouted here two decades ago, the only major objections were aesthetic. Local residents didn't appreciate the forest of 7,000 ungainly wind towers cluttering their view.

No one, apparently, thought about the birds.

Since the phalanx of giant windmills began churning in the air above the Altamont Pass east of San Francisco Bay, an estimated 22,000 birds have died, including hundreds of golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, kestrels and other raptors, after flying into the spinning blades of the wind turbines.

Now, some environmental groups that routinely supported wind power as a clean, alternative source of electric power are opposing the renewal of permits for the wind farm until steps are taken to reduce the bird deaths.

[NutmegDevil]

Checkout - http://www.cleanpowernow.org/birdkills.php

[RightWhale]

I toyed with windpower here, put up a big windvane and propeller to see what to expect. It turned this way and that, and sometimes the propeller would turn over lazily. You want about 7 knots steady to get anything at all, and we get about 2 most of the time. There are times in the winter when the air won't move for weeks at a time, maybe just drift a few feet this way and that. If there were 20-30 knots regularly, I would set up a couple shrouded fans and go for it, but it loks like fossil fuel plants is the only practical thing. Nuclear is out for political reasons.

[kinsman redeemer]

LOL

[Lazamataz]

I have a soft spot in my heart for raptors. Elegant, wonderful birds.

You have your light rail. I have my falcons.

[nothingnew]

...hundreds of golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, kestrels and other raptors, after flying into the spinning blades of the wind turbines.

Are these wind turbines manufactured by Popeil?

FMCDH

[js1138]

My million-man-math calculates 22,000 birds in 20 years as three birds a day for the entire 7000 windmill farm, or approximately one bird every seven years per windmill.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[george wythe]

If this were true, we would be inundated with pictures of dead birds at the bottom of the windmills. They are trying the same story with wireless antennas.

I did not know they were going after antennas now.

[tbpiper]

That's what this county needs! More people with vision!

[tbpiper]

Out here in West Texas, the wind is always blowing,

I remember in Amarillo, 20mph was considered 'calm'.

[Koblenz]

Wind power is a darned silly idea.

Powering 100% of the grid through wind power is darned silly. Powering 2% or 5% of the grid through wind power can be economically viable. Windmills obviously have to be built where there's a lot of wind, and on a plains or even on pylons in the ocean. Solar power is currently not good for much more than powering a calculator. But with wind power, they've gotten it advanced technologically enough now that for relatively small amounts of power, you can do it economically. Best if you have a windy desert....

22,000 birds over 20 years isn't that many, probably as many as are killed by FedEx trucks or something.

[Slicksadick]

Seems like a lot of dead tweety birds, until you compare it to the fact that 267,000 birds a DAY, perish in the US striking pane glass windows.

[happydogdesign]

So THAT'S how they make McNuggets!

[Slicksadick]

Rush talking windmills right now...

[Diddle E. Squat]

"Sometimes your the windshield windmill, sometimes your the bug bird..."

[Diddle E. Squat]

lol

[joesnuffy]

wonder if all the windmills slow down or speed up the rotation of the earth....hmmmm
more sunshine on one spot longer...might mean global warming..

[alloysteel]

The giant net is to be dropped over the envirowhackos.

[graycamel]

Put screens around the windmills so the birdies can't fly thru.

[HamiltonJay]

This thing is one ugly thing to look at, the put one up in PA recently as well you can see from the turnpike... but come on 1000 birds a year die by flying into windmill blades? Damn.. if windmills are such a hazard, how have the dutch managed to have birds after all these centuries?

Envirowackos.... gotta love em.