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Wind energy boom and golden eagles collide in the US West
phys ^ | 08/17/2022

Posted on 08/17/2022 3:34:17 AM PDT by devane617

The rush to build wind farms to combat climate change is colliding with preservation of one of the U.S. West's most spectacular predators—the golden eagle—as the species teeters on the edge of decline.

Ground zero in the conflict is Wyoming, a stronghold for golden eagles that soar on 7-foot (2-meter) wings and a favored location for wind farms. As wind turbines proliferate, scientists say deaths from collisions could drive down golden eagle numbers considered stable at best.

Yet climate change looms as a potentially greater threat: Rising temperatures are projected to reduce golden eagle breeding ranges by more than 40% later this century, according to a National Audubon Society analysis.

That leaves golden eagles doubly vulnerable—to the shifting climate and to the wind energy promoted as a solution to that warming world.

"We have some of the best golden eagle populations in Wyoming, but it doesn't mean the population is not at risk," said Bryan Bedrosian, conservation director at the Teton Raptor Center in Wilson, Wyoming. "As we increase wind development across the U.S., that risk is increasing."

(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: age; agw; climatechange; eagle; eagles; goldeneagles; raptor; wind; windpower
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My ceiling fans on my porch on a regular basis kills birds. I can imagine these things are big-time killers.
1 posted on 08/17/2022 3:34:17 AM PDT by devane617
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To: devane617

Bird murderers. It’s really a great dichotomy, these huge monstrosities vs nature, all for the sake of satisfying the psyche of the Eco-Nazis.


2 posted on 08/17/2022 3:38:22 AM PDT by Shady (The #JihadJunta: "We are now a nation of Men, Not of Laws. You are not as equal as we are...")
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To: devane617
Almost twenty years ago I had an adult golden eagle hanging
around my suburban (then) location for a couple of weeks.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw it.
But it was just passing through, and moved on.
I guess it didn't like the neighborhood.

But then - I didn't like paying the property tax rates there -
and moved on myself. The neighborhood was okay, though.

3 posted on 08/17/2022 3:48:45 AM PDT by GaltAdonis
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To: Shady

“Rising temperatures are projected to reduce golden eagle breeding ranges by more than 40% later this century...”

Obviously, it’s the Golden Eagles fault, being in the wrong place. We’re doing all we can to save the planet.

Is this like the piece yesterday that claimed since it’s so stinking hot in the summer, the fat kids don’t want to play outside anymore. Play in front of a windmill and give ‘em a frosty. Problem solved.


4 posted on 08/17/2022 3:50:25 AM PDT by Not_Who_U_Think
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To: devane617
Rising temperatures are projected to reduce golden eagle breeding ranges by more than 40% later this century

So we better panic NOW, and do whatever it takes even if it means killing more of them.
5 posted on 08/17/2022 3:54:02 AM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
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To: Telepathic Intruder

Destabilize the grid with wind turbines in hopes of placating the phony Climate Gods.


6 posted on 08/17/2022 4:00:30 AM PDT by Chad C. Mulligan
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To: devane617

I put low speed elec fans next to the bird feeders, saves money on cat food./sarc


7 posted on 08/17/2022 4:03:52 AM PDT by Beagle8U ("Per DNC instructions...Joy Reid is busy packing marbles up her @$$.")
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To: devane617

First, this is a stupid article, in that it promotes climate change as a real thing. Second, it tauts windmills over eagles. Windmills are a scourge on America. They would not proliferate were they not all massively subsidized with our tax dollars. In one hundred years every windmill built in the past 30 years will be in some landfill. They are inefficient, produce unreliable electricity, kill thousands of birds, and blight the landscape. They are the product of liberalism. And liberalism is a mental disease.


8 posted on 08/17/2022 4:04:58 AM PDT by Tudorfly (All things are possible within the will of God.)
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To: Tudorfly

A blight on the landscape indeed. Flying over miles upon miles of these things, there’s nothing uglier scarring up our beautiful country where there used to be fields of grain and rolling hills.


9 posted on 08/17/2022 4:23:54 AM PDT by lilypad
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To: lilypad

Here in WV they’ve destroyed the view of ridgelines. Aside from removing the natural silhouette of trees so as to build the access road, we now have these ghastly monstrosities killing bats.


10 posted on 08/17/2022 4:45:24 AM PDT by Roccus (First we beat the Nazis........Then we defeated the Soviets....... Now, we are them.)
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To: Not_Who_U_Think
Balance these 2 arguments:

1) Climate change may alter where eagles roam 60 or 80 years in the future.
(probably not, and --if so-- with little or no consequence)

2) Giant eco windmills are killing eagles now.

These people have lost their f**king minds.

11 posted on 08/17/2022 4:48:03 AM PDT by chiller (Davey Crockett said: "Be sure you're right. Then go ahead'. I'll go ahead.)
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To: Not_Who_U_Think

What rising temperatures? The degree of increase (or decrease) of average temperatures year round and for the same day year over year sinks to a very small change, and virtually NONE of it may be attributed to anthropogenic sources.

It is possible, in something like an urban setting, that the activities would have an effect on the microclimate that surround that locality, as cities are notorious sources of heat energy release. But the effect is confined to the area most concentrated with development, and ten miles away, the effects disappear entirely.

The rationale for “going green” and using solar power collection panels or windmill towers to achieve that goal are a fool’s errand, as the solar panels and the windmill towers are MUCH more destructive of resources than the use of natural gas or even coal, and the use of nuclear power is even more effective, both on a cost basis and in the total volume of “waste” or “spent fuel rods”.

Carbon dioxide is NOT a pollutant, but a vital part of the sustainable renewal of ALL of earth’s many life processes. Ignorance of this very basic fact is not excusable.


12 posted on 08/17/2022 4:53:39 AM PDT by alloysteel (There are folks running the government who shouldn't be allowed to play with matches - Will Rogers)
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To: Roccus

Some WV ridgeline windmills

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BpGEYJcUs7Q


13 posted on 08/17/2022 4:57:58 AM PDT by Roccus (First we beat the Nazis........Then we defeated the Soviets....... Now, we are them.)
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To: Not_Who_U_Think
Rising temperatures are projected to reduce golden eagle breeding ranges by more than 40% later this century..

Rather a moot point when Gaia's planet will reach daytime temperatures of 212° F in the next 7 years.. /s

14 posted on 08/17/2022 5:00:14 AM PDT by Thommas (The snout of the camel is already under the tent.)
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To: devane617

When the green dream of windmills everywhere is finally achieved there will be no more birds and bats alive. Will be blamed on 1) Trump, 2 ) conservatives, 3) climate change. Even though the ground around these things is littered with bird & bat carcasses.


15 posted on 08/17/2022 5:05:57 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: chiller; Not_Who_U_Think

Some one explain to me why wind turbines don’t cause Global Warming?

The process by which wind turbines generate electricity is that the wind turbine uses the energy of wind to turn a generator.

Therefore the wind turbine is altering the local climate directly by slowing the wind in its area.

Less wind reduces evaporation of water, less spreading of pollen and spores, less removal of heat from the ground, and so on and so forth.

Put up enough wind turbines and you are in essence building a mountain where there was none before.

How could this altering of the landscape not change the environment?


16 posted on 08/17/2022 5:16:37 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spiritI)
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To: PIF

My guess is a large part of their operation budget is used for bird clean up so few people as possible see that.


17 posted on 08/17/2022 5:26:21 AM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult
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To: Pontiac

Wind turbines slow the wind which is causing extreme Climate Change.

Prove me wrong.


18 posted on 08/17/2022 5:37:06 AM PDT by oldasrocks
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To: devane617
As wind turbines proliferate, scientists say deaths from collisions could drive down golden eagle numbers considered stable at best.

If EPA did its job and not ignored the devastating environmental impacst of wind turbines, we would not have so many.

We have aesthetic pollution, high maintenance and operating costs, few options to dispose of the giant blades in addition to killing birds, eagles, bats, noise pollution, etc.

Wind turbines failure causes include birds, lightning, rainfall, blade detachment, delamination, blade cracks, extreme cold and other extreme weather conditions, and humidity.

Humidity related electrical failures are common reason and very expensive to fix. These failures are mostly due to high humidity levels over 60% in the nacelle and tower where the electrical components are located. The moisture in the air will weaken metal components such as the gearbox, bearings, and yaw gear.

The wind turbines only work when there is wind.

Only high subsidies by the government, and the EPA ignoring environmental impacts keep those economically unviable monstrosities around.

19 posted on 08/17/2022 5:58:11 AM PDT by olezip
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To: devane617
Wind farms are a blight on nature’s landscape, and destroy the natural local habitats of different species. The blades kill birds, hawks, bats.

Electricity generated by wind farms is no less destructive of the environment than traditional methods; the argument can be made that they are a lot worse.

20 posted on 08/17/2022 5:58:36 AM PDT by yelostar (As of today - Donald Trump continues to endorse Dr. Oz for U.S. Senate)
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