They can reach speeds of up to 105mph!
Posted on 06/27/2013 10:54:13 PM PDT by prisoner6
Dozens of birdwatchers who travelled to a Scottish island to see an extremely rare swift have been left distraught after it was killed by a wind turbine.
Around 40 people were watching the White-throated Needletail, the world's fastest flying bird, on the Isles of Harris when the tragedy happened.
Sightings of the bird have only been recorded eight times in the UK in nearly 170 years, most recently in 1991, prompting around 80 ornithologists to visit the island in the hope of catching a glimpse.
David Campbell, from Surrey, told BBC Scotland the incident took place late on Wednesday afternoon. Speaking as he made his way home, he said: “We just watched the whole thing with dismay."
Josh Jones, of Bird Guides, a specialist website for ornithologists, said he had spoken to witnesses, who had seen the bird fly straight into one the turbine’s blades. He said: “It is ironic that after waiting so long for this bird to turn up in the UK it was killed by a wind turbine and not a natural predator.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Dozens of bird-watchers rush to British island to see rare bird (last seen in UK in 1991). And they saw it, all right, as it got splattered by a wind turbine.
More info and pics at the link.
HA_HA!
So it wasn’t swift enough to avoid the fan?
This one event will do more to affect the subject of renewable energy than 1000 articles by commentators. Well done.
But at least it was GREEN power that killed it, just think how much worse it would have been if the swift was killed by fossil fuels!
A good chance to get a feather.
[[Birdwatchers see rare swift killed by wind turbine]]
Well at least now they can get soem good close up shots of it without it flying off
[[Birdwatchers see rare swift killed by wind turbine]]
Yes, but at laest it didn’t get icky black coal dust on it’s nice white feathers-
[[Birdwatchers see rare swift killed by wind turbine]]
Now tyhat’s what I call a swift kick i nthe pants
Who held the birds beer while he tried this little stunt?
African or European?
Ah yes, the infamous “condor cuisinarts”.
Better than getting swift boated!
-ALL HAIL WIND POWER-
Bill presents Lyn with an eagle feather.
BILL: Native Americans believed that when one received an Eagle feather, it was the mark of love, of gratitude and ultimate respect. Only true Human Beings may carry the Eagle feather.
He gives the feather to a deeply moved Lyn, as the other Jedis applaud.
[Later:]
BILL: It isn’t real.
BOB: What isn’t?
BILL: The feather. Twenty thousand dollar fine for taking an eagle feather. This one’s off a turkey. You just dye the tip black. Don’t tell Lyn.
The bird was swift as lightning,
and swift as the wind.
Swift and sure it flew,
like an eagle but it had sinned.
Life is short and time is swift,
forever more will the Swift fans be miffed.
-Jack Hydrazine
(My first original poem.)
Poofter. Outstanding!
They’re actually from east Asia. The birds aren’t rare per se, they are what are called “accidentals”, i.e. birds that are found far from their normal range.
LOL!!! OMG !!!! LOL!!!
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