Environment & Energy

Bob Wallace

(549 posts)

7. Today...

Wed Dec 14, 2011, 04:45 PM

Dec 2011

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — Thousands of migratory birds died on impact after apparently mistaking a Wal-Mart parking lot and other areas of southern Utah for bodies of water.

Officials say stormy conditions probably confused the flock of grebes, a duck-like aquatic bird likely making its way to Mexico for the winter. The birds tried to land in a Cedar City Wal-Mart parking lot and elsewhere.

"The storm clouds over the top of the city lights made it look like a nice, flat body of water. All the conditions were right," Griffin told The Spectrum newspaper in St. George (http://bit.ly/rYpQbJ). "So the birds landed to rest, but ended up slamming into the pavement." and plummeting to the ground in what one wildlife expert called the worst downing she's ever seen.

http://news.yahoo.com/thousands-birds-crash-landing-utah-152219107.html

Regulate. But maintain perspective....

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Leading Bird Conservation Group Formally Petitions Feds to Regulate Wind Industry [View all] XemaSab Dec 2011 OP

I live next to a LARGE wind farm. I have never seen a bird hurt by it. Vincardog Dec 2011 #1

Not all windfarms are equal in this respect. Dead_Parrot Dec 2011 #2

ABC might be unduly influenced by antirenewable interests. kristopher Dec 2011 #9

Naturally, the American Wind Energy Association cannot be considered entirely neutral in this matter OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #11

Naturally, however their information here does, in fact, have a high degree of validity. kristopher Dec 2011 #13

Swarovski = Big Optics XemaSab Dec 2011 #12

I reckon they've been paid off by Mitsubishi... Dead_Parrot Dec 2011 #19

No wonder you are gaga over nuclear power. kristopher Dec 2011 #37

And people think the Germans have no sense of humour. nt Dead_Parrot Dec 2011 #41

Already being done? Bob Wallace Dec 2011 #3

Federal agency proposes voluntary guidelines for wind power developers to avoid bird deaths XemaSab Dec 2011 #4

OK, I'm surprised... Bob Wallace Dec 2011 #5

Audubon's Position on Wind Power OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #6

Today... Bob Wallace Dec 2011 #7

�The government estimates that a minimum of 440,000 birds are currently killed each year�� OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #8

ABCbirds can�t get their story straight OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #14

Putting 440,000 bird deaths into perspective OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #15

. XemaSab Dec 2011 #16

Well, that certainly sucked OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #17

Power line pylon killed Berkley the adopted vulture, together with all the hopes of the environmenta OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #18

My friends in Ohio XemaSab Dec 2011 #20

Well, the conclusion (in this case) was that transmission lines should be made safer OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #25

Altamont Pass, a nasty start... Bob Wallace Dec 2011 #28

Faster turbines, slower turbines OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #36

Yes, tip speed my be faster, but... Bob Wallace Dec 2011 #39

But more vultures are killed by cats. Dead_Parrot Dec 2011 #21

That's why you should keep your damn cat in the damn house XemaSab Dec 2011 #22

What, and pay for food? Dead_Parrot Dec 2011 #23

Do they like rare, endemic parrots? XemaSab Dec 2011 #24

Nah... Dead_Parrot Dec 2011 #26

I know how to stop a parrot from screeching OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #27

First, catch your parrot... Dead_Parrot Dec 2011 #30

Beautiful plumage� OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #35

Here�s a fascinating study OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #10

There's another "wind kills birds" piece floating around the web. Bob Wallace Dec 2011 #29

That's a little rich... Dead_Parrot Dec 2011 #31

Eh, power lines are a big contributor, too. joshcryer Dec 2011 #32

Yes, check out the studies I mentioned OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #34

I'm merely saying, it would be inaccurate to say "technology that requires X..." joshcryer Dec 2011 #42

So, the obvious answer is to bury the cables OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #43

Would burying cables actually be more expensive? Bob Wallace Dec 2011 #44

Estimates vary� OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #45

Yeah, but that's not happening and may not be necessary. joshcryer Dec 2011 #46

We wouldn�t want to save too many birds� (Right?) ;-) OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #47

Oh, I agree, absolutely. joshcryer Dec 2011 #48

Yes, it's Virginia OKIsItJustMe Dec 2011 #33

The NYT is turning into a POS when it comes to the environment... Bob Wallace Dec 2011 #40

Mark Desholm is the leading authority on investigating avian interactions with wind technology kristopher Dec 2011 #38

Well meaning fools or AstroTurf? You decide. txlibdem Dec 2011 #49

Here's an LA Times article about this: XemaSab Dec 2011 #50

"an industry lobbying group" joshcryer Dec 2011 #51