[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: [Carolinabirds] Raptors and turbo-turbines
- To: "Jan-Joost Bouwman" <Jan-Joost.Bouwman@comsys.nl>, <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
- Subject: Re: [Carolinabirds] Raptors and turbo-turbines
- From: "Elise Schmidt" <schmidt@water.dnr.state.sc.us>
- Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 10:45:58 -0400
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
Hi Jan-Joost and Carolina-birders,
I found the web site for Enron Wind Corp. showing one of the turbines
(website links below - look at some of the California pictures), they
have quite narrow, propeller-like blades. It's not that they're
invisible but tend to blur and look somewhat transparent and may not
be perceived as a problem. I've driven past the wind farms in
Tehachapi, California; these are in the area for the proposed new wind
farms in California Condor habitat. Again, I don't think anyone is
certain of what happens when the raptors are killed - whether they're
soaring, get too low, and run into the blades, whether they are
stooping on prey (not the case for condors, obviously) and don't see
the towers, or what.
I quote from the Condor-pass website: "What is astounding is that
once in flight and searching for food, the condor can become oblivious
to anything in its path."
Enron: http://www.wind.enron.com/
Audubon: www.audubon.org/campaign
Condor-Pass: www.condor-pass.org
A more deadly and pervasive energy issue, mostly out west, that kills
large raptors consists of older, poorly constructed electrical lines -
condors *have* been killed by these as have other large raptors.
Jan-Joost: if I get a minute in between hurricane preparation, I'll
look for more information and forward it on to you .....
Elise Schmidt
Columbia, SC