[BCNnet] BCNnet: Downtown turbines are a bad idea

[Birdchris at aol.com]

Bird rescue monitors rarely find true grassland specialist birds like  
Henslowe's, LeConte's, Sharp-tailed or Grasshopper Sparrows, Eastern  Meadowlarks, 
longspurs, grassland buntings, etc. dead or injured downtown. 
 
I have no idea what's behind this phenomenon, but I've been rescuing  birds 
formally with CBCM since 2001 and before that on my own since 1988 and  I've 
never found true grassland species in trouble or dead in the loop or north  of 
the river, except one Short-eared Owl that was in a bad place (perhaps more  
lost than injured since it was alert and flew away safely to the west). 
 
But plenty of other species of all kinds are found (from American Coot to  
Orchard Oriole) and adding yet one more danger, even a potential danger, to the  
downtown area is a big mistake.
 
In 18 years of working downtown, I've picked up literally thousands of  
injured birds to move them to a place of safety and seen/salvaged for the Field  
equal numbers of dead birds, and I cannot reconcile myself to these  turbines. 
I've read the research and understand the arguments in favor of clean  energy, 
but I stand firm: I've had furious arguments with Sierra Club people who  
think it's ok to sacrifice birds for clean energy sources. Providing  clean energy 
must not create a hazard for birds and bats. If the technology  can't be 
proven safe, then the technology needs to be placed off the fly-way  and the 
energy transported where it's needed. Moving energy around on the  ground is going 
to be 100% safer for birds. 
 
Please note that these are my own opinions and don't reflect the official  
view of the rescue monitoring organization. 
 
Christine Williamson
Chicago/Cook
_birdchris at aol.com_ (mailto:birdchris at aol.com) 
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