From donniebird at yahoo.com Tue Feb 12 05:44:38 2008 From: donniebird at yahoo.com (Donnie Dann) Date: Tue Feb 12 05:44:44 2008 Subject: [BCNnet] FW: [BCAlist] MEDIA ALERT: EPA Under Pressure to Keep Banned Pesticide on Market - Science Panel Agrees with Ban Message-ID: <000001c86d6c$a6892340$f39b69c0$@com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/png Size: 26249 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://screamer.ece.iit.edu/pipermail/bcnnet/attachments/20080212/9062f6d7/attachment-0001.png -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 5817 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://screamer.ece.iit.edu/pipermail/bcnnet/attachments/20080212/9062f6d7/attachment-0002.jpe -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 6557 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://screamer.ece.iit.edu/pipermail/bcnnet/attachments/20080212/9062f6d7/attachment-0003.jpe From bobolnk at ix.netcom.com Tue Feb 12 11:22:21 2008 From: bobolnk at ix.netcom.com (bobolnk@ix.netcom.com) Date: Tue Feb 12 11:22:50 2008 Subject: [BCNnet] Your Sightings Can Help Message-ID: <31038286.1202836941873.JavaMail.root@elwamui-polski.atl.sa.earthlink.net> News flash ... Many common birds in steep decline ... Except where BCN is active... Dear greater Chicagoland birders, This would be a great year to contribute to the BCN Census - if you're not already. Many successful projects are improving bird habitats and increasing bird populations because local birders are sharing what they know with the people who manage our public lands. Our birds need you to let decision makers know where they are. It's never been easier. You can have a one-morning-a year fling, or perhaps quite a few mornings, and a more satisfying relationship? It's up to you. Enter your data on line, or mail it to us and we'll enter it for you. Here are just a few achievements of local birder/monitors: -Initiated habitat restoration projects at Bartel Grassland, Jarvis Bird Sanctuary, McCormick Place Bird Sanctuary, Spring Creek Preserves and others -Major contributors to projects at Springbrook Prairie, Orland Grassland, Rollins Savanna, Wooded Island, Montrose Point, and others -Discovered West Nile Virus's impact on chickadees -Provided solid data for analysis of Chicago-Wilderness wide trends. -Produced inventories of grassland and shrubland birds in the region that are changing the ways some Forest Preserve Districts manage their lands. -Brought grassland habitat improvements to Midlothian Meadows, Kings Grove, Paul Douglas and other Cook County preserves We have so many interested and receptive public agencies just waiting for you to share what you know. You are invited to attend a BCN Census workshop this spring to learn about this project. We are holding 5 scattered throughout the region. Workshops include instructions for new and prospective monitors and much more: brush-up sessions on songs and calls; discussions of best practices by some of our most experienced monitors; planning for cooperation between monitors, land managers, and stewards; county updates about on-the-ground projects -- and more. These workshops should prove valuable to anyone interested in bird habitat conservation. All workshops take place from noon to four - and offer great birding on site in the morning if you want to arrive early. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kane County, March 1, 2008, Aurora West Forest Preserve, Aurora. Sponsored by Kane County Audubon, the Bird Conservation Network (BCN), Dundee Township and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. Presenters and key participants: Matt Williamson, Drew Ullberg and, Julia Borque, Forest Preserve District of Kane County Restoration Ecology and Volunteer Coordination staff; Ann Haverstock, Birding by Ear; Margaret Mechtenberg, Cheryl Hayes, Liz Gerity, BCN monitors, Judy Pollock, Audubon Chicago Region -------------------------------------------------------------------------- DuPage County, March 8, 2008 Morton Arboretum, Lisle. Sponsored by The DuPage Birding Club, the BCN, the Forest Preserve Districts of DuPage County and the Morton Arboretum. Presenters and key participants: Geoff Willliamson, Birding by Ear; Cindy Hedges, Scott Meister, Forest Preserve District of Cook County; Bob Andrini, Jody and Jerry Zamirowski, BCN bird monitors; Joe Suchecki, steward; Judy Pollock, Audubon Chicago Region -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lake County, Illinois, March 15, 2008. Ryerson Woods Welcome Center, Deerfield, Sponsored by the BCN, Lake Cook Audubon, Lake County Audubon, Evanston North Shore Bird Club, Liberty Prairie Conservancy, Citizens for Conservation, the Forest Preserve District of Lake County, and the Park District of Highland Park. Presenters and key participants: Geoff Willliamson, Birding by Ear; Gary Glowacki, Forest Preserve District of Lake County; Donnie Dann, BCN bird monitor; Rebecca Grill, Theresa Greinig, Park District of Highland Park; Lee Ramsey, BCN ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cook County North, March 29, 2008. Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington. Sponsored by the BCN, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and the Chicago Park District, Chicago Audubon Society, Chicago Ornithological Society, Fort Dearborn Audubon, Thorn Creek Audubon and Evanston North Shore Bird Club Presenters and key participants: Carolyn Fields, Birding by Ear; Stan Stec, Suzanne Checchia, Carolyn Fields, BCN monitors; Joni Marin, Cook County FPD; Pete Jackson, Stephen Packard, stewards; Lee Ramsey, BCN -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chicago and Cook County South, April 5, 2008. South Shore Cultural Center, Chicago. Same Sponsors as above Presenters and key participants: Conrad Fialkowski and Kurt Leslie, Birding by Ear, Conrad F. and Dick Riner, BCN monitors; Becky Schillo, Chicago Park District; Kurt Leslie, steward; Judy Pollock, Audubon Chicago Region All are welcome. Birds need a voice, and monitoring is a rewarding and interesting way of providing them with that voice. If you have questions or plan to attend, please contact Judy Pollock: 847-965-1150, ext 21 or chicagowildthings@yahoo.com. Updated information about the workshops can be found on the BCN website (www.bcnbirds.org) Judy Pollock bobolnk@ix.netcom.com Evanston (Cook ) IL From donniebird at yahoo.com Tue Feb 12 09:31:57 2008 From: donniebird at yahoo.com (Donnie Dann) Date: Tue Feb 12 14:22:26 2008 Subject: [BCNnet] News Release Message-ID: <006001c86d8c$679360e0$36ba22a0$@com> BCNnet friends, I understand the news release in the post I sent earlier today didn't transferred properly, so if you missed it here it is in text. Donnie R. Dann Highland Park. IL/Lake County donnieibrd@yahoo.com Contact: Steve Holmer, American Bird Conservancy, 202-234-7181, ext. 216 sholmer@abcbirds.org, www.abcbirds.org Cat Lazaroff, Defenders of Wildlife, 202-772-3270, clazaroff@defenders.org EPA Under Pressure to Keep Banned Pesticide on Market Science Panel Agrees with Pesticide Ban which Followed Millions of Bird Deaths (Washington, D.C. - February 11, 2008) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is under pressure from a pesticide manufacturer and members of Congress to reverse an August 30, 2006 decision to cancel the registration of all uses of the highly toxic pesticide carbofuran, which is sold under the name "Furadan" by FMC Corporation. A Scientific Advisory Panel reviewed the decision last week and agreed with EPA that the pesticide poses an unreasonable risk to the environment, particularly birds, and that there was no evidence to recommend reversing EPA's decision to cancel carbofuran. "Those who support keeping carbofuran on the market are stating their clear indifference to conserving wildlife and to exposing workers to toxins," said Dr. George Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy. "Carbofuran is harmful to human health, and one of the most deadly pesticides to birds left on the market. It is responsible for the deaths of millions of wild birds since its introduction in 1967, including Bald and Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, and migratory songbirds. EPA has already said a firm no to the continued use of this substance, and lawmakers need to listen to the experts on this." In its 2005 ecological risk assessment on carbofuran, EPA stated that all legal uses of the pesticide were likely to kill wild birds. If a flock of mallards were to feed in a carbofuran treated alfalfa field, EPA predicted that 92% of the birds in the flock would quickly die. EPA analysis has also confirmed that carbofuran is a threat to human health through contaminated food, drinking water, and occupational exposure. "This is the first time in twenty years that a pesticide manufacturer has fought cancellation of a registered pesticide," said Dr. Michael Fry, Director of ABC's Pesticides and Birds Campaign. "The EPA's decision to ban carbofuran was a huge victory for science and the environment, but despite the overwhelming scientific evidence of carbofuran's extreme toxicity and the availability of safer alternatives, the manufacturer continues to fight all efforts on the part of the EPA and conservationists to have the ban enacted. FMC Corporation needs to take the responsible course and immediately withdraw carbofuran from the market." "The evidence is clear; carbofuran is toxic to wildlife and people. EPA should not fold to political pressures and allow this dangerous pesticide back on the market," said Rodger Schlickeisen, President of Defenders of Wildlife. "In 2006, more than 20,000 of our members and activists asked EPA to take carbofuran off the market. EPA made the right decision in 2006 and they should stick by that decision now." BACKGROUND In 2007, the deliberate misapplication of carbofuran by a Colorado farmer killed over 2,200 migratory birds, including Mourning Doves, Horned Larks, Western Meadowlarks, Red-Winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles. The farmer pleaded guilty in federal court for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Other incidents of bird poisonings by carbofuran are documented in the Avian Incident Monitoring System (www.abcbirds.org/aims) operated by American Bird Conservancy in cooperation with the EPA and state and federal wildlife agencies. The Birds in Agricultural Areas (www.abcbirds.org/biaa) database also documents significant bird use in the major crops where carbofuran is sprayed. Continued use of carbofuran will only lead to more incidents such as the recent bird kill in Colorado. In addition to killing birds when used legally, carbofuran is often illegally used in poison baits intended to kill wildlife in agricultural areas and grazing lands. This abuse has resulted in the deaths of raptors including Bald and Golden Eagles. American Bird Conservancy and other conservation and worker protection organizations campaigned for many years to have carbofuran removed from the market. They heralded EPA's decision as a clear victory for the environment, and one that was long overdue. Groups supporting the cancellation include: American Bird Conservancy, Alaska Bird Observatory, Archbold Biological Station, Beyond Pesticides, Bird Conservation Network, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Endangered Habitats League, Friends of Dyke Marsh, Hampshire Bird Club, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter, National Audubon Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, Pesticide Action Network North America, Riveredge Bird Club, Seattle Audubon Society, Taku Conservation Society, Tennessee Ornithological Society, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, The Institute for Bird Populations, Virginia Society of Ornithology, Washington Toxics Coalition, Wildlife Center of Virginia, Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, World Wildlife Fund, Xerces Society, Maryland Ornithological Society. Carbofuran first came under fire in the 1980s after an EPA Special Review estimated that over a million birds were killed each year by the granular formulation. According to scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service there are "no known conditions under which carbofuran can be used without killing migratory birds. Many of these die-off incidents followed applications of carbofuran that were made with extraordinary care." The granular formation was cancelled in 1994, but the liquid form remains on the market. Carbofuran is one of the most heavily used insecticides in the world, but its extreme toxicity to farm workers and wildlife has made it very dangerous to use. EPA's cancellation will likely have a domino effect internationally, as other countries frequently follow EPA's lead. In 1974 Congress passed the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), to require stricter controls on pesticides, and to encourage the development of less toxic alternatives to older chemicals. More than 1,000 alternative pesticides have since been registered, but a few "dinosaur chemicals", such as carbofuran, have remained on the market because they were grandfathered into the regulations when FIFRA was passed. Congress passed the Food Quality Protection Act in 1996, which set higher standards for pesticide registration and residues in food, and gave EPA a deadline of ten years to re-evaluate the most dangerous pesticides. EPA's announcement to cancel the registration of carbofuran happened on the precise day of the ten year deadline. Once implemented, the cancellation will be effective for all uses of carbofuran: alfalfa, corn, cotton, cotton, potatoes, and rice. The cancellation will be phased out over four years for other minor uses including artichokes, chili peppers in the southwest, cucumbers, spinach for seed, sunflowers, and pine seedlings. Unfortunately, the cancellation will not apply to use on some major imported agricultural products. The EPA is still allowing the importation of rice, coffee, bananas, and sugarcane with carbofuran residues in the commodities, posing risks to US consumers and putting US growers at a competitive disadvantage. American Bird Conservancy and the Natural Resources Defense Council have recently petitioned EPA to cancel these import tolerances for pesticide residues on food. Assorted letters to EPA concerning carbofuran cancellation (including letters from Members of Congress), http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail &d=EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0162. Document number EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0162-0487 dated February 5, 2008. Comment letter from FMC Corporation, http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail &o=09000064803a0c8e. Comment letter from Dr. Michael Fry, American Bird Conservancy, http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail &d=EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0162. Comment letter from Dr. Jennifer Sass, Natural Resources Defense Council, http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail &o=09000064803a5bc2. ### 30 ### American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is the only organization that works solely to conserve native wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. ABC is a not-for-profit membership organization that is consistently awarded a top, four-star rating by the independent group Charity Navigator. ABC's Pesticides and Birds Campaign aims to reduce the exposure of wild birds to hazardous pesticides. For more information see http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/pesticides/index.html. Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://screamer.ece.iit.edu/pipermail/bcnnet/attachments/20080212/ce511205/attachment-0001.html From casresearch at comcast.net Fri Feb 15 22:49:37 2008 From: casresearch at comcast.net (casresearch@comcast.net) Date: Fri Feb 15 22:50:03 2008 Subject: [BCNnet] article: Des Plaines, County FPD near deal to improve Riverwalk Paths, more Message-ID: <021620080449.20224.47B66B61000934C500004F002216525806080C9D0E0A9C0A9D9C0E0C@comcast.net> FYI, see below on the latest re: the trail improvements proposed for areas through east of Axehead Lake, Iroquois Woods, Campground Road Woods, Northwestern Woods and other areas. As I use those trails myself, I can understand why they could use some improvement (although I prefer the solitude I find on the trails as they are currently). Other things that have been proposed by Mayor Arredia for the Riverwalk need a bit more discussion though. I don't fully understand all 'he' wants to do, but some things in the papers seem to indicate major work along the river itself including removal of vegetation (I prefer 'wilder', and not grassy banks, as I suppose most of you do), and of course the 'special lighting' seems more apropro for a city park rather than a forest preserve. Just mentioning this so it can generate more research and discussion. Here is the latest: http://www.journal-topics.com/dp/08/dp080213.2.html THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008 City, County Near Deal To Improve Riverwalk Paths Members of the Cook County Board appear to be strongly supportive of a plan by Des Plaines to improve a three-mile pathway that will become part of Mayor Tony Arredia's Riverwalk. Arredia and City Engineer Tim Oakley attended a County Board meeting in downtown Chicago last week where commissioners unanimously approved negotiating with the city to compose an intergovernmental agreement. That agreement, which could formally be approved by the county in March, would allow Des Plaines to go on Cook County Forest Preserve Dist. land in Des Plaines to improve an existing pathway. That path, which currently is in disrepair, stretches from Golf Road on the north to Touhy Avenue on the south. The agreement would permit the city to replace what is now dirt and mud with a fine stone surface as well as remove overgrowth and tree trunks that have fallen over the years. Not only would people be able to hike and bike on the trail, but also ride horses. The improvements will be paid for by a $1 million federal grant secured by the city as well as another $250,000 matching sum from Des Plaines. The city has also applied for a $300,000 state grant. "We've already worked out the language," said Oakley of the proposed intergovernmental agreement with the county. Because of detailed federal requirements to secure the $1 million grant, work may not begin for 18 months, said Oakley. "We're trying to rush it through," he added. The improved trail is expected to become part of the new Des Plaines Riverwalk that will be located along much of the local waterway. Plans include positioning wayfinding signs along he trail as well as kiosks and special lighting. -- Alan B. Anderson casresearch@comcast.net Chicago Audubon Society Des Plaines, Cook Co. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://screamer.ece.iit.edu/pipermail/bcnnet/attachments/20080216/d8ab287f/attachment.html From donniebird at yahoo.com Wed Feb 20 16:42:37 2008 From: donniebird at yahoo.com (Donnie Dann) Date: Thu Feb 21 03:34:35 2008 Subject: [BCNnet] FW: [BCAlist] FW: [fws-news] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Teams with Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology to Support Bird Watching Message-ID: <009501c87411$e5214cd0$af63e670$@com> Here's some good national news that should be of interest to birders and bird conservationists. Donnie Dann Highland Park/Lake County donniebird@yahoo.com Contacts:Contact: David Eisenhauer 703-358-2220 david_eisenhauer Pat Leonard, Cornell Lab of Ornithology 607-254-2137 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology outlining efforts to work together to promote birding, habitat conservation and citizen science to a broad audience across the country. The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology leads the nation in involving the public in bird watching, science, and conservation. The partnership with the Cornell Lab is yet another step forward in the Service's National Wildlife Refuge System Birding Initiative. The initiative was launched by Service Director H. Dale Hall in 2006 to raise awareness among birders of opportunities and conservation programs on units of the National Wildlife Refuge System and help them fully appreciate the importance of refuges in the lives of their favorite wildlife. "Joining forces with the world-renowned Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in support of birding, bird conservation and citizen science is a natural fit for both organizations," said Director Hall. The initiative will help birders make the link between the birds they love to watch and the important habitats protected in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Birding Initiative's 14-member Birding Team is exploring new ways to enhance birding on national wildlife refuges. The team is working on identifying how refuges can improve the quality of bird watching experiences, as well as making information about the latest sightings more easily available to avid bird watchers. The Refuge System already has more than 2,500 miles of land and water trails that are often perfect places to see birds. Other outstanding viewing experiences are available from the scores of observation decks, viewing blinds and boardwalks built on national wildlife refuges. "National wildlife refuges represent America's premier network of habitats where birds and other wildlife are being protected and nurtured," said John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "These are also remarkable spots for enjoying the global spectacles provided by our nation's bird populations. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is thrilled to be partnering with the Fish and Wildlife Service to enhance opportunities for citizens of all ages to interact with birds at these magnificent places and to participate actively in their appreciation, study, and protection." Discussions are already underway regarding nest watch programs, urban bird celebrations, opportunities for refuge visitors to participate in citizen science projects, and the broader availability of eBird Tracker-an online, interactive network of computer kiosks where birders can record sightings, consult video field guides and check seasonal lists of birds. Nearly 48 million Americans enjoy watching birds, according to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. "Bird watching has never been more popular. With so many people across the country enjoying the wonders of birds, we are committed to providing them with great wildlife viewing opportunities at national wildlife refuges across the country," Hall said, noting that wildlife observation is one of the six priority public uses of the Refuge System. More than half of all federal lands designated by the American Bird Conservancy as globally significant Important Bird Areas are on national wildlife refuges. Birding is big business, too. Birders spent roughly $31 billion in 2006 on all their wildlife watching experiences, including money for binoculars, field guides, bird food, bird houses, camping gear and such big-ticket items as boats, according to interpretation of figures in the 2006 National Survey. The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a nonprofit membership institution whose mission is to interpret and conserve the earth's biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. ists.abcbirds.org From donniebird at yahoo.com Tue Feb 26 10:51:23 2008 From: donniebird at yahoo.com (Donnie Dann) Date: Tue Feb 26 10:51:37 2008 Subject: [BCNnet] FW: [BCAlist] "Green Buildings" Should Save Energy and Migratory Birds by David Sibley Message-ID: <007701c87897$d3076090$791621b0$@com> Skipped content of type multipart/related-------------- next part -------------- To unsubscribe mail: BCAlist-unsubscribe@lists.abcbirds.org From rbdoeker at yahoo.com Thu Feb 28 11:50:45 2008 From: rbdoeker at yahoo.com (Randi Doeker - Chicago) Date: Thu Feb 28 11:51:09 2008 Subject: [BCNnet] cranes vs turbines Message-ID: <00a201c87a32$72605b10$4001a8c0@rbde5348707dc8> Whooping cranes fly over IL too. Randi Doeker Chicago Wind farms a threat to whooping cranes? Migration corridor is in areas with best wind power potential The Associated Press updated 9:31 a.m. CT, Thurs., Feb. 28, 2008 STAFFORD, Kan. - Whooping cranes have waged a valiant fight against extinction, but federal officials warn of a new potential threat to the endangered birds: wind farms. Down to about 15 in 1941, the gargantuan birds that migrate each fall from Canada to Texas now number 266, thanks to conservation efforts. But because wind energy has gained such traction, whooping cranes could again be at risk - either from crashing into the towering wind turbines and transmission lines or because of habitat lost to the wind farms. "Basically you can overlay the strongest, best areas for wind turbine development with the whooping crane migration corridor," said Tom Stehn, whooping crane coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The service estimates as many as 40,000 turbines will be erected in the U.S. section of the whooping cranes' 200-mile wide migration corridor. "Even if they avoid killing the cranes, the wind farms would be taking hundreds of square miles of migration stopover habitat away from the cranes," Stehn said. The American Wind Energy Association says the industry grew by 45 percent last year, providing about 1 percent of the nation's energy. It says its 1,400 member companies don't want their turbines, power lines, transmission towers and roadways to hurt the cranes, which are protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty. "We would hate to see any collisions with whooping cranes," said Laurie Jodziewicz, the association's manager of siting policy. "It would be very distressing for everybody." But Jodziewicz said the wind industry will continue to grow in the crane's migration corridor and should not be subject to regulations that don't apply to other industries. Industry reluctant to change "It's a very windy area," she said. "We certainly want to work toward minimizing impacts, but there is a real driver behind wind energy, which is the need for clean, renewable electricity. "There are many other things going on in that corridor that could potentially affect that species. So to say that wind development should be stopped while allowing all sorts of other activities to continue might not be the right course of action." Nicholas Throckmorton, a spokesman for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said the agency lacks the authority to demand that wind developers confer with it. "There are no forced consultations," Throckmorton said, "other than pointing out that it's illegal to kill endangered species or migrating species." Stehn and others say no whooping cranes have been killed by a wind turbine, though they remain concerned. "In the natural world, birds and bats have gotten used to flying around a lot of things," Throckmorton said. "But nowhere in the natural world is there a big spinning rotor." The wind industry has been criticized for its impact on other birds and wildlife, as well as its visual effect on the landscape. Advisory committee created The U.S. Department of the Interior has named a Wind Turbine Advisory Committee to make recommendations on how to avoid or minimize wind farms' impact on wildlife and habitats. The committee was scheduled to have its first public meeting Thursday in Washington. There are three flocks of whooping cranes in North America, with a total of about 525 whooping cranes in the wild and in captivity. But the flock that migrates 2,400 miles from Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Canada's boreal forest to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge near Corpus Christi, Texas, is the only self-sustaining flock. That means it is the species' best chance for survival, Stehn said. Whooping cranes, the tallest birds in North America, fly at altitudes of between 500 and 5,000 feet - enough room to clear the turbines, which range in height from about 200 feet to 295 feet, and their blades, with diameters from 230 feet to 295 feet. Landing, take-off are the issues The problem, Stehn said, is that the cranes stop every night. "It's actually the landing and taking off that's problematic," he said. "That's when they're most likely to encounter the turbines and transmission towers." The most common cause of death for whooping cranes is crashing into power lines. Stehn said the industry could help by marking its power lines, which run from transmission towers. "Each crane is precious when you only have 266," he said. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://screamer.ece.iit.edu/pipermail/bcnnet/attachments/20080228/ed5928d9/attachment.html