Death by solar farms: 71 species of birds killed, ‘entire food chains’ disrupted

[jmyrlefuller]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/11/death-calif-solar-farms-71-species-bird-found-enti/

by Douglas Ernst
April 11, 2014

A new report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finds that solar facilities in California are acting like “mega traps” that kill and injure birds. As a result, “entire food chains” are being disrupted.

USFWS’s National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory studied three solar farms in Southern California: Desert Sunlight, Genesis Solar and Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS). Two-hundred and thirty-three different birds from 71 species were found over the course of a two-year study.

The three main causes of death were:
1. Solar flux: Exposure to temperatures over 800 degrees F.
2. Impact (or blunt force) trauma: The birds’ wings are rendered inoperable while flying, causing them to crash into the ground. Birds that do not die are often injured badly enough to make them vulnerable to predators.
3. Predators: When a bird’s wings are singed and it can not fly, it loses its primary means of defense against animals like foxes and coyotes.

Hummingbirds, swifts, swallows, doves, hawks, finches, warblers and owls were just some dead birds found at the solar facilities’ “equal opportunity” mortality hazards.

The study found that besides the intense heat, birds may be mistaking large solar panels for bodies of water. The injured birds then attract insects and other predators to the area. They, too, are then vulnerable to injury or death. In one instance, researchers found “hundreds upon hundreds” of butterfly carcasses (including Monarchs). The insects were attracted to the light from the solar farms, which in turn attracted birds and perpetuated a cycle of death and injury.

(more at link)

[rangerrebew]

But as far as liberals are concerned, its all good since the intention is good.  Sometimes even liberals have collateral damage.  Actually, most of the time.

[truth_seeker]

Ideally the environmentalists can be divided into factions, forcing them to expend resources fighting each other.

There are a wide spectrum of those with environmental concerns, including some that are moderate, pragmatic and reasonable.

IUn my area the extremists lost out, to the pragmatists, who used good science for their positions.

It had to do with restoration of degraded coastal wetlands, etc.

[rangerrebew]

With liberals there is nothing other than collateral damage.  The intended aim almost never materializes.

It isn't always possible to tell exactly what their aim is!

[truth_seeker]

With liberals there is nothing other than collateral damage.  The intended aim almost never materializes.

That doesn't stop congress from increasing the budget for the agency and the program.

In the 70s were were actively talking about zero based budgeting, and about sundowning programs, in the private and public sectors.

Now were are taking about doubling food stamps, and running up health costs at a staggering percent.

And the US government is complicit in misleading citizens of the real rates of inflation, etc.