The kill rate of birds, raptors, and waterfowl by IWT’s is widely reported but apparently acceptable by governments around the world including the US and Canada in the name of Green Energy and the decision to use wind energy to replace fossil fuel power plants.
On Friday morning, September 30 at 9:30 am, it was surprising to personally witness the destruction of a flight of Canadian Geese by one of the Wolfe Island turbines. Here is what happened; from a clear view second floor window at our home on Tibbetts Point Rd. I watched geese lift off and form up along the shore of Wolfe Island. At about a hundred feet of altitude they wheeled into the wind, headed in a west/southwesterly direction. As their climb into a headwind slowly took them over Wolfe the wind speed gauge at our house continued to read a strong and steady 22-25 mph. It was overcast. The river was rolling.
Crossing Wolfe, they flew into the plane of spinning turbine blades. This one turbine is directly across from our home and close to us at about a mile and a half. Through 8X binoculars the carnage was mesmerizing.
Imagine a scene of blade impacts repeatedly knocking dark puffs of feathers against a grey sky. With such a strong wind, limp bodies seemed to be blown backwards out of the turbine. Amazingly the rear of the flight followed into the blades. They seemed oblivious to the destruction of their leaders. With strong headwinds slowing their passage the period of danger and destruction was prolonged. After about two-thirds entered this gauntlet, the flight finally broke off, lost its V shape and scattered.
Impacts of Wind Farms on Swans and Geese: a Review.: “It has long been recognized that collisions with and displacement by the turbines could have a significant negative effect on birds, but the rate of wind farm development is still not matched by publication of rigorous peer-reviewd reports or papers from studies observing, carefully analyzing and accurately reporting these effects.” Eileen C. Rees Wildfowl(2012) 62:37-72