Harry Martin <<harry>>
sends:

Wyoming is experimenting with visual detection of birds entering
wind farms in an effort to reduce the high eagle kill rate.

“An eagle’s average horizontal flight speed ranges from 14 to 19 metres per
second. For a rotating turbine taking 30 seconds to stop, the turbine must be
alerted to the presence of an eagle before it reaches 400 to 600 metres out.
IdentiFlight detects moving objects at 1,000 metres out and makes correct,
real-time classification of the raptor's features, proximity and velocity which
are critical to the IdentiFlight system's ability to effectively trigger species
specific curtailment and avoid collisions.” We have a lot of eagles here in
Wyoming, so temporarily shutting down a wind generator makes a lot of sense. The
wind stops blowing on occasion anyway, so what's a little more to save such a
beautiful creature?

For anyone visiting Wyoming soon and is a birder, there is a Cheyenne Audubon
lecture Jan. 17: IdentiFlight to save eagles from wind turbines – High Plains
Audubon Society’s free public lecture Jan. 17 will be about IdentiFlight, a
system designed to save eagles from being killed by wind turbines. Tom Hiester
of RES (Renewable Energy Systems) will explain how it works. The lecture begins
at 7 p.m. in the Cottonwood Room of the Laramie County Public Library, 2200
Pioneer Ave.

More info:
http://www.res-group.com/en/services-products/identiflight/