Scores of twitchers flocked to the Outer Hebrides to see a bird that has been recorded just eight times previously in the UK in nearly 170 years - only to see it slain by a wind turbine.
The White-throated Needletail - the world's fastest flying bird - was thousands of miles off course after turning up at Tarbert on the Isle of Harris.
It was first seen by two bird spotters from Northumberland on Monday.
There has not been a sighting of the species in Britain since 1991 when a single bird was seen four times - in Kent, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and finally Shetland.
Now 22 years later another White-throated Needletail turned up in the UK, but after more than 80 twitchers flocked to Harris - with scores more on their way - the bird flew into a wind turbine at Tarbert, witnessed by around 40 people.
Josh Jones of Bird Guides said: "It was seen by birders fly straight into the turbine. It is ironic that after waiting so long for this bird to turn up in the UK, it was killed by a wind turbine and not a natural predator.
As horrible and unfortunate as the situation is, would you rather a few avian individuals fall victim or whole ecosystems destroyed?
Ho hum .... and just how are windmills going to save whole ecosystems ?
I remember seeing video footage of a rare bird in Illinois that birdwatchers were flocking to see from all over the country, only to have it nabbed mid-flight by and owl.
Nature happens.
Just think of all the birds killed because their habitat is moving North or to higher elevations because of climate change - where they are not adapted. Way, way more killed this way than wind turbines.
As we move away from more potentially harmful energy sources like petroleum we will be much less likely to have spills or accidents that will likewise destroy whole ecosystems, as we have seen in Alaska, the Gulf coast, and Arkansas.
Of course I recognize that we need a definite transition from non-renewable to renewable resources, but it's a change we need to start making nonetheless.
So does anyone want to tell the class what they still use in wind turbines?
Are you attempting to tell me that wind turbines are in fact fueled/powered by petroleum?
Or are you referencing the lubricant used?
No, I'm telling you that you can't get away from petroleum by using technology that needs petroleum.
wind turbines don't run on petroleum.
No, I'm telling you that you can't get away from petroleum by using technology that needs petroleum.
As horrible and unfortunate as the situation is, would you rather a few avian individuals fall victim or whole ecosystems destroyed?
Where did I say they run on petroleum? Care to quote it?
And thus we have seen the perfect demonstrations of the false dichotomy fallacy. Class dismissed.
You said wind turbines use petroleum or hinted at it. Wind turns the turbine.
I was clearly talking about the construction of the wind turbine.
Well as long as you concede that wind power is better for the environment than that power which comes from petroleum and other non-renewable sources, I really, don't see too much of a conflict between us.
Wind Turbines are made of petroleum? pretty sure they are steal towers with aluminum blades.
I wonder how many "twitchers" were suddenly conflicted about windmill farms as they watched this rare and magnificent bird senselessly killed.
Twitchers flocking to see rare bird saw it killed by wind turbine
:doh How does the power get from here to there and what do they use as lubricant?
Well as long as you concede that wind power is better for the environment than that power which comes from petroleum and other non-renewable sources, I really, don't see too much of a conflict between us.
Way to restructure your statement in the face of being discredited. We both know that "better" was not the standard you used in the quote. Your standard was the destruction of the whole eco system.
So are you attempting to argue that the death of a few birds is in fact worse than the destruction of a whole ecosystem? Because quite honestly I feel the implied meaning of my question, not statement, is quite clear. Perhaps it is you that misinterpreted me.
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