Information about the stadium-glass issue can be found in my blog. Jim Williams Wayzata birding blog at www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/blogs/Wingnut.html
> On Aug 23, 2014, at 1:10 AM, Gordon Andersson <gpanders...@msn.com> wrote: > > The ovenbird is in third place among bird species collected after window > strikes in downtown St Paul and Mpls. This was reported in the Spring 2010 > issue of The Loon after three years of the Project BirdSafe study sponsored > by Audubon MN. From spring 2007 to fall 2009, 111 ovenbirds were picked up > of which 101 were dead, 9 were released, and one was rehabbed at the > Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. This constituted six migration periods. > In each downtown a prescribed circuit is walked each day of migration. In > St Paul the route is 30 blocks long. (White-throated Sparrow is 1st place > (N=204) and Nashville Warbler is 2nd (N=173)). In those first three years, > approx 1400 birds were killed by impacts with glass in the two downtowns, > representing 100 species. This program is now in its eighth season. > > > > Today the Viking management announced that they would add another > $20,000,000 for more 'amenities' to the new $ 1 B stadium. (A TV report > tonight cited $46 M in added contribution.) But no dollars will be spent > on bird-safe glass. In an interview, the Chair of the MSFA said that > 'fritted glass' is not acceptable because it would not provide a clear view > by the fans of the environs outside the stadium. > > Many of you contacted Mpls City Council members, the Vikings management as > well as the MSFA members. The city council voted unanimously that the > stadium should use glass that is more visible to birds. The MOU Board also > passed a resolution to this effect. Nevertheless, the approx $1,000,000 > additional cost for safer glass was considered too expensive by the Vikings > owners/mgrs. (Fritted glass is also more energy efficient than regular > glass.) > > > > I know that a bird will fly into the glass side of a skyway or into a glass > window of a building wall that is framed by solid structural non-glass > elements. The height and width of the glass surfaces of the new stadium > (~200,000 ft2) will present a very large and invisible "target" to many > birds throughout the year but especially to neotropical migrants in the > spring and fall. And this is so that the people who attend 8 home games a > year at the stadium can look away from the field of play for a transparent > view outside the building. > > > > On some nights in the spring, millions of birds fly over the metro area. > As you know, these birds actively feed during the day and also fly into > windows. > > I also know that there are other significant causes of bird mortality in > addition to window glass--- both winter and summer habitat loss, cats, > poison, vehicles. But one must look at the additive effect of all of these > and then try to mitigate each one. If you subscribe to the belief that one > more dead bird doesn't matter (or that window kills are not important), than > I suggest you should not vote either, because you are really only one vote. > > > > > So to paraphrase FDR or George Marshall--- "A thousand million dollars for a > football stadium and and not one million dollars to prevent unnecessary bird > deaths." > > It is too late at night to fact check all of this, but I think it is fairly > accurate. the paraphrase is my own. > > There is a good write-up of this issue on Sharon Stiteler's blog "Birdchick" > dated July 26, 2014. > > > > I know many of you are concerned about the effect the stadium, as planned, > will have on flying birds of many kinds. I don't know what to suggest > except more phone calls and emails. or protests with placards. If anyone > has any ideas or direction, please share them. There was a lot of email > about this issue here a couple weeks ago. > > > > (You should also read about the poor ovenbird.) > > > > Gordon Andessson > > St Paul > > > > > > From: American Bird Conservancy [mailto:i...@abcbirds.org] > Sent: Friday, August 22, 2014 4:30 PM > To: gpanders...@msn.com > Subject: ABC's Bird of the Week: Ovenbird > > > > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=Cmr7sW-1k4Nj_KFv3LyU5g> The Walking > Warbler > > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=Tt3_BoNWkyoIu3hq7OoatQ> > > > > > > Teacher, Teacher! > Ovenbird > > The Ovenbird gets its name from its unique nest, which looks like a domed > oven. This inconspicuous, ground-nesting warbler is best-known for its > emphatic and distinctive song-a series of progressively louder phrases often > described as "teacher, teacher, teacher." > > Like the Wood Thrush > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=E9SDxP7P3HJr6C5ZvPIn6g> and Kentucky, > Cerulean <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=XpLcXg8ZxZ4hLW2vdH902Q> , and > Worm-eating Warblers > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=XOp9FK986OlputnPBnlHOA> , Ovenbirds > require undisturbed expanses of forest for successful breeding. Although > more flexible in habitat requirements on their wintering grounds, Ovenbirds > and other Neotropical migratory species benefit from habitat conservation in > these regions as well. > > Learn more and listen to the Ovenbird's song > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=pT6Qv_XFfTV6uCjn3DnRpg> >> > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=j1QuGSN3GReApXhWBQq5Xg> > > > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/PixelServer?j=xgmRb3iQwkhUjlpw8S-oNw> > > > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=4jrtTRgHyPte38ehWow4PQ> > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=9gQTdMN3agr5uW0zBPVI0g> > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=3vfkPm7nx5WRR94VVkWJNA> > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=TskT4uElZGmAiLwsMX2yqA> > > > > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=86ET7ZpiNU3YgqmnOtpAIg> > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=86ET7ZpiNU3YgqmnOtpAIg> > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=86ET7ZpiNU3YgqmnOtpAIg> > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=oplYtIUAISZVyJ06kaFF9w> > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=oplYtIUAISZVyJ06kaFF9w> > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=oplYtIUAISZVyJ06kaFF9w> > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=T-sqAjzOLS9uDlIRj01NsQ> > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=T-sqAjzOLS9uDlIRj01NsQ> > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=T-sqAjzOLS9uDlIRj01NsQ> > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=tbgP9HJsqwA2BRSaeHVGdw> > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=tbgP9HJsqwA2BRSaeHVGdw> > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=tbgP9HJsqwA2BRSaeHVGdw> > > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/images/content/pagebuilder/green_rule.jpg> > > > American Bird Conservancy | P.O. Box 249 | The Plains, VA 20198 > > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/CO?i=HaaHZvgTL2dlf4cnj0AmEW5cQNC5gXir&cid= > 1042&RemoveInterest=1021> Unsubscribe > > > > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=zBBlDfuVcwT5LukdcIoigA> > nonprofit software > <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=SJc7wHpLYi0D70-yROYf7g> > > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
