On the subject of windmills, birds certainly get smacked by the
blades. This is a real problem where windmill farms are located in
areas that are migratory flyways.

On the subject of high voltage power lines, electric fields
radiating out from a 100,000 Volt line are very high even at the
ground level, hundreds or thousands of volts/metre. There have
been frustratingly inadequate studies on this issue, in my opinion.
I think the leukemia study Jerry refers to is an epidemiological
study done in the Denver area that found that there was a higher
incidence of certain leukemia's among children living along power
lines. Another study found higher cancers among amateur radio
operators. These studies point to the need for more studies before
the effects of electric and magnetic fields on animals and humans
are really understood. Although birds often perch or nest much
closer to the conductors and thus in a much stronger field, the
fact that they are shorter lived animals than human may be a factor
in their favor. I think it would be surprising if there were not
some adverse effect of high fields on living organisms.

Ed Schulz
email: eschulz at gte.net
Phone: (425) 259-6877
Everett, WA

----------
> From: Jerry Converse <sanjer at televar.com>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: High voltage
> Date: Tuesday, March 10, 1998 12:58 PM
>
> The windmill question brings to mind another question. What
effect does
> high voltage lines have on birds nesting UNDER them.
>
> I was checking a small marsh that runs under high voltage power
lines. I
> was using a aluminum ski pole for a walking stick. While under
the line,
> I could feel a tingling-vibration when I touched the aluminum
while it
> was touching the ground. If I lifted it up the tingling stopped.
If I
> walked out from under the lines it stopped. Years ago there were
claims
> that over-exposure to high voltage could cause lukemia (I think)
in
> humans. What about birds. Hmmmm Looks like a good candidate for a
> federal grant. ;-)
>
> Jerry Converse
> Grand Coulee, WA