Perspectives of Reflective Building Facades in Omaha

With sunny skies and scattered clouds, as well as a need to delay my arrival in downtown Omaha, some pictures were taken of buildings with prominent reflective facades. These images readily indicate the extent of reflectivity of the glass and how the buildings are regularly deadly places for migratory wildbirds.

West side of the Gottschalk Freedom Center, an Omaha World-Herald building. Note the other large buildings being reflected, as well as the nearby trees.

Several perspectives of the Gavilon building, still under construction, and showing the extensive use of glass as the exterior wall.

Looking from the east towards the west.

A portion of the north wall, showing in detail how the glass on the lower wall is highly reflective. The trees and light fixtures being reflected are located across the street.

A view of the northwest corner of the building, showing its convoluted corner which will present a variety of potentially deadly reflective conditions.

A portion of the west wall, showing reflections of trees across the street, a parking garage a block away, and the First National Bank Building, two blocks distant.

It is possible that there will be bird strikes occurring here as soon as this autumn. The building will be more than likely be especially dangerous due to park with numerous trees, just across the intersection to the northwest. Wildbirds departing from the trees will look for their destination, see the reflected trees and think they would be a likely spot. With the distance being flown, they would hit without sufficient impact to cause a deadly collision.

With the north exterior (especially) and perhaps the west side likely being done in the next few weeks, the only barrier to this happening are the barricades which will still likely be present. Any strikes which may occur, could not probably be documented due to the presence of this barrier.

The Omaha-Douglas Civic Center, showing the east side of the building.

Looking westward towards the main, north entry where many bird strikes have occurred.

The Zesto Building at 610 North 12th, across from TD Ameritrade Park.

Looking towards the southwest. Most of the bird strikes this spring occurred at the section of the building just south of the entryway of Lids Locker Room.

While taking this picture, it was surprising to see at least a half-dozen Cliff Swallows flitting about. They might be nesting somewhere within the stadium, where the College World Series is currently underway.

Hybrid Teal at Levi Carter Park

An unusual hybrid teal was present at the Horseshoe Pool at Levi Carter Park during a breeding bird survey on June 17th.

The male bird was obviously different due to the usual coloration on its head and neck. It was with a normal plumage female.

After some consideration, and with supportive comments from Ross Silcock and Joern Lehmhus, it is being identified as a Blue-winged x Green-winged Teal hybrid.

This is an exciting bird to add to the fine variety of waterfowl which occur at the park and adjacent Carter Lake.

The bird is similar in appearance, except for a much whiter neck, to images of other hybrids of this sort which are available for review online at various places.

Conservancy Ecologist Conveys Nest Destruction

Comments by an ecologist employed by The Nature Conservancy indicate that an expected presence of birds nests was intentionally ignored to conduct a managed burn of a prairie.

In a blog post dated June 11, Chris Helzer, said that the planned blaze, due to constraints earlier in the season, was conducted early in June.

Screen shot of a portion of Helzer's comments. Image captured June 15, 2013.

"After weighing the pros and cons of burning in early June, we decided to go ahead with last week’s fire. We certainly burned up nests of meadowlarks, grasshopper sparrows, and at least one turkey (a forlorn-looking female was wandering around after the fire). I expect most of those will have time to re-nest, but that only makes me feel marginally better about it. I’m sure we also killed lots of insects and some wildlife species." — Chris Helzer at the Prairie Ecologist website.

"Right or wrong, I guess I’ve trained myself to focus on the long-term positive outcomes of our management and not to dwell on the short-term negative impacts. I’m not sure if that makes me insensitive or just sensible." — Helzer

This short-sighted action means that there were bird nests destroyed. One obviously, and likely others as indicated by the author's comments.

This action makes Helzer or whoever else decided to conduct the burn, a perpetrator that has violated a federal and a state law.

The destruction of each nest was a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which prohibits the destruction of a nest, eggs and young. A fine can be levied for each violation.

In the case of a single abandoned nest along the Platte River recently, the fine was $500.

A Nebraska state law also prohibits destruction of nests, eggs and/or young.

For this burn to have taken place, it also was done with the knowledge that nests with eggs or young were present. For it to have gone ahead, it was done without regard for bird nests and so is a first-degree violation, because it was done intentionally despite their knowing nests would be present.

The person and/or group responsible for this action should be heavily fined, be required to issue a public apology and to develop and implement protocols to make certain this does not happen again. Prairie management is important but conducting a fire is not the over-riding concern during the nesting season. The fire could have been done after July 15th, and more than likely avoided any destruction and been done legally.

Environment Ignored in Legislators Opinion on Energy Legislation

A recent "Midlands Voices" opinion article in a major newspaper in Nebraska once again shows that the favoritism shown for wind turbine development is based on economic development.

Steve Lathrop, a member of the Nebraska Legislature, gushed about the advantages of the recently passed LB 104 which will provide tax benefits for renewable energy projects.

This would include solar and wind, while his opinion piece focused only on wind energy.

His has three primary points in his repetitive verbage: (competition with neighboring states, wind energy will create jobs and economic activity, especially in rural Nebraska). He conveys, in particular, that wind turbines could be an answer to many of the woes of rural Nebraska.

The myopic view as given, does not represent all of the views associated with this issue. It has a blatant, and obvious bias.

There was nothing said about the negative impacts of wind turbines and the power transmission lines needed to distribute the energy across long distances.

Environmental impacts are well-known and were indicated in some emails to this legislator, as well as to Jeremy Nordquist, also of the Nebraska legislature. Neither even took the time to reply.

Many proponents of turbines are focused on this only due to the monetary values to themselves, a community or the state.

This legislation is nothing more than a means of welfare from the state, just as federal subsidies are also welfare. Money from the public into the pockets of others. Get government out of this business and let the market determine the fate of wind turbine projects.

If wind energy is such a viable option, it would be self-sustaining. There are many other unwanted and blatantly negative environmental impacts of wind turbines and power transmission lines. Rather than repeat them, please refer to this previous post.

Energy development in Nebraska also needs to include large-scale improvements in energy efficient and distributed generation rather than industrial-sized projects.

The mad rush for turbine projects in Nebraska is being done for wealth and business. Damn the environment, more turbines ahead, would be an apt indication of proponent's perspectives!