Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 13:37:45 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "1220@ras3" Subject: Conowingo Noisemakers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Greetings: I was up at the dam this morning trying to nail down some information = on the noisemakers. It was very foggy and there wasn't much to see = other than fog. I don't have the full story yet, but this is what I = learned so far. The noisemakers are propane cannons and are fired off in the afternoon = apparently to discourage overnight roosting. The cannons are on a = timer system. When I was there this morning between 9:30 - 10:30 = AM there was no noise. The noisemakers apparently make enough noise to be heard several miles = away. A person who lives in Cecil County a mile or so away from = the dam can hear the cannons very clearly in the evening. A person at the dam says they don't seem to work too well as the birds = fly away and then return a few minutes later. I have not yet = determined if other measures were taken before deciding on the = noisemakers. New roofing was installed over the generator buildings last year and = the plant operator is now trying to protect that roofing from damage = from bird droppings. I am going to call plant management this week to get their side of the = story. =20 The system being used a PAX NWR Visitor Center has been offered = as one solution. They have strung low voltige wires similar to = electric fence used on farms to "motivate" the birds to roost = elsewhere. Does anyone know of other solutions????? It would = probably be a good idea to offer alternative solutions to the power = company if and when they are approached.=20 I am simply acting as an information gatherer at this point and will = offer a full report at the next MOS Board Meeting on Saturday, = March 10. I have not conveyed any position or policy statement to = the power company or anyone else for that matter. Thanks Larry Fry ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================