Re: Cellphone tower in Rock Creek Maintenance Yard
Ellen Paul (epaul@dclink.com)
Fri, 05 Jun 1998 06:47:56 -0700
Dear Gail and others,
I share your concern about the towers and the location thereof, but the
bird-communication tower strike issue probably isn't a significant one.
There is a large body of literature on this issue going back about 3
decades. The problem occurs at night, when the birds are migrating, and
the cloud cover pushes them lower than their normal migrating altitude.
The lights on the towers reflect off the water vapor in the air, which
for some reason attracts the birds. They begin to fly around the tower,
hitting the guy wires - some probably hit the towers themselves.
The problem seems to be limited primarily to the very high towers that
are held up with guy wires. The cell telelphone towers don't have guy
wires and aren't that high.
If you are planning to comment, let me fax you a bibliography on this
issue so you can determine if there are any papers on cell phone towers
or towers of similar height. Or I can give you a contact at Cornell who
is studying the issue. You might also want to enlist the help of the
American Bird Conservancy - they are still a small organization and
already overwhelmed with work - but might be of some help here because
they too, are birding this region.
Let me know if I can be of further help.
Ellen Paul
Chevy Chase, Maryland
epaul@dclink.com
mdosprey@ARI.Net wrote:
>
> There was a (very small) item in yesterday's Washington Post about the "public
> comment" period regarding a proposal to build two telecommunications towers
> in Rock Creek Park. This 30-day period began May 26, when the proposal was
> published in the Federal Register.
>
> One of these towers will be near the Tennis Center on 16th street. The other,
> to my horror, is being proposed for the Rock Creek Park Maintenance Yard! Now
> for the many birders who frequent Rock Creek Park in spring and fall, we
> know the high ridge which encompasses the Nature Center, Maintenance Yard
> and the nearby picnic area to be a major concentration point for neotropical
> migrants. This is because of a combination of the park being a thin ribbon
> green in the midst of development and because this is one of the highest
> points in the park. Some days the numbers of migrants is amazing (I have seen
> 24 species of warbler in one day). Bad weather conditions, especially events
> such as early morning rain or fog, can cause a mini-"High Island"-like fallout.
>
> Now the NPS proposes to allow the placement of a 100-foot-high tower right
> in the middle of this area. This tower will extend well above the trees,
> most of which are in the 50-60 foot range at that point.
>
> It would seem to me that this sort of structure in the midst of a known
> migratory concentration point is NOT a good idea. While birds in passage are
> of course flying above this height, just at dawn and (as noted) especially
> under adverse weather conditions, the birds are right at treetop height as
> they search for foraging areas. Earlier this spring we were at the ridge
> just at first light, and a brief rain started. Immediately, small flocks of
> warblers dropped out of the sky, calling to eachother, and darted around from
> tree to tree. It would seem that the chance of tower strikes and kills of
> migrants is a very real possibility here -- and in a National Park!
>
> I hope that the many local birders who frequent this area will see fit to
> write a letter to the National Park Service. There will be no public hearing,
> letter is the only means of making our case known. Letters should be addressed
> to:
>
> Superintendent,
> Rock Creek Park
> 3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW
> Washington DC 20008
>
> These have to be in by June 26, I believe.
>
> I plan to investigate further to see if any sort of environmental study has
> been done, and if so, why it apparently didn't take potential danger to birds
> into account. I will also try to take a look at the exact plans for the tower,
> and will post additional info to this list. These plans are apparently only
> available to park headquarters.
>
> One thing, if anyone has specific data on numbers of birds or species, or
> if you lead field trips to this spot, etc. include this in your letter.
>
> Thanks,
> Gail Mackiernan
> Silver Spring, MD
> gail@umdd.umd.edu
>
> p.s. Not everyone who birds this area is on the "net" so please spread the
> word.
--
Ellen Paul Chevy Chase, Maryland Mailto:epaul@dclink.com