[All] Birds on Canada's Amherst Island in Lake Ontario Under Threat - Immediate Action is Required

Thu Aug 1 13:46:06 EDT 2013

I read the article   that WOLFE ISLAND  HAS THE LARGEST MIGRATORY BIRD KILL
OF ANY AREA    with windmills.    (Judy Greenwood Speers  (our friend of the
environment , has many wind mills on her own farm  on Wolfe Island  ...and
I don't have her email address but possibly  Susan does )   I lived on Howe
Island  for 6 years   which is  near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River
and is  a neighbour of   both Amherst Island    and Wolfe Island   ...and
that  Island  AMHERST   is   too small  to house  any,  let alone a bunch of
windmills.   This  is a slaughter house  for these birds...I wonder if  Judy
is  protesting in any way   I hope she will.    Ginny

From: All [mailto:all-bounces at gren.ca] On Behalf Of Eleanor Grant
Sent: July-31-13 1:16 PM
To: Neil E Taylor
Cc: all at gren.ca
Subject: Re: [All] Birds on Canada's Amherst Island in Lake Ontario Under
Threat - Immediate Action is Required

Neil, I'm wondering if there are other places where they could have sited a
large offshore wind project, that would have been less harmful to birds?  Or
would all offshore wind be unacceptable?  This is a tough spot for
environmentalists.

Can you shed more light on this?

Eleanor

On Jul 31, 2013 8:41 AM, "Neil E Taylor" <neiletaylor at sympatico.ca> wrote:

Canada's Amherst Island in Lake Ontario is in need of all "friends of
birds"....from all around the world....and we need the help of
Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists!!!

Under the Province of Ontario's Green Energy Act Fit 1 program, Algonquin
Power/Windlectric Inc. is proceeding with plans to install an industrial
wind project consisting of 36, 50-storey tall wind turbines - each with a
blade sweep area of over 2 acres - stretching from one end of the island to
the other.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has invited public comments
by August 9, 2013 on an application by Windlectric / Algonquin Power for an

"overall benefit" permit to kill, harm and harass, and destroy and fragment
habitat, of three species at risk on Amherst Island:  Bobolink, Eastern

Meadowlark, and Whip-poor-will.  

MNR has completely ignored the impact of the construction of turbines on
migratory birds and other species at risk even though the definition of
habitat in the Endangered Species Act requires their consideration. 

Click here < <http://bit.ly/17kxnA0> http://bit.ly/17kxnA0> to see the
Environmental Registry posting.

Please voice your opposition to the kill / harm / harass / destroy /
fragment permit by writing to Kathleen Pitt, Species at Risk Biologist, MNR
with EBR 011-9446 in the subject line by Friday, August 9, 2013.  To:
<https://webmail.kos.net/src/compose.php?send_to=kathleen.pitt%40ontario.ca>
kathleen.pitt at ontario.ca, with copies to
<https://webmail.kos.net/src/compose.php?send_to=premier%40ontario.ca>
premier at ontario.ca,

minister.mnr at ontario.ca
<https://webmail.kos.net/src/compose.php?send_to=minister.mnr%40ontario.ca>
,  <mailto:david.o%27toole at ontario.ca> david.o'toole at ontario.ca and
<https://webmail.kos.net/src/compose.php?send_to=protectai%40kos.net>
protectai at kos.net

And PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD !!!!!

Some of the key messages you may wish to address include:

 - All of Amherst Island is an Important Bird Area of Global Significance on
the Atlantic Migratory flyway and is home to 34 species at risk including
Blanding's Turtle.

- The Island is internationally recognized for concentrations of wintering
hawks and owls, with birders travelling from around the world to visit Owl
Woods ( <http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/projects/property.html>
http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/projects/property.html ), where it is
possible to see up to 10 species of owls.

- Amherst Island was ranked second in biodiversity significance (Lake
Ontario Islands - Northeast), and includes 400 hectares of Provincially
Significant Coastal Wetland.

- The Ministry must not limit its consideration to three ground-nesting
birds but must consider a holistic approach to the impact of turbines on all
species at risk including migratory birds and their habitat on the Island.

Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway said this to Ontario's Premier:

*Ontario birders know about or have visited Amherst Island in eastern Lake
Ontario near Kingston, Ontario. It's world famous for raptors and includes

the "Owl Woods" where many birders have seen their life owls of several
species. During years when meadow vole numbers peak it supports hundreds

of wintering hawks and owls. It is proposed that 36 massively tall wind
turbines be constructed on the island, four of which will be close to the

Owl Woods. According to the Toronto Star newspaper adjacent Wolfe Island has
the second highest bird mortality in North America caused by wind

turbines.

Amherst is a quiet and serene rural island, and is one of the treasures of
the birding world. Are we about to alter greatly, both ecologically and

esthetically, one of the most important birding areas in North America?"

You can learn more about the situation on Amherst Island at:

   - Facebook:   <http://www.facebook.com/ProtectAmherstIsland>
www.facebook.com/ProtectAmherstIsland

   - Web:  <http://protectamherst.yolasite.com/>
http://protectamherst.yolasite.com

Thank you for your help,

kind regards,

Andrea Cross

on behalf of the Association to Protect Amherst Island

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