Abstract
In a recent article (James 2008) I provided information about some bird species nesting near wind turbines, where I had found nests for those species. In this articleI will look more generally at bird populations in areas near wind turbines, as revealed by breeding bird surveys. In order to try to assess any potential effects of wind turbines on bird populations, it is usual to undertake a series of breeding bird point counts. While it would be ideal to count at or close to final turbine locations, both before and after turbines are installed and working, this has not always been possible. Breeding bird point counts were conducted in 2003 in the area proposed for the Erie Shores Wind Farm, 3 years before the turbines began operation. There were unanticipated delays in getting the wind farm in operation, and turbine locations were not yet established. While the point counts of 2003 provided quantitative information about the bird populations, most of the count points were not close enough to the final turbine positions in the large area initially under consideration, to be useful for comparison to counts after operations began.