This is not a post about Sesame Street or the Childrens Television Workshop.

No, this is about a literal big bird, a griffon vulture, and its unfortunate failure to maintain separation from a large power-generating windmill in Crete.

Let’s got to the videotape. (Not for the squeamish or PETA activists.)

Renewable energy proponents want to portray an image of their technology being “free” and “green” and “non-impacting”. The realists among us point out that any technology of sufficient scope and power to meet our country’s energy demands has some downside, too.

It’s been my experience in the U.S. that the Fish and Wildlife Service levies heavy fines for migratory waterfowl accidentally killed because of industrial mishaps. For endangered and protected species (condors, pelicans, all raptors), the fine per bird can also run to many thousands of dollars.

So why did the vulture repeatedly circle among the whirling generator blades? Was he attracted to the vortices created by the windmill’s blades, or was he eying a previously-downed windmill victim while planning his brunch? We’ll never know.

H/T wattsupwiththat.com

Cross-posted at VladEnBlog.