Abstract
The following report contains preliminary analyses designed to estimate the initial effectiveness of the winter shutdown of turbines in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (APWRA). This report describes and summarizes standardized fatality data collected within the APWRA from January 2005 – October 2006 that are most relevant for understanding the effectiveness of the shutdown of turbines for reducing overall raptor mortality in the APWRA. This report can be considered an addendum to the report entitled “Wildlife Monitoring at Altamont Pass, Winter 2005 – Early Fall 2006, Preliminary Draft Results” by the APWRA Avian Monitoring Team (2006). We also provide additional standardized fatality data collected in January and February 2005 at the Patterson Pass Wind Project. This project was shutdown in late 2004 through February 2005 because of substation upgrades. The project was searched for fatalities at during this shutdown period to provide some initial information on the effectiveness of winter time shutdown of turbines.
A description of the methods used in field data collection and reporting is found in APWRA Avian Monitoring Team (2006). A second more detailed report will be completed in May 2007 that includes the results of the second year of winter season shutdown of turbines. This report has not been reviewed by the APWRA Avian Monitoring Team or the Scientific Review Committee (SRC), but has been submitted to both groups for the purpose of discussion at the April 9, 2007 SRC meeting.