Bird experts have welcomed the Scottish Government's decision to refuse permission for a wind farm they said would have posed a risk to golden eagles. WPR Wind Ltd hoped to build a 14-turbine wind farm near Inveraray in Argyll. However, RSPB Scotland objected to the proposal on the grounds that the site was one of the most productive areas in the country for golden eagles.

Scientists say man-made noise equipment, including anti-seal sonar devices used in fish farms, is driving deep-water animals such as whales to shore, where they die. A northern bottlenose whale was washed up dead on a beach in Prestatyn, North Wales, on Saturday morning, the tenth of the species to become trapped or stranded on British shores this year. ...Northern bottlenose whales are acutely sensitive to sound, for like other beaked whales they use sonic pulses for hunting. The noise of oil exploration (which uses loud underwater explosions to help geologists search for undiscovered reserves), wind farm construction and shipping are all possible culprits.

Wind turbine memorial. Illustration: Rob Biddulph Imagine that at the flick of a switch, you could not only turn a light on or off but select which power source you were going to use. Would an eco warrior choose wind power or coal? Surely this is a no-brainer. Not necessarily.

Wind farms can reduce bird numbers by up to half, according to a new study by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, that raises questions about the charity's support of the new technology. ...It suggested that the most likely cause of the decline is the fact that birds are less likely to live near wind farms because of the noise and development.

The RSPB Scotland study looked at 12 operating upland wind farms in the UK and found that numbers of several birds of high conservation concern are reduced close to the turbines. Affected birds include the hen harrier and golden plover, which are protected under European law, and the curlew, which is a high-priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Scotland's ospreys are once again starting their epic annual winter migration to West Africa. Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS), the biggest land manager in the country, has been keeping a close watch on the success of the fish-eating birds of prey. One of the birds monitored using satellite tracking technology is known as Red 8T.

An energy company has admitted precious Red Kites are at significant risk from its planned new wind farm complex in South Wales. Now, campaigners against the controversial proposal in the Swansea Valley say they will prosecute npower renewables under the Wildlife and Countryside Act if the farm goes ahead and Red Kites - dubbed Wales' National Bird - are chopped up in turbine blades.

Nature conservationists are expected to raise concerns over potential plans to place four wind turbines close to an internationally important bird reserve. ...Martin Kerby, RSPB planning officer for the North-east said: ... "When the planning application is submitted we will be looking very carefully at it. It depends on how many birds are passing through. "It's about 1km from Saltholme but of most concern is the North Tees mudflats."

Construction of a wind farm at Logiealmond could have a significant impact on wildlife, according to opponents of the proposal. According to consultant ecologist Nigel Rudd there would be a knock-on effect to birds and animals in the area if the 14-turbine development went ahead. "Modification of the habitat resource could significantly alter the attractiveness of the site to certain species.

RSPB Scotland has today lodged a formal objection to the Viking wind farm proposal on Shetland. After scrutinising in detail the developer's application, assessments have revealed there would be significant and unacceptable adverse impacts on many bird species should the development proceed as currently proposed.

RSPB Scotland has lodged an objection to plans for Scotland's largest community wind farm, on Shetland. The Viking Energy project, for 150 turbines, is a joint venture between Scottish and Southern Energy and the island community. ...Populations of birds, including the golden plover, could be threatened by some of the turbines, RSPB Scotland said.

A pond in the north of the site has been the home of marsh harriers and bitterns since at least 2005, research by the bird charity as shown. But developer Ridge Wind said it had considered the environmental impact of its development and was sure there would be no damage caused by the windfarm.

Campaigners fighting plans for a wind farm near the Naseby battlefield site say new proposals to move the turbines further east will make no difference to their visual impact for villagers. ...the latest plans place the turbines on lower ground further east, still south of the A14 but closer to Kelmarsh Hall. Eon says this will create less visual impact on the villages of Naseby and Haselbech.

Its aim is to find out the migration routes, the heights and speeds at which the whooper swans fly, and the effects of weather conditions on the swans' flight patterns. This data will then be analysed in relation to existing offshore wind farms positioned in the Greater Wash and East Irish Sea areas, as well as potential wind farm sites.

Concern has been raised over the possible impact on wildlife if a proposed windfarm is developed near Huntly. Swedish energy firm Vattenfall is behind plans for a 22-turbine windfarm at Clashindarroch Forest, between Dufftown and Rhynie. ...Fears over the effect the development could have on wildlife, including birds and wildcats, have been voiced by local stalker and game processor Steve Wright.

Linton Zoo could be forced to close should a proposed windfarm just over a kilometre away be given the go-ahead, according to zookeeper Kim Simmons. She is worried the animals at her zoo, including lemurs and big cats, could be affected by the infrasound - sound lower in frequency than can be heard by the human ear - produced by the proposed eight 120-metre tall turbines.

Researchers are to study the impact of tidal turbines on protected species like whales, basking sharks and dolphins in a bid to help tidal energy projects avoid the sort of controversies to have dogged some wind farm developments. The pioneering three-year joint venture between Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), will have "worldwide relevance", according to SNH.

Birdsong could be drowned out by the sound of giant wind turbines on a Northumberland moor say protesters, who have now organised a special event to highlight the diversity of species which flock there. Members of Save Our Unspoiled Landscape (Soul) who are fighting plans for six turbines at Barmoor, near Lowick, called in birdsong recording expert Geoff Sample to capture the sounds around the neighbouring Ford Moss, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Scotland's wildlife habitats are at risk from poorly planned wind farms which can cause as much damage as new housing developments, a leading conservation body warns today. The John Muir Trust has found that the construction of a large scale wind farm, with access roads and cabling trenches, can destroy an area of land the size of 69 international-sized football pitches.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is drawing up plans that will see wind turbines constructed on its estates as part of a new green energy drive. The move, which will see the RSPB generating power for its own buildings and selling any surplus to the National Grid, is likely to anger some RSPB members who believe wind farms pose a threat to rare birds of prey.