EDITOR'S NOTE: With the large number of wind farms being built in the U.S., it is important to learn from Norway's experience in siting the huge windmills. Here is that story:

A KEY POPULATION of Europe's largest eagle has been significantly reduced by a wind farm.

Only one White-tailed Eagle is expected to fledge from the wind farm site on the bird's former stronghold of Smøla, a set of islands about six miles (10 kilometres) off the northwest Norwegian coast.

Turbine blades have killed nine of the birds in the last 10 months including all three chicks that fledged last year. The number of young has crashed from at least ten each year before the wind farm was built, with numbers outside the wind farm falling as well--there are no breeding pairs within one kilometre of the turbines. In 1989, BirdLife International made Smøla an "Important Bird Area" because it had one of the highest densities of White-tailed Eagles in the World.

Scientists now fear that wind farms planned...Read On

Not a bad return for providing food, water, shelter and a place for a colorful array of birds, butterflies and animals to raise their young. Many are visible year-round from his backyard windows in this fast-growing section of west-central North Carolina.

Carter and his wife, Janice, get advice from a former classmate who suggests the appropriate blooms, fruit and nut trees along with berry-producing shrubs to enrich the many photo setups.

Want images of bluebirds? Aim at that split-rail... Read On

(Naturalist examines Maryland habitat)

She said she's never seen so many in the 40 years she's lived in her Forest Road neighborhood. She enjoys watching them, but knows they're a hazard to motorists. They also haven't done much for the health of her shrubs and flowers. (Photo by Gordon Burhop)

"They are in my yard so frequently that my dogs don't even bother to look up and bark anymore," said Kolp, president of the Forest View Citizens Association. "At one of our neighborhood meetings, I said I had seen eight deer in my yard. Somebody spoke up: 'Eight, I had 15 in mine the other night.' "

What makes Kolp's and her neighbors' experiences different... Read On

On occasion, Tim says the grouse would knock his hat to the ground and drag it about. This abnormal behavior for one of North America's most elusive species is demonstrated on rare occasions and always by males, says Tim, a former PA Game Officer.

The landowner named the grouse "Sassy" and says he has been in this mode of fearless encounters with man for two years. Tim says most of these aggressive grouse phenomenons are quite short-lived. Sassy is an exception.

"I've been photographing grouse for over 30 years and have only observed three such birds," he says. "My wife and I took several hundred photos of him as we did on a similar bird last winter in northcentral Pennsylvania. I've got an extensive selection of grouse photos on hand and had many published in various magazines. I also have perhaps the most graphic photos of feeding and preening Woodcock that exist anywhere," Tim says.

Usually he's the "Bluebird of Happiness" but here he appears ruffled and disgusted with the onset of colder weather in this reproduction of the photograph by Michael L. Smith. This is one of the most famous nature photographs ever created and originally was seen in a National Geographic Society birding book.

Here it has been reproduced on 12-oz. porcelain mugs that are microwave and dishwasher safe. Makes a terrific gift!

Dad and the four-year-old were up in the loft where Lloyd, the herpetologist, was showing off the live local specimens. Mom and the two year old were outside by the pond when she spotted a Northern Water Snake sunning itself on the perimeter-- perhaps 30 ft. away.

Abandoning the two-year-old by the edge of the pond, Mom raced into the Nature Center and hollered, "Come right now! I've found a snake outside!"... Read On

THERE'S A whole other world out there that doesn't depend on computer chips or even electricity. However, it might depend on you!

Whether you live on a farm or in an apartment, your actions can influence the survival of a vast range of plants and animals in your local habitat.

Start keeping a journal. This can be any kind of book in which you can make notes about what you observe. Go to an outdoor location, be it a balcony or a park or your backyard. Mark down the time of day and the weather conditions... Read On