How does an SLR station affect the local bird population?

[Ole Klingan]

Hi everyone!

For the SLR station in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, we are trying to find out how an SLR station will affect the local bird polulation. The station is located nearby a bird nesting area.
So my question to the community is if anyone has ever put any attention into what happens to the local bird population over time, and if you ever have seen birds taking damage from the laser?

Best Regards

Ole

[sandmann]

Hi there Ole,
No real studies from my time at Yarragadee, but anecdotally, they seem to enjoy flying through the beam. I would notice around sunset time, some increase in bird activity around the telescope. It may have had nothing to do with the laser at all...
The best was when they would use the all-sky camera as a perch, and we could get a very wide angle view of the underneath of a bird.
Sandy