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That is A LOT of birds! A Florida airport is hiring a full-time avian expert at $76,000 a year to stop birds from fowl-ing up its flights.
Up until now, airport staff took turns firing deafening flare guns and propane cannons into the air to ward off vultures, grackles, American kestrels, cattle egrets, doves, pigeons and occasionally a pelican or seagull.
“We’re not just hiring somebody you can find at a park,” said Mike Nonnemacher, the airport operations director for Broward County.
“The $118,000 is pennies compared to losing a $2 million engine,” he said. “We’re being proactive.”
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NOAA predicts ‘near-normal’ Atlantic hurricane season
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters say they expect this year’s June 1-Nov. 30 Atlantic hurricane season to will produce 9-15 named tropical storms. NOAA forecasters say 4-8 of these may grow into 74 mph or stronger hurricanes, and 1 to 3 may become major hurricanes with winds faster than 111 mph.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Bud is gaining strength in the Pacific Ocean. AP reports a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch is in effect for Mexico’s Pacific coast from Punto Telmo to Cabo Corrientes.
Photo: Hurricane Bud is seen in this image provided by NASA, taken at 2 a.m. EDT on May 24, 2012. (NASA via AP)
