Behavioral responses to offshore windfarms during migration of a declining shorebird species revealed by GPS-telemetry.

EU member countries and the UK are currently installing numerous offshore windfarms (OWFs) in the Baltic and North Seas to achieve decarbonization of their energy systems. OWFs may have adverse effects on birds; however, estimates of collision risks and barrier effects for migratory species are notably lacking, but are essential to inform marine spatial planning. We therefore compiled an international dataset consisting of 259 migration tracks for 143 Global Positioning System-tagged Eurasian curlews (Numenius arquata arquata) from seven European countries recorded over 6 years, to assess individual response behaviors when approaching OWFs in the North and Baltic Seas at two different spatial scales (i.e. up to 3.5 km and up to 30 km distance). Generalized additive mixed models revealed a significant small-scale increase in flight altitudes, which was strongest at 0-500 m from the OWF and which was more pronounced during autumn than during spring, due to higher proportions of time spent migrating at rotor level. Furthermore, four different small-scale integrated step selection models consistently detected horizontal avoidance responses in about 70% of approaching curlews, which was strongest at approximately 450 m from the OWFs. No distinct, large-scale avoidance effects were observed on the horizontal plane, although they could possibly have been confounded by changes in flight altitudes close to land. Overall, 28.8% of the flight tracks crossed OWFs at least once during migration. Flight altitudes within the OWFs overlapped with the rotor level to a high degree in autumn (50%) but to a significantly lesser extent in spring (18.5%). Approximately 15.8% and 5.8% of the entire curlew population were estimated to be at increased risk during autumn and spring migration, respectively. Our data clearly show strong small-scale avoidance responses, which are likely to reduce collision risk, but simultaneously highlight the substantial barrier effect of OWFs for migrating species. Although alterations in flight paths of curlews due to OWFs seem to be moderate with respect to the overall migration route, there is an urgent need to quantify the respective energetic costs, given the massive ongoing construction of OWFs in both sea areas.

Right ventricular gunshot wound with retrograde embolization.

There have been numerous reports concerning gunshot wounds to the heart over the years. Many reports discuss bullets that have embolized and have migrated antegrade. However, there has never been a case reported on the retrograde embolization of a bullet from the right ventricle into the inferior vena cava. This case report involves a 15-year-old boy who was accidentally shot in the chest. The bullet entered at the mid-manubrial area, and penetrated the anterior wall of the right ventricle causing a tamponade. A chest x-ray film confirmed a bullet in the right ventricle. The patient was stabilized in the emergency department, and taken to the operating room for an emergent mediastinal exploration with evacuation of pericardial tamponade and repair of the right ventricle. After the tamponade was relieved, a Trans-Esophageal Echocardiogram was performed to locate the bullet, which could not be found in the ventricle. Chest and abdominal radiography were performed to locate the bullet. X-ray films confirmed that the bullet had migrated retrograde down into the inferior vena cava. Interventional radiology and vascular surgery departments were consulted. The consensus was to snag the bullet under fluoroscopic guidance, and pull it down into the right femoral vein for easy retrieval. The chest was closed and the patient was transferred from the surgery department to the interventional radiology department. Under fluoroscopy, the bullet was pulled down into the right common femoral vein. The bullet was extracted per venorrhaphy. The patient was extubated within hours after surgery and discharged home within 72 hours of surgery.