OK, once again the issue of using WX radar as a bird deterrent is raised and the answer is still the same - does not work!
Now the issue of bird strikes and altitudes..... A very interesting subject that requires careful analysis. Indeed, I authored a report for Transport Canada on this very subject in September 2002. I completed an in-depth risk analysis of operations at speed greater than 250 knots above 3,000 ft. AGL. the analysis was most revealing. I will check and see if I am able to make the report or sections of it available for all to read.
The critical point is that while the number of strikes may be lower, at higher altitudes, the size and number of birds (tend to be large flocking birds), the fact that these bird species populations and mean weights are increasing dramatically, the fact that as altitude increases at a fixed IAS the TAS increases, and certification standards a are based on a 4 lb bird at Vc at sea level is a recipe for disaster. When you look at this you see very rapidly that any larger bird at higher speed can and will exceed the certified impact force that the windscreen or aircraft structures were designed for.
What is even more interesting is when you look at the acceleration from 250 knots to 300+ knots. The rate of climb during acceleration is typically half the rate of climb for a steady state speed climb. This results in doubling the exposure and probability of striking a bird in the high risk altitudes. Couple this with the fact that the impact force increases as the square of the speed then we have the classic high-risk scenario - increased probability, exposure and severity.
The North American strike data supports this when you analyze the reported damage that these strikes incur vs. the total number of reported strikes.
Lesson learned - high-speed flight below 10,000 ft is a high risk activity that can exceed the certification standard of the aircraft and with the advent of more twin-engine aircraft and the increasing high-risk bird species populations the risk is increasing.
Richard