Two Salmon Arm osprey nests have undergone some not quite so massive moves to safer perches.
Two Salmon Arm osprey nests have undergone some not quite so massive moves to safer perches.
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| Last Friday, BC Hydro crews moved two 40-kilogram osprey nests in Salmon Arm from power poles to two newly built nesting platforms nearby. Over the last several weeks, the nests have caused three power outages to thousands of customers in Salmon Arm.
Ospreys are a protected species in B.C. The birds often build bulky stick nests on top of trees and other tall structures like power poles. However, the poles are not safe for the birds since they have live power lines attached to them. In addition, the nests create a hazard for BC Hydro’s power line technicians who are required to work on the lines.
BC Hydro crews will only relocate an active nest as a last resort and if there is an imminent threat. In both cases, the nests were in close proximity to high voltage lines. When there is no imminent safety concern, BC Hydro will wait until the fall and winter months, when the nest is unoccupied, to move the nest to a new platform.
