22 July 2022
There has been a human outcry over the death of Junior, the fledgling Bald Eagle at the Gabriola Island Bald Eagle nest. The story of how Malala, a Red-tail Hawk was brought to the nest as prey only to be adopted by the adults and the nestling touched everyone’s heart that heard it. As we watched them learn from one another, share prey, and cuddle up on the nest we knew that this was a very special relationship. The sadness when Junior was killed by landing on a BC power pole was unthinkable. To find out that Junior was not the first eaglet to die on that same pole made me mad. Other hydro electric companies respond in a positive way by making the poles safe. In Manitoba it was a response to the Ospreys near Matlock and Winnipeg Beach who were electrocuted. Platforms were built and poles made safe. Manitoba Hydo was clearing around poles at a local park when it was brought to their attention by no fewer than 300 calls and e-mails and a newspaper story that they were not taking into account the Cooper’s Hawk nest in the park. People picketed. The news channels came out. Manitoba Hydro stopped clear cutting saying they would stop all cutting til after the breeding season at the end of September. In other jurisdictions in the US, if a raptor is killed on a pole the company responds by coming out and making the poles safe. Not by sitting quiet in their offices. So join me and hundreds of others telling the head of BC Power that it is time for them to begin by fixing the issue on Gabriola Island.
In response to the cry to help, GROWLS has sent out information on the protective devices. I left a comment so that you could see the positive response by the power company in Decorah, Iowa.
Educate yourself on what the power companies can do. Maybe you can put in a detailed account of what another power company has done when a similar incident has happened.
As we know Solly, the loved hatch of the Port Lincoln Osprey barge in 2020 was killed on a power pole. I understood that Port Lincoln was working with the hydro companies in South Australia to make the poles safe. I will write and see if there has been any progress. In the meantime, please join with others to let BC Hydro know that it is unacceptable to knowingly kill raptors on their poles. It is not just Junior. I wonder how many raptors are killed in British Columbia every year on power lines?? Let’s find out!
Thank you so much. Our sincere condolences go out to everyone at GROWLS, to the Bald Eagles who have lost their fledgling, and to Malala who lost her brother.
I will be back later with a wrap of today’s nest news. Take care everyone.
