A BC Hydro crew working near Chase, B.C. earlier this month helped relocate a large bald eagle's nest from a wooden transmission tower that had been damaged by a recent grass fire, the utility said Thursday.
"This is a pretty rare occurrence as bald eagles typically nest in trees," BC Hydro staff wrote in a series of tweets, but added that power poles near lakes and rivers can be popular nesting sites for birds of prey.
"The egg was handled with surgical gloves to remain scent-free and was placed in a clean, straw-filled pail, then covered and placed into a temperature-controlled vehicle while the nest move was completed."
Crews cut the top of the pole and used a crane to lower it to the ground, BC Hydro said. The section of the tower holding the nest was then transferred to another transmission structure.
"Once the work was complete, the mother bird was observed showing interest in the nest and was back home with their nest egg the following morning," the utility said.
While hydro crews might be better known for maintaining and repairing power lines, BC Hydro this kind of situation is also something its members are familiar with.
"They have an extensive record of nest moves guided by species-specific environment best management practices and nest mitigation procedures," the tweets read.
"Every interaction with wildlife in the field provides our team with information that contributes to the ongoing development of valuable tools for field crews, environmental managers and design teams."
