Federally protected hawk species' nest relocated from live power line

SaskPower employees have relocated a Ferruginous hawk nest from a power line to a newly built platform to protect boththe birds and customers.

Employees first spotted the nest on a live wire nearSwift Current in the summer of 2016. The employees thensent photos to the SaskPower Environmental Assessment department.

"From those, we were actually able to identify the species at risk," said Dale Lautner, SaskPowersupervisor with Environmental Assessment and Approvals.

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Ferruginoushawks are included in the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA).

SaskPower said there are only about 500 pairs left in the province.

Common threats to the birds includehabitat loss due to agriculture, urbanization and invasive species of tree, as well as lowering abundance ofprey.

SaskPower determined the work could be delayed until the hawks had left the area. The birds left by summer's end.

SaskPowermade it back out to the site to erect a polenesting platform in the same general area earlier this month.

"It ends up with the best result for both parties," Lautner said, because it prevents potential power outages while protecting the birds from fire.

Ideally, the hawkswill choose to live on the nesting platform instead of rebuilding on the power line when they return, which Lautner expects to happen inMarch.

Lautner said SaskPower makes an effort to look out for rare plant or bird species, mammals and amphibians. For example, SaskPoweroften relocates the nests of Ospreys using the platforms.

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The way SaskPower approaches the environment has shifted because of a change in regulations andsociety's attitude, Lautner said. Both factors have led to an increased environmental awareness within the organization, he said.

"Even in the ten plus years I'vebeen here, the amount of effort that is involved into protecting the environment has changed," Lautner said.