Idaho Power Rocks!

During the month of September, I noticed a "fish hawk" patrolling the float tube area just upstream of Kilpatrick Bridge. This Osprey had just arrived in the Silver Creek Valley. I had not noticed it throughout the summer. It was hunting trout in the Kilpatrick Pond and was a joy to watch. This bird had found nirvana, with literally hundreds of trout in shallow water, which makes for "easy pickins". After each successful dive, it would return to a nearby power pole with its catch.

A day or two later, my wife called me from the Kilpatrick Bridge road to say that I had better come over and meet her there. Once I arrived, she showed me the dead Osprey lying in the tall grass directly below the power pole. She said it had died of electrocution.

As you can see from the photo, this poor Osprey's wing and foot were severed from the electrocution. The remaining foot had a rainbow trout in its talons.

This was rather disturbing to say the least. I decided to call the raptor specialist with Idaho Power in Boise. I explained the situation and also explained what an important area the Silver Creek Valley is for raptors.

Within a couple of days, a work group from Idaho Power showed up and started "bird proofing" all the power poles near the Silver Creek Preserve. They use many different types of electrical deterrents to make the power poles safer for the rapors to land on.

My wife said they use those "spiky things" on the real dangerous spots where the birds should not land. You can see the sharp nail-like points on the left side of the upper crosspiece on this power pole in the photo below. Those transformers look a bit scary. This is the pole that killed the Osprey.

Not only did the Idaho Power employees improve these poles near the Preserve, but they worked all the power poles up and down Hwy 20 and several other side roads as well. This took several weeks.
I was truly impressed! They covered all of the Silver Creek Valley!

Kudos to Idaho Power!!!