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EASTERN UTAH -- Rocky Mountain Power crews in the oil fields of Eastern Utah were busy setting up poles Tuesday afternoon. It's a job they do all the time, but this power pole has nothing to do with power lines. It's all for the birds.
The poles are for hawks to nest in, giving them a place other than oil rigs and power lines.
"The ferruginous hawks out here, they historically nested on the ground, and there aren't many nests left or locations," said Brian Maxfield with the Division of Wildlife Resources.
Maxfield is a sensitive species biologist for the DWR. When he heard Rocky Mountain Power wanted to help the hawks find a better nesting spot in the Myton bench oil fields on the Duchesne and Uintah County borders, he couldn't wait to get the project going.
"We're providing a nesting area for them that they otherwise wouldn't have," he said.
The job is simple: Crews dig a hole just like they would for a normal power pole. The only difference is a platform is set on top for birds. Then, the pole is set into place. In all, it's about a 10-minute job.
"We like to help out, and with our equipment and our crews, it makes it really fast and really easy to set up one of these," said Dave Eskelsen with Rocky Mountain Power.
There are going to be some people who will say, ‘It's just a little bird in the middle of nowhere.' But those who are setting up the poles say that little bird can make a big difference.
"I think it's helpful that everyone, corporations included, pay attention to the natural world," Eskelsen said.
In all, there are 15 poles now set up in the area.
Other poles set up in years past have been successful.
"We've seen really good success. We actually have two of them that have been put out since 2002 and they are active every year," Maxfield said. "Both of those nests have produced chicks every year except for one."
And now, maybe more.
If the poles continue to be a success, Rocky Mountain Power says it will continue to set up more poles.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
