Bald Eagle electrocuted on power pole near 3 Crabs Restaurant

February 27, 2007

Approximately 1:20 PM on Tuesday, February 27, 2007, Jaye Moore, the Director of the Northwest Raptor Center received a call from a citizen that there was an electrocuted Bald Eagle hanging from the wires on a power pole at the 3 Crabs Restaurant in Sequim, WA. This is the second time a Bald Eagle has been electrocuted on this same power pole.

The eagle was found hanging from the wires on the last pole at the end of Sequim Dungeness Way across the street from the restaurant. The eagle had run into 2 of the 4,000 volt wires on a power pole operated by the New Dungeness Lighthouse that connects to the submarine cable that powers the New Dungeness Lighthouse.

Workers from PUD removed the eagle without any disruption of electrical service. PUD & the Coast Guard have informed the Raptor Center that the New Dungeness Lighthouse Association, which operates the lighthouse, is responsible for installing a guard to prevent eagles from contacting the high voltage wires on this pole. The Lighthouse Association was contacted this evening and NDLSA spokesman Eric Henriksson assured the Raptor Center that they will cooperate fully with installing a guard as soon as possible. The actual installation of the eagle guard will be done by PUD.

The Northwest Raptor Center will transfer the eagle to the National Eagle Repository where whole eagles as well as individual feathers are distributed to qualifying Native Americans.

Adult Bald Eagle found electrocuted on high voltage electric pole overlooking Dungeness Bay.

Eagle hangs from 2 of the 4,000 volt wires where they connect to the submarine cable that powers the New Dungeness Lighthouse.

Solo eagle circles overhead.

This is the mating season for Bald Eagles. Is this our eagles mate?

The relationship of the power pole to the New Dungeness Lighthouse

Telephoto view of the New Dungeness Light

Another view of the eagle hanging on the high voltage wires

Terry & Joe, PUD workers, carefully disentangle the eagle from the wires

Jaye recovered the dead eagle

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Within hours of receiving authorization by the Lighthouse Association to make repairs to the Lighthouse power pole, PUD workers arrive to install an assortment of devices on the power pole to prevent electrocution of another eagle on this pole.

The 'Before' shot, showing the bare high-voltage wires and terminals.

Joe, PUD lineman releases the connections to de-energize the power lines.

Orange insulating tubing is placed over the bare wires and an insulating cover is installed on the first terminal on the marine cable to the Lighthouse.

Terry, PUD lineman, disconnects second high-voltage wire. The device on the center terminal is a ground clamp, one of several safety precautions taken by the PUD crew.

Terry places the second insulator cover in place.

Two down, one to go.

Joe watches as Terry nails the last row of plastic spikes to discourage birds from landing on the power pole cross-arm.

After. All 6 high-voltage wires have been covered with insulating tubing, the studs on the insulators on the cross-arm have been protected with red insulators, and the 3 terminals at the marine power cable have been covered with grey insulators. Plus, 3 rows of plastic spikes are on the cross-arm to discourage birds from even getting close.