Power line diverters fitted to save 'large birds' in Lancashire
- 30 August 2013
- From the section Lancashire
Brightly coloured "flight diverters" have been installed on power lines to help protect birds in Lancashire.
About 150 ball-shaped attachments were fitted near Martin Mere, Burscough, to make cables stand out for "large birds with poor manoeuvrability".
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) said diverters will help the 40,000 pink-footed geese and whooper swans that migrate to the area each year.
Engineers carried out the work on 1.6km of overhead lines.
Steve Cox, from Electricity North West, said: "We discovered this was a sensitive section of the network as it was located in a known flight path".
Nick Brooks, from Martin Mere nature reserve, said larger birds were particularly prone to flying collisions.
He said: "The project is invaluable to ensure both the safety of the swans and geese as well as ensuring the local community are not affected by these large numbers of birds."