Snow geese knock out Stanwood power

STANWOOD — A dozen geese were cooked when eagles chased their flock through a set of power lines this week, causing a small power outage south of Stanwood.

The flock of hundreds of snow geese was in a field on Boe Road, just north of Hatt Slough, when a group of eagles began harassing them, Snohomish County PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.

A PUD worker on Boe Road watched as the snow geese took flight, heading for the power lines. After the flock passed by, wires were hanging down from the power poles.

Power was knocked out to about 20 households for roughly three hours, Neroutsos said.

“It happens periodically,” Neroutsos said. “We work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to follow their regulations to make sure we’re minimizing our impacts on birds.”

Snow geese, herons, eagles and hawks are abundant in north Snohomish County. Power lines in the areas are often marked with gray coils and small flags to make the lines easier for birds to see.

The power lines along Boe Road are fitted with these coils and flags, but that didn’t stop the snow geese from crashing through them on Tuesday.

“It was just a huge number of birds coming through the area,” Neroutsos said.

Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.