I was in Moss Landing, CA today, leaving Phil’s Fish Market and Eatery (a truly outstanding fish place by the way), and for not the first time noticed weird “springs” attached to the utility lines nearby, and wondered what they were.
Here’s where I was standing (the street location at the center of the map, next to the label “Marine Pollution Study Lab”). Here’s a picture of the overhead lines, and here’s a closeup picture of one of the “springs”. What are these things? They’re not on all the overhead lines nearby, just the ones on this street. They’re not to deter light aircraft, the lines are just above roof level, and the springs aren’t all that visible anyway. They don’t appear to relieve tension on the lines, nor deter birds. There is a power plant nearby, perhaps 4-8 blocks away (just east on that Google map link above, note the exhaust stacks), but I can’t think why that would matter.
Are they metal or an insulator? If they are an insulator, they may be to prevent contact with a low line. If they are metal, it may have something to do with electrical fields or preventing interference.
They appear to be metal with a white coating. They do not appear to be insulators, as they are just strung on the lines, not protecting one thing from the charge of another thing.
ETA: maybe there’s a steady onshore wind and the lines might “bounce” against each other and the springs prevent that? If so, why are the “springs” only on these lines in the area?
It does indeed look like one. There is a good size slough nearby, I guess maybe there’s some target bird population that lives in that area that benefits from this contraption.
I confess I didn’t read the entire paper, and I don’t see why it should work only for swans. Perhaps swans are the most common bird in the area; perhaps swans have poorer eyesight than other birds; perhaps they are more important than ugly ducklings.
