Category Archives: commentary

Perching imbalance

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Alistair

I have long heard the question: Why don’t birds in a flock collide? It is an odd question in that it does not ask if they collide, but why they don’t collide. The short answer is: They do collide, … Continue reading →

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Menu addition

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Alistair

My father’s Shaeffer fountain pen. Essays, has been added to the above menu bar. As the linked page notes: Sometimes a series of blog postings congeals into an essay. The page links to PDFs of recent ones. Some of these … Continue reading →

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Mach bands

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Alistair

Local wildfire smoke from this grim season had all but vanished when more flowed in from the south. As uncomfortable as it is, the smoke provides the hazy air that easily enables the identification of Mach bands. Mach bands … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, scenes | 3 Comments

By continuing to…

Posted on August 20, 2017 by Alistair

Satire often gains its effect by joining disparate ideas. So it was that when I encountered: • The government of BC’s recent (partial) ban on hunting grizzlies; • A CBC story that told of the thrill of killing a … Continue reading →

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Smoke colour

Posted on August 15, 2017 by Alistair

Having one’s home on a wildfire Evacuation Alert is a stressful experience — but, it would be worse having one’s home on a wildfire Evacuation Order. Portraits of Local Wildlife: My presentation is this evening. The fire prompting the … Continue reading →

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Murray, the marmot

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Alistair

Murray, the Hoary Marmot, is a mugger. It hangs out near a popular sub-alpine trail and accosts passing hikers. Murray prefers those with bare arms and legs for it likes to lick salty limbs. Murray’s activity has a long … Continue reading →

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Wildlife presentation

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Alistair

When an organization invites me to give a presentation, I normally don’t bother with promotion. I make an exception for Science in the Park at Kokanee Creek — thus, this posting. This will be the fourth year I have … Continue reading →

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Ducks of that ilk

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Alistair

Sometimes a picture is taken merely so as to delight in a whimsical, but obscure, title. It may be that only a canny Scots botanist will get this one.

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Kestrel upbringing

Posted on July 16, 2017 by Alistair

Life in the nest is good. Or at least it is, if judged by the reluctance of the young of some bird species to leave it. And why would they ever want to leave? They are comfortable, fed, cleaned, … Continue reading →

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And the cutest is…

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Alistair

The sight of freshly hatched chicks often evokes the word, cute. For me, the cutest is the fuzzy-feathered, gangly-legged, chick of the Spotted Sandpiper.