Category Archives: commentary

Ogopogo talk

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Alistair

  Ogopogo is one of my favourite animals — each sighting is a thrill. This posting is a shameless promotion of my forthcoming presentation about Ogopogo. Seen around BC, this relative of Nessie is always described as a large serpentine … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, mammals | 2 Comments

Bird collisions

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Alistair

  Do birds collide in flight? Yes. Unfortunately, this question is often begged (question’s answer assumed rather than sought), so it is often phrased as: Why don’t birds collide when flying close together? A responder then must struggle with the daunting task of explaining the … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, commentary | 1 Comment

Human predators

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Alistair

  We are all depressingly aware of recent vicious attacks made by individuals who believe they know the ultimate truth and that anyone who might think differently should be either cloistered or killed.   My recent experiences fall well short of this level of megalomania. Yet, they are … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary | 6 Comments

Forster’s Tern

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Alistair

  A scan of topics treated here reveals an interest in the overlooked ordinary. Today’s posting about Forster’s Tern does not fit this pattern. Not only is this bird found at only one location around Kootenay Lake, but it is … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, commentary | 1 Comment

Signs, take two

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Alistair

    Two days ago, when I posted pictures of two municipal signs, I mentioned a dictionary and so hinted that my concern was linguistic. Many people found the designs of the signs to be the thing of primary interest. … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary | 2 Comments

A Tale of Two Cities

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Alistair

  It was the best of signs, it was the worst of signs. Which city manager should buy its promotional folk a dictionary and ask them to cease misleading advertising?

Posted in commentary | 5 Comments

Psychedelic BOB

Posted on March 12, 2016 by Alistair

  BOB is Nelson’s Big Orange Bridge. Alas, its truss design is more functional than lovely. Even when built in 1957, I remember thinking that a more beautiful bridge would better suit its setting. Curiously, the bridge’s ugliness did not prevent it from becoming … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, scenes | 4 Comments

Fifty years ago

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Alistair

  Observe, photograph, interpret, publish. For fifty years I have been remarkably consistent with a procedure that I described for a forthcoming article in Wildlife Afield: Photography is my muse as I explore the natural world. While the roots of this behaviour … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, weather | 4 Comments

Ogopogo insights

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Alistair

  It is interesting that two observations made this year, a swimming snake and a swimming muskrat, have prompted unexpected insights into our favourite lake monster, the ogopogo. I will show that if an ogopogo existed it would not look as … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, mammals | 7 Comments

Representation afar 2

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Alistair

  This is the second posting where I represent the delights of Kootenay Lake to folks attending a meeting some nine time zones away. The first discussed my situation and my photography, this one presents features of the lake itself. … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary | 5 Comments