Category Archives: herptiles

Owl, toad, rainbow

Posted on June 17, 2017 by Alistair

  Seen yesterday: a Great Horned Owl chick, a Western Toad, a double rainbow. A recent posting showed a Great Horned Owl parent and one of its chicks. Here is the other. Lest one be called a speciesist, we must … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, herptiles, weather | 5 Comments

Painted plastron

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Alistair

  Our only local turtle is the Painted Turtle, but why call it that? After all, a view of these creatures basking on a loafing log shows a carapace of gun-metal grey — hardly something that invites the appellation, painted. … Continue reading →

Posted in herptiles | 2 Comments

April goulash

Posted on April 30, 2017 by Alistair

  This is a month’s end collection of images, none of which has had a posting of its own. A Bald Eagle brings sticks to enlarge its nest. A Columbian Ground Squirrel does sentry duty beside its burrow. My hare … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, herptiles, mammals | 7 Comments

Tadpoles

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Alistair

  In late August, there is, what is called, a Toadfest at Summit Lake Park, southeast of Nakusp. The public gathers to help western toadlets cross the highway during their migration from lakeshore to uplands. The problem of vehicles squishing thousands … Continue reading →

Posted in herptiles | 1 Comment

June goulash

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Alistair

  This is an end-of-the-month collection of images, none of which has had a posting of its own. A cinnamon-coloured Black Bear eyes an intruder in its territory. For a female Osprey to be lifting her tail this late in … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, bugs, herptiles, mammals, wildflowers | 2 Comments

Wednesday’s roving

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Alistair

  My typical posting features a species or a process. But, today it is merely a grab bag of things seen while roving around yesterday with Derek Kite. The odd thing is that, rather than seeing interesting birds, all the good stuff … Continue reading →

Posted in herptiles, mammals, scenes | 4 Comments

Turtle painted

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Alistair

  Now, this is certainly one painted turtle. 

Posted in herptiles | 1 Comment

Robin vs toad

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Alistair

  The froggy wooing, reported in early May, seems to have had consequences. The toadlets were plentiful but tiny. When seen from afar, they could have been beetles. A tiny patch of lakeshore was crawling with them, for having grown legs, … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, herptiles | 2 Comments

Useful resources

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Alistair

  As I attempt to use images from my camera to help me make sense of my surroundings, I have relied upon many books (ranging over topics such as birds, meteorological optics and dragonflies) and upon many websites (examples being Wikipedia and All about … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, bugs, commentary, fish, herptiles, mammals | 1 Comment

June goulash

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Alistair

  June ends with a stew made from images that did not manage to get their own postings. While walking in Kokanee Creek Park early in the month, I saw a Common Yellowthroat, and an American Redstart. Our local Garter … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, bugs, herptiles | 1 Comment