Are we experiencing winter or signs of spring? Some wildlife still consider it to be winter.
Pygmy Owls are altitudinal migrants: cold months are spent at the valley bottoms; warm months, high in the mountains. This one is still in the valley. It is picking out its lunch as it watches a smorgasbord of delicious little birds flitting about below.
Trumpeter Swans are latitudinal migrants. Here are four of twenty Trumpeter Swans seen in the last two days. Apparently, there isn’t enough open water to our north for them to head there yet.
You’re so lucky! This is the second time this winter that I’ve seen a Pygmy owl post from you. I would consider that a pygmy owl year. Maybe, you have pygmy owl years every year. But I’ve only had a few. I would like there to be a pygmy owl in my life every day. They have more personality than most people I know!
Scott, actually this is the third posting about the Pygmy Owl this winter. While not an everyday observation, it is the most easily seen owl of the cold months primarily because it hunts from highly visible places during daytime. And it certainly has abundant self confidence.
I had a Pygmy Owl experience this year that involved rescuing one from a chicken wire fence in Riondel, getting it to a wonderful vet in Nelson, from there to SORCO in Oliver, and back to Riondel and successful release, hopefully to reunite with its mate. Thanks to the many hands that had a bigger role than I did! I’ve wanted to see a pygmy owl for years, this was a thrill.
One question: what was that mysterious sea-monster photo on your banner?
Shirleen, That is a lovely story. As to the header image, it is a different picture each time a posting is loaded. However, your description of it as showing a sea-monster does pin it down. That is Kootenay Lake’s own Ogopogo. I have seen and photographed it twice and even have a given a presentation a few times around Nelson about the beastie.
Cool! Is the photo on your blog somewhere so I can look at it again other than by happenstance?
Shirleen, I am unwilling to deceive my readers — but I am willing to tease them. I have made a number of postings about our local Ogopogo, so the best way to find them all is to type the word, ogopogo, into the search box in the upper right of any posting and then click Search. That picture came from the earliest posting.
Thanks Alistair, trust crafty local creatures to find more than one way to be amusing.