February goulash

A couple of days on the late side, but this is a collection of pictures from February that lacked a posting of their own.

Occasionally during the breeding season, I have seen a female mallard perched atop a piling <blog.kootenay-lake.ca/?p=33132>. I have now twice observed a Canada Goose perched atop a pilling during the breeding season. I suspect it is a female. It is unclear why this happens and really only during the breeding season. As there is no room for mating atop the pilling, they are possibly saying, “I am not available.” If so, are they saying, “I already have a partner” or “I don’t want to breed.”

The north American Dipper is a plain dark grey bird. Surprisingly, it has all white eyelids. It flashes them frequently, yet there are few pictures that show it. This may be because it flashes them very quickly, for about a tenth of a second.  

A Bald Eagle flies off its perch.

This is the beginning of the season where birds mate. For many water birds, they signal one another their interest by bobbing their heads. Such is the case with these two mallards. The male’s head is up while the female’s is down.

The mallards then mate with the female largely below the water.

I watched this Hooded Merganser couple for nearly an hour. He kept his crest up indicating sexual interest. Sometimes she followed him, sometimes he followed her. But they did not mate.

This eagle and the ravens were feasting on a dead elk.

For the last few days there have been Trumpeter Swans in the Lake at Kokanee Creek Park. This view of a portion of nearly thirty was photographed March 1st.