Exploring Kootenay Lake

At sunrise this morning, four eagles (three adults, one juvenile) harassed one another over a catch. Consequently, none of them made the kill and the prize escaped.

It all started when one adult flew low over what was probably a duck. The eagle’s legs were lowered and its claws were extended in preparation for a dive onto the prize when another adult, wanting it for itself, interfered. Then a third adult and juvenile joined the harassment. 

OK, Bald Eagles don’t flock, but this sort of behaviour — if I cannot have it, no one can — proved rather unproductive. However, the duck probably thought that it all worked out rather well.

This is one of the adult eagles flying back and forth preventing others from making a kill.

And here is the juvenile also contesting the prize.

Countdown: 3

The Black-billed Magpie is a fairly common bird of western North America. However, as it prefers open habitats with only clumps of trees, it is somewhat of a rarity in our heavily forested region. As a result, it is a delight to encounter.

A magpie flew past carrying a lumpy something in its bill — but what is it? The magpie is an omnivore, so it is just unclear whether its prize is animal or vegetable. 

While the magpie’s comestible is indeterminate, one feature is obvious from this side view: the magpie’s unusual tail makes up more than half its body length.

Countdown: 5

This morning, a Bald Eagle flew past packing a fish athwart its body. It is odd that an eagle regularly carries a fish in this non-aerodynamic orientation. Granted, the eagle is a strong flier, so the extra drag of a fish being carried across the airstream may not matter much to it. Still, why does it go to all that extra work?

An Osprey always carries a fish aerodynamically with its head facing forward. Granted, an osprey is a smaller bird, and as it takes less effort to fly with the fish in this orientation, the bird does so.

But, how is it that the eagle has never learned this trick?

An eagle carries a sucker in a non-aerodynamic orientation, so has to work harder to fly with it.

Ospreys have yet to arrive this year, so here is a picture taken last August. The osprey flies with its fish in an aerodynamic orientation and so does less work when flying with it.

Countdown: 6

The synchronized wing flapping of a Canada-Goose couple was spectacular. I assume that theirs was a pre-copulatory, courting behaviour, but I did not see them complete the act.

The geese, one in front of the other, rose out of the water and together spread their wings back.

Together, they swung their wings to the side.

And then to the front. 

Countdown: 8

Following recent postings about bluebirds choosing a nest box, and killdeer seeking a nesting site, here is one about Bald Eagles having chosen their nest for this spring.

A Bald Eagle couple have chosen a nest in which to raise a family.

Countdown: 9

Killdeer have arrived. They typically turn up in March, about two months before other shorebirds, such as the Spotted Sandpiper, do.

This morning a killdeer couple was seen exploring a rocky island near a creek mouth. Killdeer make their nests on open ground, so if they plan to nest on this island, they had better get on with it as the spring freshet will put the nest underwater in another few months.

The just arrived killdeer couple was probably looking for a nesting site.

countdown: 10

The name given this bird by nineteenth-century settlers, Evening Grosbeak, comes from the mistaken belief that it only came out to sing after sundown. Much better is its name in French, le gros-bec errant, for it truly is the wandering grosbeak. Both languages agree on its prodigious beak.

It might be seen around here at any time of the year, but only occasionally, for it wanders widely in its search for food. Although seen by others over recent decades, I last saw one eight years ago.

Last weekend, I watched a small group of them in some black hawthorn bushes — a plant that in some seasons provides them with berries.

A female Evening Grosbeak has a subdued colouration of smoky grey with touches of yellow.

The male Evening Grosbeak is much more stridently coloured.