Exploring Kootenay Lake

Showing the crests (Mar. 5, 2018)

Double-crested Cormorants can be seen around Kootenay Lake throughout the year. Unlike Mallards and Canada Geese, the cormorant is a somewhat uncommon sight. While a few breed at the south end of the Lake, they are primarily seen twice a year during migration.

Our local cormorant is named, double-crested, yet, the crests are only seen briefly early in the breeding season.

Cormorants are water birds. They are adapted for underwater swimming where they prey upon swimming and bottom fish. Unlike many other water birds, their feathers are wettable, an adaptation that prevents excess buoyancy when diving for fish. Consequently, when swimming on the surface, they float rather low in the water. They also often carry their bills tipped up.

Following a dive, cormorants will sometimes face into the wind and spread their wings so as to dry them. Usually done on land, it is uncommon to see them do this while still in the water.

Cormorants have relatively small wings, which gives them a fairly high flight speed.

The speed of a cormorant makes it a challenge to obtain a detailed shot of one flying.

Juveniles have a pale neck and breast that gradually blends into its darker belly.

A cormorant expressing its opinion.

For many years, I have been used to Black Bears turning up in my yard early in August. Alas, none have (apparently) done so this year. The berries must be good at higher elevations resulting in a scant need for an early descent into the valleys.

There have been scattered reports of bears visiting the spawning channels, yet my frequent visits to these spots have yet to reveal anything other than one uncooperative and distant cub.

However, during this morning’s sortie, I did have an interesting encounter: a close flyby by a hatch-year (HY, i.e., this year’s) Bald Eagle. 

A hatch-year Bald Eagle flew by so closely that it did not all fit into the camera’s frame.

This is the time of year to see rafts of loons on Kootenay Lake.

Often, the loon is a solitary bird, accompanied at most by a mate and chicks. But prior to migration, numerous loons gather in social groups. 

The sequence is roughly as follows: loons winter at the Coast; they fly to the Lake in early May where they fight rivals and meet with mates; they fly to smaller lakes high in the mountains to breed and raise chicks; they gather again on Kootenay Lake; they fly back to the Coast to winter. 

A raft of seven Common Loons meets on Kootenay Lake prior to their migration to the Coast. The five on the right are still in their breeding plumage, while the two on the left have transitioned into non-breeding plumage.

This is the season to visit the lakeshore to see sandpipers that have stopped by to feed on their journey south. Already shown have been the Killdeer and the Baird’s Sandpiper. Here are three more.

The Lesser Yellowlegs breeds throughout the Arctic and the northern portion of provinces from British Columbia to Quebec. It winters along the coasts of the US and Mexico. 

The Stilt Sandpiper breeds along the Arctic coast and winters along the Gulf of Mexico. It has a long way yet to go.

Similarly, the Long-billed Dowitcher breeds along the Arctic coast, but winters in Mexico.

A skittish bird, the Long-billed Dowitcher takes to the air when approached.