Exploring Kootenay Lake

There have been spotty observations of hummingbirds around the region for a couple of weeks, but it wasn’t until yesterday that visits became frequent enough and weather became good enough that I managed pictures. Unexpectedly, there were two different species: Calliope and Rufous. Both were males.

The Calliope is our smallest hummingbird.

The Rufous is a bit larger and amazingly scrappy. 

Enough said.

Ospreys return to the same mate and same nest year after year. It is striking that at the beginning of each season, new sticks must be added to the nest, seemingly independent of the integrity of the established nest. Why this seasonal renovation?

• Winter damage: If the nest has deteriorated during the winter, now is the time for repairs.

• Parasites: There are often parasites left in a nest from a previous year. Some small birds handle this by building a new nest each spring. Other species add nesting material to an established base to provide a barrier between parasites and this year’s chicks. 

• Nest stability: The stability of a nest, subject to the high winds of summer thunderstorms, does depend upon its mass. So, adding sticks helps.

An Osprey ferries in sticks to add to its nest at the beginning of the season.

Sometimes the name given a duck seems rather odd. 

This is the Ring-necked Duck, female left, male right. If one were to pick a name based upon a striking appearance, the white ring around the male’s bill would seem a good choice. But no, the duck is named for the rarely visible tawny ring at the base of the male’s neck. 

An outstanding feature of the Northern Shoveler is its enormous bill. The duck sweeps the bill through the surface waters of ponds to feed on invertebrates and seeds. It doesn’t seem to shovel the water, at least as we would normally use the term, nor does the bill look like a shovel — at least when seen from the side. Here three males and one (obscured) female fly by.

When seen from above or below, the spreading of the bill’s end makes the word, shovel, more apt, as is another name for the bird, a spoonbill.

Forestation and colour: Last year’s posting illustrated both local habitat and dorsal colouring: magpie preferences.

Magpies prefer open country with a sprinkling of trees. This makes them distinctly uncommon in the heavily forested lands around the Lake. While on a walk, it was unexpected for me to encounter a group of perhaps a dozen Black-billed Magpies. 

Recording pictures of perched magpies was easy; capturing a picture of one flying far from a perch proved to be more difficult. This is the best I managed.

The ventral surface of a flying magpie is a study in black and white.