Category Archives: mammals

On the rocks

Posted on November 25, 2017 by Alistair

  On the surface of it, on the rocks, has to be a dumb theme for a posting. On the rocks: The phrase has its origin in coastal ship wrecks. From there it took on the metaphorical meaning of a state … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, fish, mammals | 5 Comments

Muskrat vs mallard

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Alistair

  A muskrat is primarily a vegetarian, but occasionally it will eat other small mammals: snails, mussels, crustaceans, and small birds. But, would it tackle a large bird? The literature is unclear. There is a pond where a few of … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, mammals | 4 Comments

Bighorny sheep

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Alistair

  What I have managed to see of this season’s rut of bighorn sheep has not been particularly dramatic. I witnessed no head butting, and only one coupling. Even during the rutting season, rams often hung out together. Ewes did … Continue reading →

Posted in mammals | 2 Comments

Stotting

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Alistair

  It doesn’t take many encounters with mule deer before one is seen to stot. Stotting is a rather unusual gait. Most quadrupeds can walk, trot, and gallop. But to these gaits the mule deer adds stotting. It is the … Continue reading →

Posted in mammals | 1 Comment

Coyote rests

Posted on October 2, 2017 by Alistair

  Coyotes obviously have to rest sometime. Yet, before last Saturday, I had not seen one lying. Whether wandering, grubbing, hunting, eating, pooping, or snarling, each previous coyote had been standing.  A coyote was relaxing in a farmer’s field. When … Continue reading →

Posted in mammals | 2 Comments

September goulash

Posted on September 30, 2017 by Alistair

  This is a month’s end collection of images, none of which has had a posting of its own. Loons have been gathering on Kootenay Lake again, most having spent the breeding season on smaller lakes high in the mountains. … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, mammals | 2 Comments

Bears feed

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Alistair

  After weeks of regular visits to a local creek, I managed some clear views of a family of Black Bears feeding on the bountiful Kokanee. The cubs are now old enough to catch fish on their own. The sow … Continue reading →

Posted in fish, mammals | 8 Comments

Squirrel prepares

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Alistair

  It is difficult to overlook the ubiquitous red squirrel. It is always around as it tosses cones from the trees, eats them, and then berates anyone who enters its domain. Yet, in all of my (usually inadvertent) squirrel watching, … Continue reading →

Posted in mammals | 2 Comments

Fish & bears

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Alistair

  Creeks fill with spawning kokanee salmon; bears come to feast; people come to watch. Mind you, it is not easy to coordinate a visit with the bears: They follow their own clocks. This has been a rather good year … Continue reading →

Posted in fish, mammals | 3 Comments

Not a chipmunk

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Alistair

  Two years ago, I noticed a touristy website that tried to pass off a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel as being a Chipmunk (posting). Fascinated by this ineptitude, I searched stock-photo sites and discovered that it wasn’t uncommon to label pictures … Continue reading →

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