Category Archives: mammals

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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EEEP

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Alistair

… Now I remember only The long ascent of the lonely valley, the live Pine spirally scarred by lightning, the slicing pipe Of invisible pika…. David, … Continue reading →

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Wet bear

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Alistair

The kokanee are spawning in local creeks. Bears come to feast upon them. Locals and tourists come to delight in both. There is a family of black bears with two cubs working a spawning channel. However, getting a good … Continue reading →

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Skunk

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Alistair

“Please go away. Producing butyl mercaptan is expensive, and I don’t want to waste it on you.”

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By continuing to…

Posted on August 20, 2017 by Alistair

Satire often gains its effect by joining disparate ideas. So it was that when I encountered: • The government of BC’s recent (partial) ban on hunting grizzlies; • A CBC story that told of the thrill of killing a … Continue reading →

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Murray, the marmot

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Alistair

Murray, the Hoary Marmot, is a mugger. It hangs out near a popular sub-alpine trail and accosts passing hikers. Murray prefers those with bare arms and legs for it likes to lick salty limbs. Murray’s activity has a long … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, mammals | 3 Comments

Bear’s blaze

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Alistair

A visiting Black Bear bears a blaze (a white V) on its chest. Fans of redundancy are wont to call this feature a white blaze. Some websites that discuss the blaze claim that it is a common characteristic of … Continue reading →

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Airborne creatures

Posted on August 6, 2017 by Alistair

Here are some recent shots of things in the air. A juvenile Red-tailed Hawk An osprey packing a headless fish (which is also airborne) A juvenile Bald Eagle in (perhaps) its second year A female Belted Kingfisher A Merlin … Continue reading →

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Wildlife presentation

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Alistair

When an organization invites me to give a presentation, I normally don’t bother with promotion. I make an exception for Science in the Park at Kokanee Creek — thus, this posting. This will be the fourth year I have … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, commentary, mammals, scenes | 3 Comments