Category Archives: mammals

Clark’s Nutcracker

  While Clark’s Nutcrackers are occasionally seen at lake level, they prefer subalpine forests where they (mainly) eat the seeds found in the cones of evergreens. I wouldn’t have known where to look, but Derek Kite drove me twenty kilometres up … Continue reading

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Eyes of prey

  The Ruffed Grouse is low on the food chain. A wide range of predators—hawks, owls, coyote, humans—find it tasty. Maybe only a tenth of these grouse makes it past its first year. A recent posting, staring contests, explored the differences … Continue reading

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Mountain Goats’ wool

  In June, Mountain Goats look either shaggy or pristine: An adult sheds its winter’s coat; A kid sports fresh wool. 

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Staring contests

  A staring contest is a game in which an individual stares into another’s eyes and attempts to maintain unblinking eye contact for longer than the opponent. It is the rare human who can win a staring contest with a White-tailed Deer.  Yet, … Continue reading

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May goulash

  This is a stew made of photographic ingredients that didn’t merit individual postings. This disheveled-looking bird is probably a House Finch. A male White-tailed Deer was browsing along the lakeshore. And then there was a (garter) snake in the grass. … Continue reading

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Not camera dross

  I don’t always look at the contents of my camera’s memory card immediately. Having taken pictures of things around me, I quickly move on. Yet, now and then, things I thought were dross, turn out well. Here are a … Continue reading

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Muskrat grazing

  I assumed that after the variety of yesterday, I would lie low today, but then a muskrat stopped by. Muskrats get a bad rap: They aren’t rats, they are large aquatic voles; They don’t attack swimmers, they are herbivores. … Continue reading

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Bountiful watching

  Nature watching has been bountiful in the last few days. In addition to the just posted toads in amplexus and the dipper chicks, some things seen were: A Cliff Swallow peeking out of its nest; A marmot contemplating (“You disparaged … Continue reading

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Marmot whimsy

  “My modelling agent insists that I always pose with a strong backlight so as to highlight my golden pelage.”

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Squirrel stripes

  The squirrel family (Sciuridae) is represented by quite a few species around the Lake: two of marmots, one tree squirrel, two ground squirrels, one flying squirrel, and one (maybe two) chipmunks. Only the chipmunks and the Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel sport stripes. … Continue reading

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