Category Archives: mammals

I recall that as a child, I would see chipmunks around Kootenay Lake, that is, right down to the valley bottom. Now, I only see them much higher in the mountains. David Nagorsen’s book, Rodents & Lagomorphs of British Columbia … Continue reading →

I don’t often see marmots, so it was fun to see two different (widely separated) ones yesterday. Both were Yellow–bellied Marmots, but the pictures below are only of the first. Locally, there are two species: The Yellow–bellied Marmot is found in … Continue reading →

Or more to the point: a Bobcat and a Long-tailed Vole. If you want to see wildlife where it lives, you must spend time in the wild. So it is that, once again, the indefatigable Doug Thorburn managed superb wildlife … Continue reading →

What could be unexpected about seeing a Deer Mouse? It is, after all, one of the most numerous mammals in North America. This nocturnal rodent is common to many forests of British Columbia. It normally avoids cities and remains hidden … Continue reading →

River Otters are here, but I only get to see one on the Lake every year or possibly every year and a half. In fairness to the otter I wait until it comes to me. If it were a beaver … Continue reading →

  Nelson’s Spirit Bear has been seen again. Nearly a year ago, Doug Thorburn watched a local white Black Bear. He saw it again last week and wrote about both sightings: “I had grave doubts concerning his potential survival, given … Continue reading →

I confess that in the winter I miss the bears. So, when spring comes, I welcome them back. Thus it was fun last Saturday to watch a black bear grazing in a field. About the same time, my friend, Doug … Continue reading →

This Columbian Ground Squirrel has its burrow well out on the edge of the colony. This suggests that in the colony’s hierarchy, this squirrel ranks low. However, its suburban location did make it easier to watch.