Category Archives: commentary

  Almost all sites that treat the Great Blue Heron give a passing reference to the plumes that extend from the back of the head. When mentioning them, one site explicitly says they are decorative.  Here is a picture of … Continue reading →

  I didn’t know the tree when it was alive and bore leaves. Indeed, I don’t even know what species it was. I had known it only as a large snag and a wildlife tree for the last four years. … Continue reading →

  It is a mystery to me why female ducks sit atop pilings in the early morning at the beginning of the breeding season. They don’t do this at other times. I have been watching female mallards do this for … Continue reading →

  When I was a child on the shore of Kootenay Lake, there were no Wild Turkeys to be seen. Returning to the lakeshore in retirement, I was surprised to see a few. Since that time, the proliferation of turkeys … Continue reading →

  Lucy was hatched at least a decade ago. She is the only local Canada Goose that is a recognizable individual.  Normally, when we wish to identify an individual animal, we have to mark it with something ranging from a … Continue reading →

  I watched two courtship displays of birds this morning. One was obvious; the other was subtle. A courtship display is a behaviour in which an animal (often a male) attempts to attract a mate. The courtship display of the … Continue reading →