Category Archives: birds

Then there were two

  Two days ago, there was only one Trumpeter Swan swimming off of Kokanee Creek Park. Today there were two.  

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Tundra and Trumpeter

  Years ago, I saw mainly Tundra Swans around the west arm of Kootenay Lake. Now I see mainly Trumpeter Swans here.  Indeed, there have been Trumpeters here for the last few days, although when I looked this morning, there … Continue reading

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Turkey display

  Sometime ago I commented that the occasions where Wild Turkeys display is during the spring mating season. This was in response to advertisers who regularly showed Wild Turkeys in full display in the fall. However, the number of Wild … Continue reading

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Birds and berries

  Last Saturday morning was a remarkably good day for watching birds eat berries from trees. While even more birds were seen on that walk, shown are those that ate. Eating berries is clearly seasonal. A late-season Cedar Waxwing is … Continue reading

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Horned Lark

  The Horned Lark is a widespread bird across the world’s grasslands, but is uncommon here, presumably owing to our heavy forestation. I have seen it only a few times before, but a pattern is beginning to emerge. I have … Continue reading

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Eagles

  There is a roughly 40 km dirt road I sometimes take in October. On it I count the Bald Eagles that are seen. They are largely migrants come to catch and eat a few of the many Kokanee salmon … Continue reading

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Two uncommon birds

  Both birds shown here have a migration path that is well to the east, and so they normally do not pass through this area. However recently, they were both in different parts of Kokanee Creek Park. They were soon … Continue reading

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Canada Jay

  I first saw Canada Jays when hiking in Garibaldi Provincial Park in August 1963. The sightings there were appropriate, for the altitude was about 1670 metres, and this bird lives well above the valley floor. The birds just hung out … Continue reading

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Feeding on spawners

  The spawning Kokanee in our local channel have now died, but the activity has not stopped. Some of the water birds are now feeding on the dead fish. A mallard helps itself to some Kokanee residue. As does a … Continue reading

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Pileated Woodpecker

  I have occasionally been seeing a young male Pileated Woodpecker (blog.kootenay-lake.ca/?p=34868, and blog.kootenay-lake.ca/?p=34873). It was seen again, this time eating the berries of a dogwood. Before flying down to the dogwood, the woodpecker perched on electric wire above a … Continue reading

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