Category Archives: birds

  One should never underestimate the importance of regular ear maintenance.

  The Black-billed Magpie certainly has been seen at a number of places around the Lake—but, it has been seen only occasionally. As efauna.bc.ca says: it is a rare year-round visitor. Truth be told, the one I present here was seen … Continue reading →

  Windows are a potential hazard for birds. Many birds hang around my home: hunting, feeding, nesting, and squabbling. Yet, collisions with my windows are remarkably rare. When it happens, the window usually displays an indistinguishable smudge. The smudge was not indistinguishable from … Continue reading →

  Some birds protest vigorously if a human (or other perceived predator) passes anywhere near their eggs. The odd thing is that often this noise serves to reveal the presence of a nest that would otherwise be missed. Emily Graeme sent me this … Continue reading →

  Bird chicks demand obeisance. Nuthatch chicks are no different—their parents must dance to their demands. I was fortunate to to be able to revisit the nuthatches at the Sanderson home (see, Tasty spider, m’dear?). The nuthatch couple now has … Continue reading →

  “We are looking forward to a promising future of, er…, embellishing your lawns.”  

  A short time ago, I encountered the birder’s term, FOY, and didn’t have a clue what it meant. It refers to the First (observation of a particular species) Of that Year. Many birds have an annual variation, coming and going at roughly … Continue reading →

  Hummingbirds arrive late April or early May. Of the three species we see—Rufous, Calliope, Blackchinned—the Rufous is usually the earliest arrival and the most common thereafter. I have seen the Rufous off and on for a couple of weeks now, but today … Continue reading →

  This is a story of unrequited love—or so it seems. The story starts with an unexpected and distant sighting of a Common Loon. What was it doing here? This is the breeding season and loons don’t breed on Kootenay … Continue reading →