Category Archives: birds

Previously, I showed pictures of a mother Common Merganser wandering by with one chick; later eight chicks came by. Today in the rain, another momma visited with nine chicks (two pictures below). At times they did the delightful merganser–chick thing of hitching … Continue reading →

Derek Kite sent me these pictures of a young female Kestrel taking a Northern Alligator Lizard home for lunch. These pictures are really very nice captures. First, the Kestrel is not all that common along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake … Continue reading →

For some years I have taken pictures of the herons that stop by the docks and pilings within sight of my home. A pattern emerged: there were no heron pictures during the osprey season of late spring and summer. None! … Continue reading →

When momma merganser and her eight chicks came by at noon today, I obtained an acceptable picture and felt good. After all, when I made the posting, Water Babies, I had only managed to shown one merganser chick. Now there … Continue reading →

A Common Loon couple and a Common Merganser male came by yesterday. With each visit of loons I try to get better shots. On this occasion, the loons were a bit closer to the shore than they usually are and … Continue reading →

Water babies exist. Of course, they don’t exist in the manner conceived of by the Reverend Charles Kingsley in his 1863 children’s story. He used a corrupted version of nature as a morality play about redemption. But, we don’t need … Continue reading →

It seems that 2011 is an annus horribilis for ospreys along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake. Normally there might be 20 or 30 nesting pairs on the stretch of water between Balfour and Nelson (there is variation: in 2009 … Continue reading →

The Red–winged Blackbird is one of the most numerous birds in North America. Gary Davidson’s Checklist of West Kootenay Birds lists it as common in the spring and summer. Yet, I never see it—or at least, I never see it … Continue reading →