Category Archives: birds

  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 →

  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 →

  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 →

  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 →

  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 →

  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 →

  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 →

  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 →

  I don’t often see the Red Crossbill and the Pine Siskin because each species wanders far. They eat seeds from the recent cones of mature coniferous forests. The crossbill will nest whenever it finds a rich crop. The siskin … Continue reading →