Category Archives: birds

  What is a resting grub going to do to protect itself when it merely wishes to sleep through the winter inside an old tree? Apparently, nothing. When the Pileated Woodpecker finds you, it’s lights out. A female Pileated Woodpecker … Continue reading →

  Just goldeneye ducks. A jaunt began with a female goldeneye expressing (what looks like) joie de vivre. It ended with two male Barrow’s Goldeneyes leaving blue wakes across golden waters.  

  Experienced birders might suspect that today’s posting is a hoax — it is not. The picture of the crossbill flicker at the bottom is real.  Crossbills are finches whose bills are adapted to prying seeds from cones. Flickers, however, … Continue reading →

  On their annual migration south, Trumpeter Swans are visiting the Lake in threes and fours. These trumpeters are in the waters beside Kokanee Creek Park. To my surprise, these swans took flight. The trumpeter is a big bird and … Continue reading →

  The rowan trees are many and heavily laden, but where are the irruptives? At this time of year, I watch for irruptives. These are birds that don’t visit us each year, but occasionally do so as a result of … Continue reading →

  Who can plumb the cormorant’s mind? Two perched cormorants croak at a third as it flies past. Were they warning it to stay away? Were they welcoming it? Who knows? Two Double-crested Cormorants react to a third’s flyby with … Continue reading →

  Sometimes a picture is posted merely because I like the action displayed. A male Belted Kingfisher plunges. It passed out of view before hitting the water.  

  Joanne was right. Earlier this the month, I posted the image shown to the right. I wondered about the dipper’s spread-wing stance. Large birds do this to dry their wings, warm their wings, or cook their parasites. None of … Continue reading →