Category Archives: birds

  This is the time of year to see rafts of loons on Kootenay Lake. Often, the loon is a solitary bird, accompanied at most by a mate and chicks. But prior to migration, numerous loons gather in social groups.  … Continue reading →

  This is the season to visit the lakeshore to see sandpipers that have stopped by to feed on their journey south. Already shown have been the Killdeer and the Baird’s Sandpiper. Here are three more. The Lesser Yellowlegs breeds … Continue reading →

  If one wants to watch vultures, a good tactic is to hang out in the vicinity of carrion (sigh). For most of us, finding carrion before a vulture does is not easy — except possibly during a seasonal die-off, … Continue reading →

  It seems maybe a week early, but juvenile ospreys have started to fledge. A juvenile osprey — identified by wing feathers looking as if dipped in cream — flew by early this morning.

  This is the time to see juvenile birds. Although as large as adults, they often look somewhat different. Today, I saw a juvenile Great Blue Heron standing on a deadhead. The signs were clear that it was this year’s … Continue reading →

  The migration of shorebirds is underway. We have seen the killdeer pass through, however, the killdeer also breeds here. Not so, the Baird’s Sandpiper. It breeds in the high arctic and winters in South America. Baird’s visit to the … Continue reading →

  First there was one killdeer, then two, finally there were five of them. These killdeers were on the move, probably merely stopping here for refuelling as they migrated from farther north to farther south. While killdeers breed locally, this … Continue reading →