Category Archives: birds

  This winter started with visiting irruptive birds: Irruptive meets invasive (2017/11/20); Irruptive winter? (2017/12/4). The earliest arrivals were Common Redpolls and Pine Grosbeaks. Many irruptives are still here. An irruptive is an arctic species that may or may not … Continue reading →

  This Bald Eagle was hunting a duck. This was not a good day to be that duck.

  In the last two days, many swans have been reported along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake, and along the lower Kootenay River. Judging by the ones I have seen, they are Trumpeters. They stopped by to feed on … Continue reading →

  Most birds are limited in what they can eat for they have to swallow whole whatever is caught. This was illustrated three months ago in the posting, birds eat. However, the beaks of a few birds have a prominent … Continue reading →

  I don’t see a Golden Eagle often. Indeed the last time I saw one was a half-dozen years ago and it was flying at a high altitude somewhat south of the Lake. Today’s golden flew low along the north … Continue reading →

  Woodpeckers are not particularly common around here. Of a half-dozen or so species, only the Northern Flicker is likely to be seen regularly. Below are two species, seen five weeks apart: a Pileated Woodpecker (seen in late December), a … Continue reading →

  One would not normally set out to photograph ravens. Rather like mallards (the ubiqui-duck) and blades of grass, finding a raven offers few challenges. Now and then, however, a raven offers an interesting image.  A raven flies off with … Continue reading →

  January seems to be the month to get a picture of a perfectly camouflaged Ruffed Grouse — or not. This grouse actually has rather good camouflage, but only in other seasons when, by moving ever so slowly through the … Continue reading →

  There is something about the name, shrike, that strikes terror. Today, I spotted a Northern Shrike within meters of where yesterday I watched a Northern Pygmy Owl. Each bird is a rare to uncommon winter resident in our valleys. … Continue reading →

  A Northern Pygmy Owl looks down on passing humans with not so much a look of fear, as one of disdain: “Why do you keep interfering with my world?”