Category Archives: birds

Female rufous

  Now after a few days of having a male Rufous Hummingbird, the female has arrived. On a good year, we also may expect to see male and female Black-chinned Hummingbirds and Calliope Hummingbirds. So, more may be coming. A … Continue reading

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Three spring creatures

  Today brought three spring creatures (in four pictures) The Wood Duck is a water bird and seasonal migrant. This is a male. This is the first time I have seen it on a piling.  Every May brings the Bombylius … Continue reading

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Heron is back

  In past few days, I have seen a Great Blue Heron a couple of times. I had not seen one here since last August for it is migratory and only appears here in spring and summer to breed. Alas, … Continue reading

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April goulash

  This is a smattering of April pictures that were not previously posted. This is a Say’s Phoebe. It winters far to the south, but migrates north to the Okanagan in the summer to breed. It generally avoids the Kootenays. … Continue reading

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Killdeer returns

  Around here, the Killdeer is a migrant. It is usually here in the spring and summer. Indeed, there have been a few observations of it here for nearly a month, but, to my knowledge, these are the first pictures … Continue reading

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Turkey Vulture eating

  Turkey Vultures are migrants that come here to breed from mid-March to mid-September, having wintered well to our south.  For years, I only saw them soaring as they scanned the ground for carrion to eat. Certainly, they did find … Continue reading

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2025 Ospreys

  It appears that April 12 was the day that Ospreys arrived at Kootenay Lake this year. Here are shots of a pair that turned up at Harrop. Osprey were apparently also seen around Nelson. One male Osprey sits on … Continue reading

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Violet-green Swallows mating

  I have had little success in photographing the Violet-green Swallow, a western bird that comes here from Mexico in the breeding season. But they are rather fast flyers. Last weekend when they first arrived I watched some courting, but … Continue reading

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Mountain Bluebirds

  This is the time that the Mountain Bluebirds come through this region. There have been a few observations so far and here are some pictures we got yesterday. A male Mountain Bluebird sits on a bush watching for insects … Continue reading

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Two are eating

  This morning, I encountered two creatures eating. A crow appears to be choking on some food. A red squirrel is halfway through eating the seeds of a cone.  

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