Category Archives: birds

  I have long fancied that I had a grouse in residence, although I do know that more than one individual wanders through my yard. Aside from a hen and her chicks, I have only ever seen a single Ruffed … Continue reading →

  It struck me as being a tad early in the month, but there they were, seven swans a-swimming. Of course, as soon as swans are seen on the Lake, the immediate question is: Are they Tundras or Trumpeters? In … Continue reading →

  Despite some range maps that suggest otherwise, the Bufflehead Duck is a winter resident of Kootenay Lake. It is also both our smallest and (some have asserted) our cutest duck.  Curiously despite an initial assessment that the male plumage is … Continue reading →

  It is not that the Snow Goose is rare. In the right place, such as along a migration route from the Arctic coast to the US and Mexico, the abundance of Snow Geese can saturate one’s eyes and ears. There … Continue reading →

  I only manage to spot a Pileated Woodpecker a few times a year, usually when it is probing for grubs, but sometimes when it is eating them. In the fall, I have seen it eat elderberries. Yesterday was the first time … Continue reading →

  Birds do not have expressive faces, so normally one has to judge their thoughts by their actions. However, there is an occasion when a bird gives the appearance of being downright miserable. (Two pictures, below.) A Roughed Grouse was spotted … Continue reading →

  The kingfisher is restless when fishing and skittish when approached. So on the rare occasion when one is close, a picture is in order. The kingfisher has been described as cute, probably because its oversized head and disheveled hair … Continue reading →

  One of the interesting features of birds is how many of them change with the season. Merely consider two raptors: the Osprey and the Rough-legged Hawk. These two species might well never meet. The osprey spends the summer here, but … Continue reading →

  For some time, I fancied that I had a residential Ruffed Grouse — or at least my yard lay within its limited range. Maybe it stuck around because it viewed my yard as a sanctuary. Alas, reality has undercut … Continue reading →