Category Archives: birds

  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 →

  We receive welcome visits from swans twice a year when they stop by on their migrations, usually centred on March and November. So, this morning’s visit of some swans was timely.  But, which of our two species appeared, Tundra … Continue reading →