Monthly Archives: April 2017

April goulash

  This is a month’s end collection of images, none of which has had a posting of its own. A Bald Eagle brings sticks to enlarge its nest. A Columbian Ground Squirrel does sentry duty beside its burrow. My hare … Continue reading

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Black & white

  Forestation and colour: Last year’s posting illustrated both local habitat and dorsal colouring: magpie preferences. Magpies prefer open country with a sprinkling of trees. This makes them distinctly uncommon in the heavily forested lands around the Lake. While on a … Continue reading

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Two portraits

  While the naturalist in me likes to explore interesting behaviours — Ogopogo, planing, katabatic winds — the photographer in me just likes to take portraits — eagle, otter family, black grizzly. Here are two portraits from two days ago. Surely … Continue reading

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Plane harassment

  No, the title does not contain a spelling mistake. I really do mean plane, not plain.  This was an observation that would warm the cockles of the heart of any bird behaviourist: two male Common Mergansers were competing in their … Continue reading

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Budding buck

  A deer’s antlers are regrown each year. They start in the spring as buds and grow quickly to full size in about four months. This morning’s white-tailed buck shows only a few day’s growth. Indeed, the growth is about the same … Continue reading

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Friends in residence

  I generally try to sample delights throughout the neighbourhood of Kootenay Lake — a rather substantial area. However, the neighbourhood sampled for today’s posting is rather constrained: things seen in or from my yard over the last few days. Of course, … Continue reading

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Eagle hovering

  Little birds can hover, but not soar; big birds can soar, but not hover.  By hovering, I mean (what is called) true hovering: staying aloft by flapping rather than by moving horizontally through the air and doing so for … Continue reading

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Osprey arrives

  Ospreys are back. I saw my first Osprey of the year fly by last Monday (April 10th), but failed to get a picture. Others have seen them along the lakeshore throughout the week. Yesterday was the first time I … Continue reading

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Merlin’s breakfast

  Lying in the sand is a male Mallard — at least it used to be. Standing over it, the Merlin looks at me and says: “If you try to take my breakfast, I will eat you, too.”

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Hare’s hair

  Seasonal bunny: This hare showed insensitivity to mythology by neither laying nor hiding eggs. A hare’s hair moults. Our local snowshoe hare (we don’t have rabbits around here) is white in winter and rusty brown in summer. The transition … Continue reading

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