Beaver Creek walk

Expose Yourself to Nature

Michael McMann led a group from the West Kootenay Naturalists on a walk around Beaver Creek Park on Saturday. Many species of birds were seen, but only a few of them are represented in my pictures.

The first thing we saw on the walk was a group of buffleheads, one of which obligingly set the tone for the rest of the day (right): expose yourself to nature.

To the pictures taken on the walk, I have added a few others taken shortly before and after.

Although ospreys were seen on the walk, these ones building a nest were seen beforehand.

As were these two Tree Swallows.

Seen from Beaver Creek, these four mountain goats were a bit too distant for portraiture.

This was the first Spotted Towhee I had seen.

And the first Western Meadowlark.

To be expected on such a walk was a squirrel,

as were, for this time of year, glacier lilies.

Less expected was a chipmunk.

This isn’t the best picture of a shrike I have ever taken, but it nice to see one even in the distance.

We looked for a bluebird throughout the walk, but only saw one at the very end.

The last two birds were seen following the walk: a Turkey Vulture,

and an American Kestrel.