Exploring Kootenay Lake

I was watching two Spotted Sandpipers. Each seemed to be taking a considerable interest in the other. Then…,

The female crouched, lifted her tail, the male landed upon her, wrapped his tail beneath hers, and they mated.

After a brief disengagement, they mated again.

Abruptly, she lurched forward; he fell off her back. She dropped her tail and lifted her wings to prevent his return.

It might be imagined that she was rebuffing an oppressor. Yet, I suspect the truth is rather different. The female Spotted Sandpiper is polyandrous—she mates with many males. She willingly mated with this one. Her subsequent rejection is likely her way of saying: “I now move on to my next lover; You’ve had your turn.”

Birds devote little time to mating. This sequence of four pictures showing Tree Swallows spanned two seconds.

The female Tree Swallow crouches low and lifts her tail as the male approaches.

He lands on her back as she spreads her cloaca.

The male wraps his tail under hers to align their cloacae. Each bird slightly everts its cloacal tissue.

Mating takes place with, what is known as, the cloacal kiss.

It is May and the shore along the Lake is filled with birds. Some are wading, some floating, some flying. It is the flying ones that are the most difficult to photograph—they are usually fast and distant. Yesterday, I had three modest successes in taking detailed pictures of flying birds.

A male Hooded Merganser and his son flew low enough over the water to have a good reflection.

Although this Cliff Swallow was in the sunlight, it was against a very dark background.

As I was trying to take pictures of Cliff Swallows, a female Osprey landed behind me. Shooting quickly, I did not realize that it was banded until I examined the pictures later.

Doug Thorburn, that indefatigable wanderer of local mountains, sent me these two pictures of a grouse he saw this last week when he tracked down the sound of drumming. The trouble is, I cannot tell what it is. The head looks like a Dusky, while the breast and wings look more like a Spruce. 

Can anyone settle the question? 

It was the frenetic display of a feigned broken wing that signalled the unexpected nearness of a Killdeer’s nest. 

Indeed, a quick look around revealed four camouflaged eggs lying on the open ground.

I promptly retreated, the Killdeer relaxed and returned to its nest. Part of one egg is visible.

A month and a half ago, Miss Mallard put on a show for her intended. Her pole dance had the desired result.

From a distance, the specks were tiny, dark and moving. From closer, the specks became seven mallard chicks.

Mommy waited and the chicks caught up.

And they feasted together.