Around sunset last night, I was watching an adult male Northern Flicker stare out of a nest cavity where it had presumably brought food for a yet-to-appear chick. As it flew off, I pressed the camera button.
The momentary juxtaposition of the head and the underside of the wing made the wing look like a headdress. So, look at this picture, not as of a flicker, but of a strange creature with an elaborate feather headdress.
The season of daisies is upon us, so it is time to watch for crab spiders. These cunning predators habit wildflowers (apparently daisies preferred) and attack and eat those who come to seek nectar.
If you start looking for crab spiders on daisies, you might see one feasting on a pollinator. However, be aware that you will only find a crab spider on one out of two or three hundred flowers.
A female crab spider watches for pollinators.
Tadpoles have been seen for a week in Kokanee Creek Park. These tadpoles are the larvae of the Western Toad.
First, the stage is set by going back about 5 weeks to the time of amplexus. (Actually it is an older picture from a previous year.) Amplexus is the toad’s external mating behaviour in which a male grasps a female with his front legs. She releases her eggs which he fertilizes.
Western toads practice amplexus about 5 weeks earlier. The string of eggs is visible on the right side of the picture
The fertilized eggs produce tadpoles. The is one view out of a few thousand tadpoles in Kokanee Creek Park this morning. They will develop into toadlets in another 4–12 weeks, depending upon the water temperature.
Mating among birds, while essential for survival, goes by amazingly quickly. For these Tree Swallows, from the arrival picture to the departure picture, only a second transpired. But the mating was accomplished.
A male flies to a female, who is already lifting her tail to provide access to her cloaca.
He arrives on her and adjusts his tail so their cloaca make contact and sperm is passed.
Then a second after arriving, he lifts off. But he will stay with her to help raise their chicks.
The Yellow Warbler is a long-distant migrant that is here from May to September. But just try to photograph it. It is small and very fast as it flits from place to place. My daughter, Cynthia, found a nest it was creating and we occasionally have been watching it — from a distance.
So far we have not been close to the Yellow Warbler, so I have included a picture from a few years ago where, by happenstance, I passed by quite close to one.
In its foraging around its nest it now seemed to be searching for fluff. Photo by Cynthia.
The fluff was returned to its nest for padding around eggs and chicks. Photo by Cynthia.
It probably has yet to lay an egg. It seems to still be building the nest.
This year, I did not catch dipper chicks in the nest. But we did capture them in the creek being fed by a parent.
Three dipper chicks stand with their mouths agape and their wings raised as they beg their parent (in the foreground) for some food.
The parent brings some food to the anxiously waiting chicks.
The chick’s yellow gape is what prompts the parent to place food there. Photo by Cynthia.
A dipper parent feeds a dipper chick a bug. Photo by Cynthia.
This is the time to watch our new yellow-bellied marmot pups. They face their world sometimes with curiosity, sometimes with caution, and sometimes just play.
This was a family shoot. There are two pictures by daughter, Cynthia, two pictures by grandson, Finn, and one by me.
Looking at the world with curiosity. Photo by Cynthia.
Looking at the world with caution. Photo by Finn.
This pup appears to have come out of a wet cavity. Photo by Finn.
One marmot pup seems to be inviting the other to play. Photo by Cynthia.
“Hello”
Osprey mating does not occur throughout the year, but rather only over a limited time in the spring. The Osprey mating season is now nearing its completion, but, for some, it is still taking place.
This male spent its time between bringing more sticks and mating.
The California Quail does not belong here. But, this one was seen just west of Nelson yesterday.
The California Quail was seeded in the Okanagan for hunting in the nineteenth century, but it is rarely seen here. It is only my second sighting. Nine years ago I saw one in Waneta. As it generally avoids mountains and forested regions, the Kootenays are not particularly suitable for it.
A California Quail seen at Taghum.
This is a small collection of pictures taken this May which didn’t have a posting of their own. Well in this case, it is also just a few shots while trying out a camera.
One of my first shots was a close view of an osprey rushing by in flight.
A tranquil shot featured four painted turtles on a loafing log.
A yellow-bellied marmot constantly called and raised its tail. I thought it sought a partner, but none appeared. When I looked at the pictures, I realized its problem: constipation.
For a while I watched a female Rufous Hummingbird and separately a male Black-chinned Hummingbird (another one is shown here). But, these two were all that appeared.
Finally, a male Rufous turned up. It was cloudy so the iridescent red gorget showed rarely.
However, now and then, the gorget was stunning.
