Exploring Kootenay Lake

See my gorget!

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I am told that the only hummingbirds one is likely to see in the West Kootenay are the Rufous, Calliope, and Black–chinned, and they appear in that order of likelihood.

I am also told that while female hummingbirds can be seen throughout the summer, by late June the males have finished breeding and have headed higher in the mountains.

So, if one wants to see the distinctive adult male hummingbirds, the time is now—wait awhile and they are gone. A week ago, this blog showed a picture of the male Calliope Hummingbird. Today, I managed to photographed the male Rufous and the male Black-chinned.

A male Black–chinned Hummingbird

A male Rufous Hummingbird

A hummingbird has a long tongue.

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Cranes, herons, and vultures were all seen when Peter McIver lead the West Kootenay Naturalists to the marshes around Leach Lake. In this final posting about the jaunt, the Great Blue Heron will be ignored—I see and photograph it regularly along the West Arm.

However, the Turkey Vulture is only rarely seen on the portion of Kootenay Lake where I live, and (so far) the Sandhill Crane, never.

Turkey Vultures favour the fields and marshes at both ends of the Main Lake where they can more easily spot carrion. Sandhill Cranes, although common at the Coast, had been rare here until recently. Indeed, the first local breeding record was made only three years ago. Many cranes were seen at a great distance; shown are a couple nearby.

A Turkey Vulture soars over the open country south of Kootenay Lake.

Sandhill Cranes wander through the marshland…

and take flight.

A visit to a marsh reveals birds that don’t frequent the well–drained portions of the region. So it was, that during last Saturday’s field trip of the West Kootenay Naturalists to the fresh–water marshes south of Kootenay Lake, I managed to get close enough to take pictures of both a Red–winged Blackbird and some Yellow–headed Blackbirds. Both birds favour marshes where they are often seen perched on cattails.

The red shoulder markings on the wing of the male are usually hidden but may be displayed when the bird is perched and singing.

This Yellow–headed Blackbird is probably watching for insects to eat.

The dominant foraging technique is to look for bugs while walking.

This Yellow–headed Blackbird has deployed alulae to maintain lift during a bank.

On Saturday, May 14, 2011, the West Kootenay Naturalists held a field trip lead by Peter McIver. The first stop was the Salmo River for a peek at the Harlequin Ducks that delight in this cold fast–moving stream.

Below are three pictures of them. As usual with ducks, the plumage of the male is fancier (on the right in the first two pictures) than that of the female. The third picture might be entitled: pay no attention to us, we’re just a couple of river rocks.