Exploring Kootenay Lake

On June 5, 2010, I was out on the Lake and watched a drama between an eagle and two ospreys. It is described whimsically below.

The Kootenay-Lake Website offers a discussion and more pictures of the local ospreys and eagles.

********* story time ********

A recently married man takes a break from domestic duties to take his pet fish for a stroll.

He is soon approached by an ardent fish collector cum mugger.

The mugger is exceedingly persistent and the chase goes on and on.

The wife takes a dim view of this and heads out to help.

She attacks from above and behind; the mugger rolls over; the husband and pet fish head home.

Although, one of the most important local raptors, the Osprey, has yet to arrive at the Lake, April is a great month for observing raptors. The reason is simple: there is good hunting for them as the snow is off some of the ground, and the trees are still bare of leaves, so their hunting perches are easily seen. The pictures below show merlins, red-tailed hawks and various ages of eagles seen around the Lake in April.

The Kootenay-Lake Website offers a discussion and more pictures of the local eagles, merlins, hawks.

A half-year old bald eagle looks quiet different than the adult. 

This one-and-a-half year old Bald Eagle is finishing up hs meal of another bird.

This nearly adult Bald Eagle is having a bad hair day.

A merlin looks down from a tree and decides whether the photographer would make a good meal.

A Red-tailed Hawk keeps an eye out for voles as it sits on one leg (note the claw protruding from the belly feathers).

Late April and early March is a good time to see swans on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake. They stop by to feed as they migrate north to their breeding grounds. Most years one can see both Trumpeter Swans and Tundra Swans over a period of a few weeks. This year, I have seen only Tundra Swans, and for only a few days.

Swans feed by sticking their heads under the water and by taking advantage or their long necks to reach the bottom. So, they feed where the Lake is shallow, such as alongside Kokanee Creek Provincial Park or at Robert’s Bay (the bay in front of Blaylock’s mansion). These places provide extensive shallows in March and April as the Lake is low prior to the spring freshet. These pictures of Tundra Swans were taken at Robert’s Bay which provides a good view right from the highway.

Swans also stop by the Lake on their migration south in the fall, but as the water level is no longer as low, the feeding area is not as favourable and they don’t seem to hang around as long.

The Kootenay-Lake Website offers a discussion and more pictures of the local Tundra Swans, Trumpeter Swans and a guide to distinguishing one from the other.