May postings began with two wildflowers: a lily (Glacier Lily), and a wild orchid (Fairy Slipper). Their tenure is now over.
June postings begin with two more wildflowers: another lily (Queen’s Cup), and another wild orchid (Mountain Lady’s Slipper).
The Queen’s Cup was spread across the forest floor in the thousands.
This is one of only six Mountain Lady’s Slippers found among the myriad of Queen’s Cups. A recent shower has festooned this uncommon wild orchid with raindrops.
At 534.06 metres, the Lake is still a half metre below the peak flood level of 2012. However, it has been enough to flood some trails in the low parts of Kokanee Creek Park. The Lake is expected to continue to rise.
This is today’s view of the mouth of the creek and the flooded grasslands to either side of it.
Postings this May have been dramatic: spatting redwing blackbirds, loons fighting, mallard being raped, grizzlies foraging, many mating toads. Maybe it is time for a lovely, but non-dramatic, sighting: a family of Common Mergansers.
Two merganser chicks ride on mommy’s back while five more draft her.
The Western Toad certainly knows how to throw an orgy. There were many dozen of them in the shallows mating promiscuously cheek by jowl.
The mating technique of these toads is called amplexus. Amplexus (Latin for embrace) is a type of external fertilization in which a male grasps a female with his front legs and fertilizes the eggs as they are released from her body.
Three couples couple. Each male has grasped a female from above.
Sometimes mating takes place entirely underwater.
Sometimes it takes place mainly out of water.
And sometimes, it is a bit of each.
Strings of eggs can be seen extending from the mating couple.
It seems that there is often conflict. Here is an idyllic scene, but…
when an interloper tries to take the male’s place, it is kicked away.
There are two mating couples here.
“This has been a good orgy. Let’s do it again some time.”
The rapidity of May is the speed of change that takes place as the region shifts from winter to summer. Events pile up on my camera. Here are a few of them.
The rising waters of the Lake overflow a walkway.
Otters dive, briefly leaving only their tails above the water.
This Wild Turkey is ready for love and looking good.
A pipit has migrated into the region.
A Western Kingbird.
An Eastern Kingbird watches its insect-prey.
The Eastern Kingbird flies after an insect.
A Hover Fly visits a flower.
A browsing White-tailed Deer is in transition: starting its antlers; shedding its winter pelage.
Painted Turtles on a loafing log are the picture of tranquility.
Harlequin Ducks have returned.
The Spotted Sandpiper is back and feeding on grubs along the shore.
Western Bluebirds successfully hunt insects from a great mullein.
A female Kestrel harasses a Red-tailed Hawk.
The Spring Azure only shows the blue of the wings when it is flying.
No treatment of May would be complete without mentioning the arrival of Osprey at local nests.
At dawn and dusk for a few spring weeks, Grizzly Bears come down from the high country to visit marshy lowlands. One might think that they come for the skunk cabbage — apparently not. It seems that the attraction is the water parsnip. The roots of this plant are edible for a short time before it flowers. Grizzlies know this.
Two Grizzly Bears feast on what is likely the fresh roots of the water parsnip.
A bear stands to sniff the air when it is curious about something.
Buddies.
The Tree Swallows were being friendly.
“Incoming.”
“Let’s name them Kaslo, Sitkum, and Taghum.”
I was standing in the shade of a tree listening to a sound like none I had heard before: a repeated, edgy, explosive, pop. It was coming from the far side of the tree. What could it possibly be?
When I rounded the tree, the unexpected source turned out to be a meadowlark. Although the meadowlark is noted for its melodious song, this vocalization was markedly different.
This sound is called a churt, which is a coinage likely of onomatopoeic origin. Apparently the few birds that churt do so merely as a way of saying: “Here I am.”
A Western Meadowlark churts, “I’m here.”
KCPP boardwalk
Two years ago, I took a picture of the boardwalk in Kokanee Creek Provincial Park. This path links the creek with the the spawning channel and the Nature Centre. I noted then that plans were underfoot to replace the boardwalk with something offering greater accessibility. The earlier picture I took is shown first. The new boardwalk opened today and a similar view of it appears below.
This is the boardwalk as it was. At the top is a bridge over the spawning channel which also leads to the Nature Centre. At the lower left the boardwalk winds around to the bridge over Kokanee Creek itself. At the lower right is passage along the spawning channel. This is all now replaced.
The new boardwalk is similarly arranged. At the top is a bridge over the spawning channel which also leads to the Nature Centre. At the lower left the boardwalk winds around to the bridge over Kokanee Creek itself. At the lower right is passage along the spawning channel. However, the boardwalk is much broader and more gently sloped. It is fine craftsmanship which allows easier and safer passage, along with potentially better views of the spawning kokanee.
The Park has done a fine job of offering both access and passage.