by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Oct 4, 2020 | Pam Laing
At this time of year, when so many of our colourful summer breeding birds are winging their way southwards for the colder months, it is a pleasure to turn our attention to birds that stay here year round. This time let’s focus on our three species of nuthatch,...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Jul 3, 2020 | Pam Laing, Uncategorized
Last summer I introduced you to our largest flycatchers, the kingbirds, Eastern Kingbird and Western Kingbird. This year let’s look at other flycatchers that also come here in summer to breed and raise their young on abundant insect food during the warmer months. Some...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Apr 4, 2020 | Natural History, Pam Laing
When life is challenging it can be helpful to read the signs nature gives us of rebirth and renewal. Trees, flowers, and shrubs put on new growth and in the bird world, spring brings us the annual miracle of migration to brighten our days and bring promise of new...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Jan 16, 2020 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Natural History, Pam Laing
Great Blue Heron Moving quietly and slowly, inching forward with neck arched, feet slowly raised thenplaced, and dagger-like beak poised, a Great Blue Heron stalks its prey. Then comes a lunge,a stab – and the fish, frog or cicada is toast. While Great Blue...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Oct 9, 2019 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Natural History, Pam Laing
California Quail The days are growing shorter and cooler and the colourful summer birds that came north to breed and raise their young have gone south in search of warmer temperatures and food. So it’s time to turn our attention to birds that stay here in fall and...
by lakecountry | Jul 2, 2019 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Natural History, Pam Laing
Eastern and Western Kingbird Kingbirds are large flycatchers. In spite of the names, “Eastern” and “Western” both are regular visitors in our valley during the summer months. Westerns, as you might expect, are only found in the western US, our part of BC, as...
by lakecountry | Apr 3, 2019 | Guest Bloggers, Natural History, Pam Laing
Birds of a Feather Which Bird might I see today? – SPRING Waxwings, Bohemian and Cedar Spring migration in the northern hemisphere sees a huge movement of birds from south to north as they follow the urge to seek out favourable habitats in which to lay their eggs and...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Jan 11, 2019 | Guest Bloggers, Pam Laing
Birds of a Feather Which Bird might I see today? – WINTER Doves Even if you don’t feed birds in winter, you are probably familiar with the doves, which are here year-round. I won’t bore you with statistics about the feral Rock Dove or Pigeon, a very common urban...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Sep 30, 2018 | Natural History, Pam Laing
Which Bird might I see today? – FALL Grouse Hunters, armed with guns, know that fall is a good time to look for grouse; birders, armed with binoculars, know that you can see them any time of the year! These birds do not migrate. In our part of the Okanagan...
by lakecountry | Jun 22, 2018 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Natural History, Pam Laing
Which birds might I see today? Osprey Which of us has not thrilled to the sight of an Osprey hovering over the lake, then diving down with feet outstretched to catch a fish and fly off triumphantly with it? I never tire of watching the performance; the search, the...
by lakecountry | Apr 6, 2018 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Natural History, Pam Laing
Which birds might I see today? White-crowned Sparrows Sometime in April my phone might ring and someone will ask, “I have lots of these birds in my yard I’ve never seen before; they have black and white stripes on their heads; what are they?” They are White-crowned...
by lakecountry | Jan 26, 2018 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Natural History, Pam Laing
Which birds might I see today? Ducks that dive Remember the dabblers and the divers – the two categories into which we group ducks? In an earlier posting we took a look at the dabblers, and in this posting we’ll focus on the divers. All of the species featured...
