by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Jul 3, 2021 | Natural History, Pam Laing
More Icterids – Bullock’s Oriole and Western Meadowlark In the spring posting we looked at three of the family known as Icterids. Those three were Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer’s Blackbird and Yellow-headed Blackbird. Today let’s turn our attention to two more...
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 | 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 | Jun 15, 2018 | Guest Bloggers, Jacob Semenuik, Natural History
This trophy, an Alaskan Kodiak grizzly, is an incredible artifact displayed in the Anne Land Room at the Lake Country Museum and Archives. One can wonder how dominant this creature would have been in the natural world. It is certainly a dominating specimen in the...
by lakecountry | May 31, 2018 | Announcements, Dan Bruce, Guest Bloggers, Natural History
A specimen of the Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis) was identified in Lake Country on Sunday, May 27th 2018. At 10:15 pm, it was seen in an open pathway area with artificial lighting. Between 8 and 10 inches in length, the distinct head and sharply pointed tail...
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...
