by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Aug 22, 2024 | Animals, Guest Bloggers, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
Today we’re going to take a look at an unmistakable species, easily recognized when seen. In our part of the Okanagan, however, they are not common, usually sighted in either April, May or June when they pass through northwards in migration. Huge flocks migrate...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | May 13, 2024 | Guest Bloggers, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
Spring migration, an overview In our valley, spring migration unfolds gradually, some birds arriving to breed here as early as February or early March, others not until June. Let’s take a look at which species have already arrived, which will come soon and which will...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Mar 11, 2024 | Animals, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
By Pam Laing American Crow and Common Raven, two familiar Corvids American Crow, winter This winter started off unusually mild and snowless. You may have noticed, as I did, that many more crows than usual were lingering here instead of moving further south. Why? As...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Mar 11, 2024 | Animals, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
Which Bird might I see today? – FALL – Fall migration, an overview Many birds migrate, as you know. In our valley, spring migration unfolds gradually, some birds arriving to breed here as early as February, others not until June. And in the fall...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Mar 11, 2024 | Animals, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
In our last post we looked at two North-American sparrows which turn up every spring to breed here, Savannah and Vesper Sparrows. This time let’s look at a sparrow you will only see here in summer, the Lark Sparrow. Lark Sparrow, distant but easily recognizable This...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Mar 6, 2024 | Animals, Guest Bloggers, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
When non-birders think of sparrows they think of the common House Sparrow, the birdthat says, “Cheep, cheep” in our hedges and is abundant in built-up areas. But HouseSparrows are not true sparrows, were introduced here from Europe and are in fact relatedto the North...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Nov 30, 2022 | Guest Bloggers, Natural History, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
Don’t call them Seagulls! When we live in a valley with a number of lakes, large and small, as well as ponds, riversand creeks, (not to mention large landfill sites), we are bound to see gulls. Non-birdersoften refer to them as Seagulls. But we have no sea anywhere...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Nov 5, 2022 | Guest Bloggers, Natural History, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
Two small falcons – Merlin and American Kestrel Peregrine falcons are probably the best-known of all falcons and we do see them occasionally in our valley. But we are much more likely to see one of the smaller falcons, Merlins and American Kestrels, especially in fall...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Nov 5, 2022 | Guest Bloggers, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
More Icterids – Bullock’s Oriole and Western Meadowlark Bullock’s Oriole male 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...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Nov 5, 2022 | Guest Bloggers, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Brewer’s Blackbird One and perhaps two of today’s birds are probably familiar to you, the other might not be. They are all blackbirds, members of the Icterid family, a group comprising (in our valley) these two, as...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Nov 5, 2022 | Guest Bloggers, Okanagan birder, Pam Laing
You might suppose that wintertime is not a good time for a bird that spends its life near running water, but in fact this species is able to survive in icy cold water, and manages to feed even under riverside ice. The rather nondescript appearance of the American...
by lcmuseum@shaw.ca | Nov 5, 2022 | Animals, Environment, Guest Bloggers, Okanagan birder, 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,...
