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 together from their wintering...
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 leave us to spend our summer...
By Pam Laing American Crow and Common Raven, two familiar Corvids 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 always with birds, it’s all about finding food in...
Fall migration, an overview Flock of Sandhill Cranes migrating south Many birds migrate, as you know. In our valley, spring migration unfolds gradually, somebirds arriving to breed here as early as February, others not until June. And in the fallmigration doesn’t all happen at once either. Birds...
In our last post we looked at two North-American sparrows which turn up every spring tobreed here, Savannah and Vesper Sparrows. This time let’s look at a sparrow you will onlysee here in summer, the Lark Sparrow. Lark Sparrow, distant but easily recognizable This is one of the few places in...
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 African weaver finches! Two...
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 near us here! Gulls are foundall...
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 and winter. Let’s take a...
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 attention to two more Icterids, namely...
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 well as Western Meadowlark and...
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 Dipper belies its amazing...
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, White-breasted, Red-breasted, and...