Another weekend in Nakusp

The drive home

A very short post; Saturday, because of cabin fever i drove north to Revelstoke. It was a reasonable drive of just over 100km which also includes a 20 minute lake crossing by ferry. The return was doubly interesting due to a large dumping of snow. Concentration was needed and i would liken snow driving to driving on slightly damp outback gravel roads. All in all though there was no real worries.

The return Ferry crossing

More of the drive home - action shot!

Today, again, very overcast with light rain but warmer, about 2 degrees. I went for a little walk to see if i could see any bird species and added one more to my Nakusp list to make an even 50 spp thus far; Townsend's Solitaire, which is listed for rare in the Kootenays during winter.

Living in the Cold

At zero degrees Celsius stuff, water in particular, freezes. And so we have some issues of living in a cold place. When I arrived at my house in Nakusp there was the pep talk. Fire place. Fire wood – two types. This one burns fast. This one, with the white bark, burns slower. You’ll work it out. Here is the laundry – see this tap is dripping – see that? It will stop the taps freezing.

My 2012 house, laundry is upper left

Okay. My laundry is on a landing, you walk through it to enter the house. Underneath the landing is open; it’s where the fire wood is stacked. Because it’s open it’s not insulated like the rest of the house and cold air, sometimes very cold air, swirls below it and causes the air, and the water, within this laundry to get very cold. When this happens – say ten degrees below outside - the water in the ‘S’ bend below the laundry tub freezes. This is the start of bad stuff. Because the drain is frozen one must turn off the dripping tap. [The dripping tap that keeps the pipes from freezing.] When the tap is turned off, the pipes freeze.  Now you can’t do laundry. Your clothes are dirty – perhaps smelly.

So, solutions? First warm the room with a heater. Some 12 hours later the pipes have unfrozen. Hurrah. So laundry time… The washing machine is on chugging away nicely. Dirty clothes are transforming pleasantly. Life is good.

Or so one thinks. Sitting inside away from the cold laundry one suddenly starts to hear water; gushing, splashing water. From the drainage outlet from the washing machine water is spraying everywhere. Rapidly – because that’s how I move and think – I grab the outlet hose and ram it into the laundry tub which rapidly fills. As it rapidly fills I see, with some horror, that it is not rapidly draining out. Not rapidly at all. Not, as it happens, at all. And the tub, too, overflows. It seems, I quickly reason, that the S bend is not yet fully thawed and soapy, soon to become ice, water is spreading rapidly over my freezing laundry floor and there is naught that I can do to stop it!

My 2012 car

But I must do something. So I attack the tub water with a bucket, charging out to the snow and ice covered porch, water splashing from the bucket onto me, the laundry floor and the snowy porch in equal measure, and then pouring the small puddle of remaining liquid onto the snowy ground below to the obvious amusement of the neighbours. This was the initial strategy – a strategy that needed multiple repeats. Next was mopping the floor with a troupe of towels.

Disgusted I tossed the damp towels onto a chair on the porch – needless to say they too quickly froze.

Good news though tomorrow it will be washing day again as the temperature thankfully rises over zero for the first time for a couple of weeks.

My classroom view

Yay.

Another Weekend in Nakusp

The mantra continues; ‘There is snow in Nakusp’. Saturday saw snow falling. Some brding around town was planned but the cold and the snow determined that a slow drive south to the village of Burton was a better option. We were searching for brave and naïve Northern Pygmy Owls. The idea was that the owls sit like little tennis balls atop the taller Conifers and in doing so made them easy to spot.

We didn’t spot any.

The owls were neither naïve or brave but, in keeping with the stereotype, wise and well hidden.

The drive to Burton was good though and the Burton coffee shop, named the Burton Coffee Shop was comfortable and sold coffee. We got to know the shop quite well as we had a minor issue with Gary’s car. The help arrived in two hours while we planned birding trips to places dotted around the world but mostly to North east Australia and East Africa. While waiting we ordered, to the noticeable happiness of the woman serving, two burgers. The burgers were big. Three weeks of skim milk were quickly wasted as the beast was consumed.

Soon the car was running and we rolled into it to return to Nakusp.

Sunday started with the curtains drawn to reveal dazzling sunshine; the western mountains shone. And it was a beautiful sight. Strolling around the streets slowly revealed many of the birds already recorded; Downy Woodpeckers, Flickers, Siskins, Goldfinches, Chickadees, Red breasted Nuthatches, Stellers and the elusive Blue Jay, rows, Ravens, Herring Gulls, Mallards, Pacific Wren, Horned Grebes,  and Song Sparrows. A short drive revealed my first ‘local’ Northern Shrike – a welcome addition to the Nakusp List. 49 spp so far for Nakusp. Not too bad a start for winter.

Sunday afternoon had an Aussie ring to it. Football and a couple of beers. The beer was Molsen. The football American. Baltimore lost to New England in a close contest. New York defeated San Francisco so the Super Bowl will now be decided in a fortnight between those two winning teams. 

Perhaps i will watch the Super Bowl! And drink a beer and have a hotdog. Stay tuned.

Walking to School

Nakusp Street

Fruiting Tree

Strolling

Snow Plough

Nakusp Secondary

No birds to report really but i thought i'd post a few pics from a recent stroll to school here in the am of Nakusp.

Okanagan Birding Weekend

“Well you’re getting some winter now”

Frozen Lake to the Right

And so it was that I left Nakusp very early at 6-30am, still very dark, with a clean white sheen over the town. We were driving first south and then west for a weekend’s birding in the Okanagan Valley; the premiere birding location in all of BC. The snow was blowing wildly over the top of the car, well illuminated by our high beam lights,and no windscreen wipers were necessary. A strange precipitation this snow is. Soon we were crossing Arrow Lake via ferry before crossing over the Monashee Range [route 6] enroute to Kelowna where we were to meet local birding legend and tour guide Chris Charlesworth. The birding highlight of the journey was a flock of Redpolls – circa 25- feeding beside a frozen lake. The car’s external thermometer read a cool minus 8 degrees.

Big White Ski Village or at least part of it

We met Chris, somewhat unpatriotically at a Maccas at Kelowna. Sensibly he had already breakfasted at Tim Hortons so while Gary grabbed some brekky at Maccas I enjoyed a flock of Ring billed Gulls in the shopping centre. Soon we were heading east towards the Big White Ski Village and on the way I enjoyed my first lifer of the weekend a Northern Shrike. Here Gary decided to lock the keys in the car and we enjoyed a brief wait in the cool for first someone to stop and then the ‘Canadian RACQ’.  A male Kestrel plus my first 2012 Clark’s Nutcracker and good views of a roosting Rough legged Hawk helped the waiting. A Solitaire plus Northern Flickers, Red tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles plus ubiquitous crows and Ravens were also about.

Gray crowned Rosyfinch

At the Big White Ski Village, a fascinating locale in its own right, was dude birding at its finest. The target bird and sometimes a difficult one was  Grey-crowned Rosyfinches. Some 20 odd birds of both sub spp were in attendance at a feeder. Keeping them company were Pine Grosbeaks, Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Steller’s Jays, Gray Jays, American Crow and a couple of Redpoll.

Coffee thankfully followed and then a quick view around the car park where, while many enjoyed  ice skating, Chris copied Northern Pygmy Owl calls attracting Mountain Chickadees plus RB Nuthatches.

Two male Pine Grosbeaks

With snow falling heavily [on Cedars?] we persisted with owl calls for our other mountain target White winged Crossbills. We saw no White winged Crossbills.We did see Redpolls in a large flock of about a hundred birds plus a few more Pine Grosbeaks.

We tried for Tundra Swans by a Kelowna Lake but only Mallards, a few Herring Gull and some Ring billed Gulls were braving the cold at that point.   

Tea time called for Tim Hortons, a Canadian institution, and on the menu was Chilli and coffee [and donut].

From Osooyoos - a frozen Lake

Driving south our destination was Osooyoos Best Western and after a long bloody drive Gary has certainly earned his sleep and keep and it’s my hope that my snoring did not keep him awake too much…………….. Osooyoos Best Western was understandably desert themed and the room was both hot and dry. 

With Saturday seeing snow over much of Okanagan Sunday was predictably cold as well and a good breakfast was grabbed before the first bird of the day; House Sparrow. In the minus 6 or 8 or something there were good numbers of waterfowl;  Canada Geese and Mallards, Wigeon, Common Teal, Goldeneye, PB Grebe, Goosander, Greater Scaup, Redheads, Canvasbacks. Common Loon, Western Grebe, Horned Grebe, Bald Eagle plus Coot were also added.In addition California Quail, Red Tailed Hawks and some Magpies. Here also we dipped on owls that were rumoured to be roosting in these parts.

Vasceaux Lake - predictably frozen

A quick visit to Vaseaux Lake, largly iced up now  in contrast to my last spring time visit, produced calling Northern Pymy Owls high up on the slopes above the lake responding to Gary’s call. The sought after White breasted Nuthatches remained invisible. A single Mute Swan plus Trumpeter Swans plus some assorted waterfowl spread out on the remaining ice free water.

More good views of Northern Shrikes – an Adult and a sub adult – were seen soon after with Kestrel  and a striking Dark phase Red tailed Hawk. A good view of a Sharp shinned Hawk en route home completed the weekend’s birding.

Hooded Merganser

The drive home was reminiscent of our departure with some heavy patches of snow falling before the now customary meal with Gary and Maries' to complete a very good although too brief weekend!

Second Week in Nakusp

Song Sparrow

 So it's Tuesday 10 January. I'm sitting in my living room. The fire is burning. Outside it's not snowing however the temperature is dropping quickly and by 5 am it's supoosed to get down to minus 10. Ouch. Today was a wonderfully mild day - betweeb 0 and 3 degrees. People can't stop describing how mild and beautiful and 'spring like' it is. One lady even went so far as to describe the weather as balmy!?

 At any rate despite being here only for a brief time I would agee - the weather has generally been pleasant and NOT intolerably cold. Sad the sun has only been really shining when i'm trapped in class. Typical.

 And the birding continues to be interesting. The highlights;

This morning I scored the Blue Jay, an uncommon bird in these parts. There is one around town and it showed up almost in the front yard this morning. I've put feeders in my front yard and already Chickadees, a Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flickers and Collared Doves have found the food as well as a flock of Evening Grosbeaks. Also in my yard there are Song Sparrows and a solitary White-throated Sparrow.Today i bought some more bird food and will put some out tomorrow and try to photo the feast.

One of my students, her dad and the said dead cougar.

Best birds for Sunday was a great view of a Northern Goshawk plus a neat little Redpoll, deep within a feeding flock of Pine Siskins at Gary's place. Also on Sunday i scored a lifer of a Ruffed Grouse that flew across the road in front of my car. Pale terminal band, wider sub terminal dark on the tail plus blue-grey plumage sealed the ID. 

This weekend I'm off to the Okanagan Valley for some birding. Hopefully photos will feature!

Speaking of photos one of my year 12 girls proudly showed me a photo today of her and her dad and a large dead cougar which they had recently killed.....I wish i'd seen it alive. Btw - our school logo is the cougar so on eof our school mottos is, ironically enough, "Go Cougars!"....

First Week in Nakusp

So it's Saturday 7 January. I'm sitting in my living room. The fire is burning. Outside it's silently snowing and it's time to reflect on the first week of Nakuspian life.

It's been good. People and school kids friendly. I'm mostly understood - which, I guess, is good.

And the birding has been interesting. The highlights;

Not that you can see it however the 'star' at the top of the tree is a Northern Hawk Owl!

Northern Hawk Owl - was scored on Wednesday afternoon in the brief time between school's out and sun down. The bird was first seen, on his regular haunt, close to town on a power line. He allowed some close views but at the appearance of my tiny camera flew away to the top of a large fir tree like a Xmas tree star!

Bad photo of Bohemian Waxwing [ note chestnut undertail coverts]

Today three more lifers - Bohemian Waxwings, White-throated Sparrow plus Pine Grosbeaks. Todays birding also revealed Red Crossbills, Dipper, Cedar Waxwings, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Bald Eagle plus numerous Pine Siskins, Gold Finches, Black-capped Chickadees, Canada Geese etc.

First day in Nakusp

Went birding. Scouting for the annual CBC. Christmas Bird Count for non North Americans. The actual CBC is tomorrow but alas I’m expected to be educating and it is bad form to have a sickie on one’s first day of new employ. But today, for the morning at least, I can bird. So we went to Lake side, several of the town’s best gardens for bird feeding and, as a special highlight, the Nakusp Sewerage works.

Lake side delivered a few unexpected species, both species of Goldeneye plus a distant pair of Red necked Grebes plus the strange sight of an American Dipper swimming and dipping in the lake’s shallows.  

The brave Wilson's Warbler

A nearby organic garden produced a special bird – an overwintering Wilson’s Warbler. Most warblers have the sense to migrate south, away from the cool of Canada. However this bird has stayed, tempted by the heat and food produced by a very large fruit and vegetable compost bin. Its bright yellow stands out strongly from the several Song Sparrows whose company he keeps.

The sewerage ponds were frozen over. This is not a place where you want to skate on thin ice! So water birds – save a few Mallard – were not the targets. Stray passerines were. And we found, especially for me, a beauty. American Tree Sparrow. A handsome little guy and a lifer!

Steller’s Jays, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Chestnut backed and Black capped Chickadees, Varied Thrush and a Junco adorned Gary Davidson’s front yard. And I scored a Brown Creeper on the walk home.

Birds seen.

Red necked Grebe

Gary Davidson proudly parades on his poo patch.

Canada Goose

Mallard

Common Goldeneye

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Bufflehead

Goosander

Herring Gull

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Feral Pigeon [Rock Pigeon]

Northern Flicker

Steller’s Jay

Northwestern Crow

Raven

Black-capped Chickadee

Chestnut backed Chickadee

Red breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

American Dipper

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Varied Thrush

European Starling

Wilson’s Warbler

Song Sparrow

American Tree Sparrow ***

Dark-eyed Junco

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

House Finch