Kamloops Day - another perspective

Rick Howie, my Kamloops companion, has written up our day together on a Kamloops Naturalists web site. It's illustrated with some great shots of coyote and Rough legged hawks. This shows all too clearly the limitations of my little point and shoot. The address is http://kamloopsnaturalistclub.com/?page_id=271

Speaking of Rick Howie - he had also investigated the mystery behind a purple lake. I posted a photograph of this lake in my post, 'Transit'. Anyway the article explaining it can be found via this link; http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20111106/KAMLOOPS0101/111109830/-1/kamloops/the-mystery-of-the-purple-buse

Nakusp main street this morning

View of Arrow Lakes c.27 km south of Nakusp - taken during my snow wade......

Yesterday i drove south of Nakusp a way following a report of a recently sighted Three toed Woodpecker. Snow had fallen heavily overnight and it was fun to wade around in it. The woodpecker remained invisible and silent. But it was great to stroll around the snowy forest although the constantly falling snow from the branches above made it near impossible to spot birds via movement.  We saw Bufflehead - 5 on Arrow Lakes plus Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Goldeneye plus a great view of a Bald Eagle. Canada Geese honked on by and we saw a distant hawk through trees which may have been a red tailed or a rough legged.   Dwayne, my host, was good company and we finished our time together with a leisurely coffee overlooking his feeders which held Redpoll, Siskins, Chickadees and Red breasted Nuthatch.

Red Squirrel

Pine Siskins having a 'drink'

I went for a stroll this morning but saw little save a few birds at feeders, a lone Canada Goose, a lone Herring Gull, a lone Bufflehead plus a squadron of Ravens. A large flock of Mallard was in residence. Also scored a view of an American Red Squirrel. They have been seen around a bit and i expect that they will become more commonly seen as the temperature continues to increase. At one of the feeder yards the Siskins were apparently drinking from icicles.