Fall Birding

Downtown Nakusp in Fall

Fall has been the dominant season here lately and the town is awash in reds and oranges and yellows among the ever-present-greens. And the surrounding hills too are decorated. Again it is difficult not too reflect about the natural beauty of this part of the planet. Despite the beauty though the birding has been slow. The doldrums of late summer have extended through to Fall here and the irony has been because the weather has been so good the birds have had no need to stop.

Maple Leaves - obviously....

But this weekend, this long weekend being thanksgiving I decided to take the new Swarovskis for a little bird around Nakusp. And thankfully there were a few birds to train them on. First a flock of warblers at Spicer’s – mostly Yellow rumped but one cute Wilson’s male was with them as was some BC Chickadees and Nuthatches. Song Sparrows plus at  least three White-crowned and a American Tree – the latter a species that I’ve not seen for a while. A Ruby crowned Kinglet was around Spicers as well. Three Savanna Sparrows were down the waterfront plus a single RN Grebe. Mallards and Canada Geese were wading the waters in front of Spicers Farm. At the top of town one, perhaps two, Blue Jays, were seen with some Stellers.

And I got a Harrier out at Cresent Bay Road. Not a lot of birds but some quality!!!

Nakusp Streets in Fall

Monday saw a foggy start to the day and a quick search for the Blue Jays at the top of town proved fruitless however there was heaps of noise from the southern end of Sixth Street. Robins! In Australian parlance; heaps of 'em! Nice to see as the majority of the town's Robins had long since departed. In among the Robins there was a beautiful female Downy Woodpecker with perfect plumage. And nearby a single White-rumped Myrtle Warbler.

Another view of Arrow Lake

Staggering from the wilderness....

A quick visit to Spicers again revealed Song and White crowned Sparrows but the Tree remained invisible. Pacific Wren, Common Yellowthroat were in the company of the Song Sparrows adjacent to the compost  there. Decorating the area were two large piles of Black Bear Dung but no [other] sign of the bruins.

Went for a little drive up into the hills - high enough to see sign of American Three-toed Woodpecker but saw only Stellers and Grey Jays plus Northern Flicker.

Part of winter Preperation

High in the Selkirks overlooking Arrow Lakes

One that got away; Saddle Mtn already with snow making the climb unlikely!