Tag Archives: fish

nature, Photography

Summer Koi Pond (with Tree)

Jan 20, 2023 Lynette d'Arty-Cross 9 Comments

I like visiting this public koi pond.

The tree reflection makes it appear as if the koi are swimming in some massive seaweed.

These koi like to swim near the edge of the pool when someone stops to look at them. They’re probably expecting some food. Do you see the dark one in the lower third of the photo?

I have always liked fish-watching. It’s very calming, almost meditative.

Happy Friday.

Reblogs

‘Almost Autumn in Ginkelduin’ prt92

Jan 20, 2023 Lynette d'Arty-Cross 1 Comment

Ouwehands Dierenpark, Rhenen. ‘You can’t see the Water’
‘Almost Autumn in Ginkelduin’ prt92

I like Harrie’s “invisible-water” photo. Except for the leaves, it shows an almost perfect reflection. Beautiful effect, Harrie.

musings, nature, Photography

Japanese Garden Stroll

Sep 22, 2022 Lynette d'Arty-Cross 14 Comments

We took a walk through Penticton’s Japanese Garden.

The water level in the pond had dropped a lot; not surprising considering how dry August was.

We stopped to take a look at the many colourful koi. They expected us to feed them and swam eagerly to the pond’s edge.

Some of them are quite large!

This is a very tranquil garden on the edge of Lake Okanagan; such a beautiful spot.

Happy Thursday.

musings, nature, Photography

Kokanee Power

Sep 14, 2022 Lynette d'Arty-Cross 16 Comments

The kokanee salmon have begun their arduous journey upstream to spawn and continue their life cycle.

Can you spot the little kokanee on the left? This creek is running quite low but it has a strong current. We watched this fish rest behind the ladder before swimming swiftly and energetically upstream.

Kokanee are thought to be landlocked, freshwater sockeye salmon that separated from that species about 15000 years ago. It migrates upstream from lakes instead of from the ocean.

It’s a small species that grows to be approximately 2 kilos (about 5 lbs) at most, but is clearly a survivor.

Happy Wednesday.

nature, Photography

Fish Sculpture

Mar 15, 2022 Lynette d'Arty-Cross 12 Comments

I like this sculpture of a fish swimming through some reeds and placed, appropriately enough, in a large public garden pond.

The fish is very realistic looking, I think.

Happy Ides of March!

nature, Photography

Kokanee Salmon

Oct 14, 2021 Lynette d'Arty-Cross 19 Comments

If you look closely, you will see three pink fish in the centre of the photo. These are small Kokanee salmon; they are a form of land-locked sockeye salmon that live all their lives in fresh water.

It’s thought that they became separated from their sockeye relatives and trapped in lakes and streams about 15,000 years ago. While they spend most of their time in lakes, they travel into creeks and rivers to spawn. Many of them die while following this biological imperative; you can see some dead ones in the photo above.

The average Kokanee only grows from about 1.5 to 3 kilos (six pounds). They are not the prettiest looking fish, but the males turn dark pink when they are spawning.

I have eaten Kokanee salmon and they have a very delicious, somewhat mild flavour; in my opinion they taste more like a richer trout.

Greetings from the Kokanee salmon of the Okanagan Valley. 🙂