I post lots of pictures of Okanagan Lake since it’s very close and I walk next to it almost every day.
Okanagan Lake about a month ago.
But as I’ve written before, Penticton sits between two lakes; the other at the south end of town is called Skaha. It’s smaller and shallower and as result the swimming, canoeing, paddle boarding and other activities that might lead to a dunk in the water start there earlier because it warms so much faster. Despite the fact that it’s a mountain lake, by the time the end of July arrives, Skaha is about as warm as bath water!
Recent Skaha Lake.
Since moving from the south end of town, we don’t often visit Skaha, but it has a beautiful beach and very calm summer waters.
A sunny, late afternoon Skaha Lake Marina.
We recently did a short hike across one end of it and marvelled at how pretty it is; we may do a beach visit a bit later this month before it becomes really busy.
Research has shown that green is a calming colour, especially the green shades that are found in nature. I think this is very true, because I always feel better when I’ve had a little time outside.
Green reflections in a pond …… and green reflections in a lake. But no reflections here. Just the footbridge over the creek near our home, smothered in more luscious green.
I’ve posted occasionally about the marmot community that lives among the breakwater boulders next to the lake; here’s an update.
Over the last couple of years their colony has grown significantly; it would be an understatement to say that they are doing well!
They have expanded from a relatively small group in a confined portion of the breakwater into the rest of the boulders lining the water’s edge; about 400 metres (1000 ft) or so.
They are eating very well as lots of people are bringing them oodles of vegetables and dandelions – their favourite – too. And they are also becoming a bit of a tourist attraction, as well. People love to stop to take photos.
But I would also say that they’re getting too accustomed to being fed. A few days ago, and for the first time ever, I had a marmot leave the safety of his boulder home to approach me on the footpath for food.
Standing on his back legs, he stared beseechingly at me!
I have been known to feed the ducks during the winter, but I don’t believe in feeding wild animals during the summer. The marmots hibernate and emerge fully when there’s lots available to eat, so I don’t feel that they need any help.
Marmots are incredibly endearing little animals and it’s tempting to feed them, but I’ve seen people allowing them to sit on their laps and to scamper all over their shoulders and backs which for the most part isn’t an issue unless something goes wrong.
Marmots are wild animals and can carry ticks, rabies, and fleas. I would hate to see this colony removed because someone has been bitten, and all because an adult has thrown caution to the winds. It’s unfortunately always the animals who pay the price because humans don’t know how to behave.
Whenever I see people sitting among them, I mention that marmots carry ticks, fleas and rabies, and they usually move away, but maybe it’s time to post a sign reminding people of this and also that in the summer, marmots are perfectly capable of feeding themselves. It’s in their best interests and really, in ours, too.
The blue hour is a period of blue light that colours the sky in the morning or evening either just before the sun has appeared or well after it has disappeared below the horizon. The remaining light can take on a very intense and beautiful shade of indigo.
I’ve seen lots of adult Canada geese around, but the goslings are still being minded in more secluded areas while many of the adults forage on their own.
Adult geese on a getaway.
This is a rather unique characteristic of these geese: once their young have hatched, the parents will organise themselves into groups called crèches where a large number of goslings are minded by a few adults while the others go off to eat or sometimes just to sleep or relax. They take turns minding the little ones. And here we humans thought we had child care all figured out!
Goose on gosling guard!
Outside of town at a smaller lake I recently saw a couple of crèches of about 20 goslings each being minded by two adults. They were very busy! 40 goslings and four adults! Wow. At least the goslings seemed to be very laid back. I guess it’s adulthood that brings with it the grumpy aggressiveness that the Canada geese love to display!
I was being given the stink-eye.
There were a number of mallard ducks around, too, but it seems that many of the birds, even the finicky quail, get on well with the ducks.
When I got back to town I saw a number of geese on Okanagan Lake enjoying an adult time of it.
Although Canada geese are often seen as nuisances, they are an extraordinarily successful species. They mate for life, are extremely committed parents who will go to great lengths to protect their young and they certainly know how to share the workload for the betterment of everyone in the group.
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