Tag Archives: walking

Commentary, nature, Photography

Marmots

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We have a colony of marmots along the rock breakwater at the edge of Okanagan Lake. M and I discovered them on one of our morning walks.

This one was stock still and keeping a close eye on us, ready to give his community a warning if needed.

There were a number of community members about, socialising and eating.

This one has a different colouration, probably because it seems to be younger.

There are quite a few different varieties of marmots, but essentially they are large ground squirrels and are a part of the family sciuridae. This family also includes the famous weather-predicting groundhogs of stage and screen.

This little community has found a great location to call home; it’s just around the bend in the path shown below, where it begins to follow the shoreline.

Happy Wednesday.

Commentary, nature, Photography

Duck Duty

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While visiting our nearby Japanese Garden a couple of days ago, I saw a male duck sitting very quietly on one of the platforms set into the garden pond for the placement of a sculpture or plants.

When I got closer, I could see that there was a depression in the platform where the dirt had been pushed away and I realised that daddy duck was incubating his offspring.

Ducks form seasonal pair bonds that last until the males have to leave to find a protected spot to do their molting, usually after the young ones hatch.

The ducks have been in a bit of upheaval because their favourite little creek has been running high (a situation that’s improving for them), but this duck seems to have settled on this spot for his family.

Happy Monday. Have a ducky one.

nature, Photography

Views

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As indicated in yesterday’s post, I have happily arrived back in British Columbia and it looks very much like I won’t be returning to the NWT for any length of time before I retire in a few months from now. So, M and I have been enjoying something of a small celebration which is great because it’s coinciding with the long May weekend.

Okanagan Lake serenity.

We have already taken a few long walks (without mosquitoes!) and have been enjoying the relatively smoke-free weather and lovely temperatures. There have also been regular rain showers which, apart from keeping the hills damp, are also helping to clean the air of smoke particles.

Okanagan Lake is still and calm.

The famous Penticton market is open, people are swimming, the dog beaches are active and so many late spring flowers are blooming. I haven’t experienced the month of May in Penticton for a number of years now, so I am really enjoying this.

Greetings from the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

nature, Photography

Canada Jay

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The Canada jay or gray jay is a member of the corvid family and is ubiquitous throughout this country. In fact, except for Alaska and a small portion of the American Rockies, the gray jay is found nowhere else in the world.

Intelligent and cute-looking, the gray jay has also been immortalized in Indigenous lore as a trickster. Given how smart they are about getting food, that’s probably true! I have frequently seen them while out hiking and they always try to charm me into giving them something to eat. Shy they are not!

Happy Monday.