Home in Time for a Kootenay Spring

Spring is waking in the Kootenays. I saw the first Rufous Hummingbird at the feeder on Earth Day – the same day I saw my first Osprey. Of course there were soon two Rufous Hummingbird males flashing their colours and chasing each other through the trees. Max is now shedding his winter coat and the chickadees are collecting dog hair for nests – looking like bearded versions of themselves. The Ruby-crowned Kinglets males are singing and showing off their red topknots.

The American Dippers, so evident during the winter on the channel at Kokanee Creek P. P. have now dispersed along the river as well. The Townsend’s Solitares and Mountain Bluebirds are hunting for insects in the shrubs at Kokanee as they move through.

And a glorious GREEN has burst out everywhere! Spring is back!

Black-capped Chickadee with dog hair for the nest

The first hummingbird I have seen at my feeder this spring

An Osprey surveying Kootenay Lake

Ruby-crowned Kinglet singing and showing off his red topknot

Ruby-crowned Kinglet watching me watching him

An American Dipper in the spring spawning channel at Kokanee Creek PP

Mountain Bluebird Male

Townsend’s Solitaire at Kokanee Creek

Newly unfurled birch leaves and catkins- the world is greening up

all writing and photos copyright J.A. Siderius 2014