On Sunday, my stomping buddy and I decided to spend an hour exploring the lower parts of Kalamoir Park in West Kelowna, BC. We parked at the bottom near the information boards (lots of info about the geology, plants, and wildlife in the area). Facing the lake, we headed towards the left. This 1/2 hour walk took us along very gentle terrain towards Casa Loma.

Along the way, I spotted something orange flitting through the trees. I have never seen an orange bird before. He even posed for the camera.

Once I got home, I checked the bird book. My best guess? A Bullock’s Oriole.

I have something in common with Indiana Jones. I don’t like snakes!

However, if I have my camera with me, it’s a completely different story. To give you a heads up, I did a little research and discovered there are three main snakes which reside in the Okanagan Valley.

The first is the Western Rattlesnake. I’ve never seen one myself, but my husband encountered one many years ago while exploring Boucherie Mountain on the Westside. Both went in differenct directions. Two identifying marks on this fellow are the triangular head and the distinctive rattle at the end of the tail. You’ll want to keep your eyes open for rattlesnakes in the dryer rocky areas of the valley. In the spring, you may spot them in the grasslands hunting for rodents. If bit by one, get yourself to the hospital so they can determine if it was venomous (apparently some bites are “dry”) and treat your bite accordingly.

The second is the Garter Snake. I have seen a few of these over the years. They are named garter snakes because the pattern on their sides resembles the “garters” which men used to wear to hold up their socks. They are harmless. If I ever manage to snap a photo of these guys, I’ll post it.

And now, onto the third – The Great Basin Gopher Snake. This fellow scared the *** out of me while we were exploring Kalamoir Park on Saturday. We were just a few feet away when I spotted it. “SNAKE!” The first thing I saw was the snake, the second was that it had no rattle. Whew! However, since I didn’t know what it was at the time, we backed up and let it go on it’s way. Of course, my camera was snapping as many shots as possible!

The Gopher Snake is easy to confuse with the Rattlesnake, however it is non-venomous. It’s markings on the back are rectangular (verus oval shaped for the Rattlesnake). It’s head has a darker brown line running from the top past the pale round eyes. The tail ends in a thin point. These guys are after rodents, smaller snakes, lizards, and will even climb trees to get into bird nests. They are the largest non-venomous snake in BC (up to 1.8 meters long!)

It was cool seeing the snake, but I have to admit, I would rather see birds! – Cindy

One of my all-time favorite flowers are blooming right now (and they only bloom for a couple weeks – so you don’t want to miss them). No, not the cherry blossoms in the various orchards (well yes, they are blooming, but they simply do not compare to my favorite….).

I hope you have seen them – those sunny yellow blossoms growing on the hills in the area. They are not sunflowers – these are the Arrowleaf Balsam Root. One of the best places to see these flowers in their glory is in Kalamoir Park, off Thacker Road in West Kelowna, BC.

The trails take you past spectacular cliffs with hollowed out sections which may be left over from the last ice age 11,000 years ago, through thousands of Arrowleaf Balsam Root flowers blooming on the hills, through cool forests, right down to the water’s edge on Okanagan Lake.

Side note: the actual rocky cliffs themselves are 50 million years old – formed from ancient volcanic activity! An explanation of the geology of the area can be found on trail signs near the lower parking lot.

The nice part about this particular park is that it is accessible to those who want a bit of adventure in the high parts to those who want to enjoy the scenery from the flat parts. There is some parking. If you are bringing a stroller or wheelchair, follow the road from the entrance gates to the bottom and park near the lake. There is plenty to see and explore off this flatter portion of the trail.

If you choose to explore the trails higher up, I would suggest hiking boots to protect your ankles from twisting in some of the loose rocks and to keep the prickly pear cactus out of your feet (more on that later!).

Bring water, a picnic lunch, and your camera – you can easily spend many hours following the various trails, playing along the beach, looking for birds (one of my favorites), and simply enjoying the scenery.

Also, bring the dog (on leash of course – with doggy bags in tow!). After a good workout on the paths, your dog can enjoy the cool waters of the lake on the dog beach (I never knew there was one at this location – bonus!).

A Couple Cautions!

As we followed one of the trails up into the higher areas, we were delighted by the gorgeous views across Okanagan Lake. And we were distracted by the gorgeous views of the lake.

Our dog however was curious as to what smelled so fantastic just off the trail. Yikes! Prickly Pear Cactus – by the thousands! It’s going to be stunning later this summer when they bloom, but right now, they are nasty critters just waiting to hop a ride on an unsuspecting pet, pantleg, or shoe! Ouch! Our poor hound ended up with 6 of these on her legs, and then another on her mouth. She patiently waited while we yanked them all out (it’s not easy).

SO – note to self – if you bring your dog (onleash of course), keep an eye on the sides of the trail. The prickly pear cactus are on the higher, dryer parts of the trail. Also pack a pair of pliers in your backpack or daypack – it makes handling these beasts a whole lot easier!

The next caution involves one posted by the Regional District – Poison Ivy! Now I have never actually seen poison ivy, so I decided to post a photo of the actual warning and photo that you will see along the lower trails.

Oh, that stunning view from the top (before we had to deal with our prickly dog emergency)? Here it is. Enjoy!!

That’s a 50 million year old antique rock you’re looking at! And one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. Gorgeous!

PS: Right now is one of the best times to explore this park. In a few days (if we finally get some warmer weather), the Oregon Grape will add their yellow blooms to the mix. How do you identify the Oregon Grape? Look for bushes with greenish-red leaves – they look like Holly.

I have to thank my original Experience Westbank partner in crime, Deborah Greaves, who discovered these little birds flitting about the bushes in the Tallus Ridge Area. There were about 30 – 50 of them. These photos were taken at the beginning of April in 2010.

You have to look carefully. They are bright blue, but they still blend into the surroundings. These are the Mountain Bluebirds – a member of the Thrush Family.

The male is a bright blue. They migrate in early spring and breed in open country in cooler landscapes such as the sage-steppe areas of the Okanagan. Then they are gone.

The female is duller, but still carries some of the blue in her feathers.

I haven’t seen them yet this year, but my eyes are open. – Cindy

You may have thought you heard the whooo whooo of an owl, but the softer oooooo’s actually come from the Mourning Dove. When they fly, their wings “whistle” or “whir.”

This one is a juvenile Mourning Dove. As he gets older, his body will become a buff grey. I spotted this one on Mission Creek Greenway in Kelowna, but they are all over the Okanagan valley.

I try to be very careful not to disturb any of the birds I’m taking photos of. But I didn’t see this guy. All of a sudden, he flew out of the reeds into the safety of the deeper waters of Shannon Lake. Oops – sorry Mr. Grebe!

But what an experience for me! He was absolutely stunning. Look at the rusty red neck, the pale cheeks, and the bit of yellow on his beak.

I’m not sure how long this one will be on Shannon Lake. I’ve never seen the babies, so I suspect he’s just flying through.

This prairie gal grew up camping at Candle Lake, Waskesui Lake, Anglin Lake, Pike Lake (hee hee) and other lakes across Saskatchewan. And we knew we were someplace special when one loan sound broke the silence across the lake – the call of the loon. To hear the loon is like a gift – meant just for you.

On Saturday morning, I headed out early after dawn to see what was new on Shannon Lake. And there in the middle of the lake I spied it. The low black profile of a single bird. Oooooo – could it be?

I snapped a bunch of shots, but the bird was so far away, I knew I couldn’t be sure until I either loaded them up onto my computer and zoomed in even more, or, better yet, if I heard it call.

The morning was productive – I took a few more shots of the American Widgeon, and I managed to startle a red-necked grebe out of the reeds along the edge.

There wasn’t much time (afterall – Saturday mornings are also “garage-sale” mornings) and I had to go. And then – as I climbed the hill out of Shannon Lake Park, I heard it – almost like a soulful goodbye – the call of the loon.

An absolutely wonderful way to start the day! – Cindy

Today is completely the Capital News fault! Earlier this week, they published one of Sean Connors stunning photos of a “rookery” on their front page. WOW!

What’s a rookery? I learned that it’s a colony of breeding animals – in this case herons. I had to find it! The only clue was “Mission Creek Greenway.”

After parking the van, I headed in – not exactly sure what I was looking for.

This is only my fourth time exploring the Mission Creek Greenway – and each time, I am totally impressed. This easy to walk trail is great for strollers and wheelchairs alike. Bikes also enjoy the trail, so they have to be careful while passing.

Finally, after about 10 minutes, I spotted something different high up in the Cottonwood Trees. Nearly a dozen large nests placed amonst the tree tops. And then, with my lens zoomed all the way in, I saw them – herons!

My apologies for the photos – the rookery is quite a distance from the path with lots of branches in between. So I did my best to zoom between trees and catch the herons in action.

I wasn’t the only one inspired by the photo on the Capital News (huge grin)! There were several people stopped along the trail, some with binoculars, enjoying the activity. At least 5 herons were flying amongst the trees, and another 5 or 6 were sitting in the nests. Amazing!

Now the shot I really wanted wasn’t going to be possible – to access the herons from the other side meant going on private property (which I wasn’t going to do). So I said my goodbyes to the rookery (I love that word!), and headed back to the van.

As I drove out, I decided to do a little exploring on the some of the side streets. And sure enough, I spied the rookery from a little cul-de-sac off the main road. I pulled over to the side, dragged out the huge zoom and focused across the fields. Voila! A blurry photo of the rookery in action. What an experience! (Thank-you Capital News!) – Cindy

This evening, my stomping buddy and I decided to enjoy a sunset walk around Shannon Lake, West Kelowna. Stunning!

There were at least SIX different waterbirds on the lake: Canada Goose, Mallard Duck, American Coot, Scaub (Lesser Scaub I think), Ringneck Duck, and the reason I brought my camera – The American Wigeon.

I am embarrassed to admit, that until just a couple years ago, ALL the birds on Shannon Lake were either “geese” or “ducks.” I could pick out a Mallard Duck, but that was it. Slowly, but surely, I’m started to see the differences and learn the names.

Take the American Wigeon for example. This beautiful bird is marked by the white stripe and green crescent markings on the head of the male. They can be found hanging around with Coots on small ponds and lakes throughout the valley.

The American Wigeon is quite wary – they take flight easily. You need to settle down along the banks and wait for them to return. If you don’t move too fast, you will be treated to a flottilla of these dabbling ducks. An interesting note about the wigeon is that they are poor divers – so they wait until another bird (such as the Coot) brings up some fresh slimey veggies from the bottom, and then they steal it! Enjoy – they don’t stay around too long.

I first spotted this fellow behind H2O pool in Kelowna at the end of March. The following weekend, I went back with my camera. Sure enough, he was sitting in the trees behind the pool close to Lexington Road. All I could tell was that he was large, brown, and most likely a hawk (versus a juvenile eagle). I managed a few fuzzy photos before he flew away out of sight.

That’s when I discovered how close I was to Thomson’s Marsh (behind the Capital Center). This place is packed with birds! I saw a heron, red winged blackbirds, mallards, and more. After a couple of hours of exploring the area (including a short walk down Mission Creek Greenway – where I spied a bald eagle, wax wings, and the paliated woodpeckers), it was time to head back to pick up my daughter from swim practice.

As I drove around the back of the Capital Center, I spotted my big brown bird again on a pile of dirt – not glamerous, but at least this time he was a bit closer. I was able to get some better shots.

Now what could he be? My best guess (and it is a guess), is a Harlan’s Hawk – part of the Red Tailed Hawk Family. Any experts out there to confirm or correct?