Author Archives: Gary Hunt

Snow Goose Walkabout

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Many of you will be aware that we have had 2 immature Snow Geese consorting with Canada Geese at Riverside Park this past winter. Like their larger, darker compatriots, the Snowies like to graze on grasses which have been available until recent snow bouts have covered up much of the potential grazing habitat. Today (Feb. 25, 2019) I was at the rail crossing at 2nd and Lansdowne streets in Kamloops when these young Snow Geese came wandering up from the park in search of something to snack on. They seemed … Continue reading →

River Otter

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The River Otter (Lontra canadensis) is perhaps best known as the most playful member of the weasel family. If you have not had the good fortune of seeing otters in the wild, I am sure that many of you have enjoyed them in zoos or have seen videos of otters sliding down icy chutes in the winter or laying around on their backs pawing with their legs in the air or engaging in other appealing antics. I was fortunate to be able to photograph one of these fascinating mustelids at … Continue reading →

Are We in the Next Mass Extinction? Sure Looks Like It

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The last extinction occurred 65 million years ago when it is believed that a six mile wide asteroid hit the earth killing off the dinosaurs. Many scientists agree that the next mass extinction might happen sooner rather than later– as in, it’s already underway. Scientists believe that one-third of freshwater mollusks, sharks and coral reefs are well on their way to vanishing from our waters. Moreover, a quarter of our mammals, a fifth of our reptiles and a sixth of our birds are on their way out too. And every … Continue reading →

Eagle Count 2019

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In 1995, we added a survey of eagles wintering in the interior to our annual swan count. We now have a 25 year history of primarily Bald Eagles using similar open water areas where the swans and other waterfowl congregate, but we do have a much smaller count of Golden Eagles in the general areas as well. While numbers in the interior are expectedly much  less than the large aggregations at coastal salmon spawning sites, we have noticed a generally increasing number of eagles in the interior since starting our … Continue reading →

Swan Count 2019

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in 1974, 45 years ago, the Kamloops Naturalist Club started counting wintering swans along the South Thompson River. We have expanded this to include numerous areas in the south-central interior with surveys being conducted by other member clubs within the Nature BC federation and I have coordinated their participation for 40 years. In the early years, the only swans wintering along the South Thompson River were Tundra Swans and they were a prominent feature between Kamloops and Chase with over 400 birds to be found during some winters. As we … Continue reading →

A Wave of Bird Alarm Calls Can Travel at 100 Miles Per Hour

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By working together, birds of many species alert others of predators long before they arrive. A frantic cacophony of loud, rapid bird calls tells other birds nearby: There’s a predator on the prowl. Mobbing, it’s called, as birds clamor and dart back and forth at the threat. An ongoing study of mobbing and other bird warning behavior now suggests that some birds listen in on the warnings of other birds. A wave of warning calls spreads from one hillside to another at more than 100 miles per hour. So vulnerable … Continue reading →