Friends of Kootenay Blog
Access stories and photos about the natural and human history of Kootenay National Park and Columbia Valley Includes highlights about the Friends of Kootenay National Park activities and programs.
Blogs
Screech - Almost Another One
Posted: November 10, 2012
November 2, 2012 Radium Hot Springs, BC - Photo by Larry Halverson
“The bighorn sheep population near the village of Radium Hot Springs, B.C., have a high rate of highway mortalities. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the number of bighorn highway mortalities on Highway 93/95, just outside the park's boundary. Read more »
Grand Slam of Chickadees
Posted: November 10, 2012
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, one of the few photos that wasn’t a blur of chestnut colour. Photo by Larry Halverson
Chestnut-backed Chickadee is an uncommon resident in BC’s eastern Southern Interior and they are very rare in the southern Rocky Mountains. So when John Pitcher, former Kootenay National Park Naturalist, called today and said he had one at his feeder I grabbed the camera and headed to his place in Invermere. Read more »
New Bird Species for Kootenay National Park
Posted: October 27, 2012
Eurasian Collared-Dove on the side of Highway near McLeod Meadows Oct 26, 2012 - Photo by Alan Dibb
Eurasian Collared-Dove is native to Asia and Europe. It was introduced to the Bahamas in the 1970‘s. Spread to Florida in 1982 and has been rapidly expanding its range across North America. Read more »
Mule Deer Rut
Posted: October 23, 2012
Mule Deer Sparring Oct. 22, 2012 - Photo by Larry Halverson
The aspen leaves have fallen and it is now time for the Mule Deer rut. Read more »
Stuffing Face
Posted: October 7, 2012
October 1, 2012 golden-mantled ground squirrel - Photo by Alan Dibb
Many of us have the good fortune on Thanks Giving of eating till our bellies are full. And this golden-mantled ground squirrel seem to be doing the same. It was feeding Penstemon ellipticus seeds at around 7,000 feet (2,100 meters) above sea level. Read more »
Swivel Ears
Posted: October 4, 2012
Mule Deer Fawn - Photo by Larry Halverson
One of the Mule Deer’s most distinct features is its big "mule-like" ears. Each ear rotates independently like a scanning radar. Read more »
Cone Skeletons
Posted: October 3, 2012 
Red Squirrel striping a Spruce Cone and eating the seeds - Photo by Larry Halverson
Douglas Fir Cone and Cone "Sleketon" - Photo by Larry Halverson
This time of year Red Squirrels are busy cutting coniferous cones to store and eat. It doesn't take them long to strip the cone bracts and extract the numerous seeds from each cone with their teeth. Read more »
A Wild Day
Posted: September 25, 2012
Click on the picture to see the Video by Parks Canada Agency
24 hours isn't a lot of time. You know the drill: get some sleep, grab a bite, work 8 hours, squeeze in lunch and dinner, walk the dog and go for a bike ride or watch TV if there's any time left.
Marmots at Stanley Glacier
Posted: August 25, 2012 
Marmot family group from 2011 - Photo by Alan Dibb
Last summer Kootenay’s Wildlife Specialist, Alan Dibb saw many marmots at the head of the Stanley Glacier Valley near the end of the trail, including two family groups. This year, on several visits, he hasn't seen or heard any, and he didn’t even find any marmot sign at the location of the 2011 family groups. Read more »
Doesn’t Get Any Cuter
Posted: August 18, 2012
Baby pika at Lake O’Hara - photo by Charlotte Dibb
You can tell that this is a young pika by it’s smooth and babyish looking fur, compared to the rougher looking coats of the adults. It is also about half the size of a full grown pika which is pretty small when you think that adults are only 7 inches (18 cm) long and about 3 inches (8 cm) high. Read more »
