Nature

The endangered Townsendia hookeri

The endangered Townsendia hookeri

It is called low townsendia because it is only about one inch high. This almost stemless plant would go unnoticed if it weren’t for the large white to pink ray flowers surrounding the yellow disk. It ...Full story

The badger, a 4-legged digging machine

The badger, a 4-legged digging machine

On April 29th, Wendy Schuck had a little help digging her garden, from her neighbor — the badger. “The American Badger is a nocturnal member of the weasel family. Low-slung, with short, powerful legs ...Full story

Radium area cougar alert

Radium area cougar alert

Parks Canada has issued a cougar warning for some of the hiking trails in the Radium Hot Springs area of Kootenay National Park. Two cougar attacks occurred upon sheep within a period of a week during ...Full story

Bruce Kirkby keynote speaker at Wings gala

Bruce Kirkby keynote speaker at Wings gala

May 12, Invermere – The Wings Over the Rockies festival’s gala evening on Saturday, May 12th promises a delicious meal at Radium Resort, a raucous live and silent auction and an entertaining ...Full story

Aquatic health

Shelley Humphries, Kootenay and Yoho’s aquatic specialist, talks about aquatic heath. (YouTube video, copyright 2011, Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada) “Everything is downstream. Rivers connect ...Full story

So it is tick season

So it is tick season

Ticks are related to spiders and resemble tiny watermelon seeds with legs. They have sensory organs in their front legs that can detect carbon dioxide, odors and heat given off by hikers. So when the ...Full story

Signs of spring — pussy willows

Signs of spring — pussy willows

Pussy willows emerge in early spring when it’s still quite cold. But when the sun shines, the temperature of the center of the catkin can rise above air temperatures by trapping the heat from the sun ...Full story

Flight cage grand opening celebration

Flight cage grand opening celebration

May 12, Invermere – The 2012 Wings Over the Rockies festival will include a celebration of the grand opening of a new flight cage for the rehabilitation of injured raptors on Saturday, May ...Full story

Nature

They’re back

As the temperature begins to rise look up and you may spot a turkey vulture soaring overhead. These birds arrive back in the Columbia Valley in April using thermals to move through the air with very little ...Full story

Butcher bird

The following discription from the Canadain Museum of Nature should work up your appetite. “Northern Shrike is known as the ‘butcher bird’ because of its unusual practice of impaling prey on thorns ...Full story

Only at this time of year

Only at this time of year

People usually associate reds and yellows with autumn but these colors are also found at this time of year in the willows. It is uncertain what causes the willow stems to change color, but whatever the ...Full story

Heads up!

Kootenay National Park has been keeping track of when Columbia ground squirrels emerge from hibernation. Their appearance dates in April can vary from year to year. However their emergence pattern is ...Full story

What’s up — prairie crocus

What’s up — prairie crocus

The prairie crocus seems fitting to be the first flower in the Friends of Kootenay ‘What’s Up’ series as it is one of the first flowers to bloom in the park. This harbinger of spring emerges from ...Full story

Love song

Almost everyone can identify the bird that sings a rapid, nasal chickadee-dee-dee. It is the call the chickadee uses to challenge intruders or to express alarm and it can be heard anytime during the year. ...Full story

Kootenay Trout Hatchery

Kootenay Trout Hatchery

Looking for a great family field trip while you are visiting the Columbia Valley? The Kootenay Trout Hatchery at Fort Steele offers an experience that is not only fun but educational too -– and for ...Full story

Nature

Geoff Hill / MaxWell Realty