Columbia Valley Guide
The birds like it here. Annual count finds 52 species.
Seventy four people counted 3,927 individual birds during the 34th annual Lake Windermere District Christmas bird count. The number of birds is up by 47% from last year. Some of the increase can be attributed to high number Bohemian waxwings and common redpolls. The total of 52 species recorded this year matches the average seen during the last 10 years of the count.
Some of this year’s highlights include a new species for the count. Dean and Bill Nicholson observed two trumpeter swans in the open water at Athalmer. They also spotted a lone hooded merganser, which has only been recorded 5 times ...Full story
Watch for wildlife — use caution!
In an effort to encourage drivers to be more actively watching out for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and other wildlife on the roads in the Radium Hot Springs area, the Wildlife Collision Prevention Program (WCPP) has erected a new billboard with a strong safety message on Highway 93/95 along what is known as the ‘mile hill’ stretch – that’s the hill that runs south of the village toward Invermere.
Barb Waters, regional manager of the BC Conservation Foundation says that “the combination of increasing speed on a long straight stretch by uphill and downhill traffic and the concentration ...Full story
You can help the bears!
Changing a few habits can have a big impact on bear-human conflicts.
In the summer, with the hustle and bustle of the towns in the valley, it can be easy to forget that we are still sharing the same living space as wildlife. When animals are drawn into town, they themselves are often seen as the problem, when in fact it’s the actions of humans that attract the animals to begin with. Whether you live here full-time, or only visit for summer vacation, it’s crucial to follow some steps in order to avoid bear-human conflicts.
There is a great website packed with information — http://bearaware.bc.ca. ...Full story
Milfoil foiled again
After 3 years of study, Wildsight’s Columbia Headwaters Invasive Plant Species Program, supported by Columbia Basin Trust and the Columbia Wetlands Stewardship Partners, is happy to report that “…there are no foreign aquatic plants in Lake Windermere.”
The lake has been given a clean bill of health; researchers were looking in particular for signs of the dreaded Eurasian water milfoil, notorious across North America for its ability to choke out aquatic habitat, costing governments millions of dollars to control.
While aquatic plants play an important role in the biology of our lakes, providing ...Full story
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Wildlife & Scenery
