Okanagan Vacation 13 - Lake Vaseux
June 30th, 2011
I'd been told, by someone who had been out west, that Black-Billed Magpies were going to be "dirt birds"--i.e., common as dirt. They weren't, at least not in early June. I had an especially hard time finding one who was willing to sit still for the camera. On our trip to Lake Vaseux, though, I finally found the motherload: a farmyard with a whole flock of magpies in it!
It was interesting watching their response to pishing--a measured, intelligent response, rather than the Pavlovian-bell reaction of your typical songbird. No visible reaction at first, then magpies hopped into view on various prominent lookout posts. As I kept on pishing but no raptor or other danger appeared, they brushed it off and went back about their business.
We originally planned a trip to Lake Vaseux because our tour guide had suggested that we might find Bighorn Sheep there. We were not disappointed. We spotted a group of females and lambs up on a ledge. They were quite a distance away, but still seemed to find our attention disconcerting. They watched us pointedly, then moved away higher up the ledge and out of view.
June 30th, 2011
I'd been told, by someone who had been out west, that Black-Billed Magpies were going to be "dirt birds"--i.e., common as dirt. They weren't, at least not in early June. I had an especially hard time finding one who was willing to sit still for the camera. On our trip to Lake Vaseux, though, I finally found the motherload: a farmyard with a whole flock of magpies in it!
It was interesting watching their response to pishing--a measured, intelligent response, rather than the Pavlovian-bell reaction of your typical songbird. No visible reaction at first, then magpies hopped into view on various prominent lookout posts. As I kept on pishing but no raptor or other danger appeared, they brushed it off and went back about their business.
We originally planned a trip to Lake Vaseux because our tour guide had suggested that we might find Bighorn Sheep there. We were not disappointed. We spotted a group of females and lambs up on a ledge. They were quite a distance away, but still seemed to find our attention disconcerting. They watched us pointedly, then moved away higher up the ledge and out of view.
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gabriel_le
July 1st, 2011 at 7:47 am
BIG HORN SHEEP!!! I haven't seen those for years! Thanks for posting.
The magpies are gorgeous.
dagibbs
July 4th, 2011 at 2:09 pm
It continues to look like an awesome vacation!