Alan Burger's Site

A pair of Lesser Scaup – one of the more common ducks breeding in our area. Tunkwa Lake, 19 June 2024.

Coot are abundant breeders on Tunkwa Lake. 19 June 2024.

Mallard mom with some newly-hatched ducklings. Tunkwa Lake, 18 July 2024.

Several pairs of Common Loon breed on both lakes. This one allowed a close approach on Mamit Lake, 9 June 2024.

Despite all the boat traffic on Tunkwa Lake, this loon managed to hatch a chick, now safely riding on the parent’s back in a quiet backwater. 19 June 2024.

A pair of Red-necked Grebes. The one on the left has its throat inflated – possibly a display. Tunkwa Lake, 19 June 2024.

I discovered this Red-necked Grebe nest tucked into a reed-bed on Tunkwa Lake, 19 June 2024.

Back near the nest site a month later – two of the three eggs in that nest produced grebelings. These kids were constantly begging to be fed. No wonder the parent looks a bit bedraggled compared to a month ago. Tunkwa Lake, 18 July 2024.

Wilson’s Snipe is a common local breeder, but they are usually fairly secretive, foraging in the muddy thickets bordering the lakes. Tunkwa Lake, 13 July 2024.

Spotted Sandpipers are probably the most common of the local breeding shorebirds. I regularly count 30-40 on the shores of Mamit Lake. 13 July 2024.

Killdeer are another common local breeder. Tunkwa Lake, 18 July 2024.

I was very pleased to come across this Sora rail foraging on an open mudflat. One usually hears them calling from the depths of the lakeside vegetation but seldom see them this clearly. Tunkwa Lake, 18 July 2024.

Eared Grebes nesting in a shallow pond in Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park. This pond was rapidly getting shallower but I did see grebe chicks there later in the summer. 23 July 2024.

Bald Eagles breed at both lakes, feeding primarily on fish, which they catch at the surface or find dead along the shore. Adult (left) and immature (right), Mamit Lake, 9 June 2024.

Savannah Sparrow is a common grassland species, often seen along the lake edges. Tunkwa Lake, 18 July 2024.

Willow Flycatchers are the most common flycatchers along the lake edges. Mamit Lake, 9 June 2024.

Northern Rough-winged Swallows breed in burrows dug into the steep sand-banks at Mamit Lake. These are newly-fledged juveniles, sitting near their natal nest. Notice the orange gape at the base of the mouth on the right-hand bird – this is an indicator of a recently-fledged bird. 13 July 2024.

A big flock of Brewer’s Blackbirds lives at Tunkwa Lake. Glossy males on the left and a brown female on the right. 18 July 2024.

A male Brown-headed Cowbird in the grassy verge of Mamit Lake. This species is a brood-parasite. The females lay their eggs in the nests of other species, leaving them to raise the chicks. 9 June 2024.

Solitary Sandpipers show up fairly regularly at ponds and lakes in our area. They do breed in the southern interior of BC, but I have yet to find evidence that they breed on our nearby wetlands. Tunkwa Lake, 18 July 2024.

Long-billed Dowitchers were among the first migrant shorebirds to show up on their southward  migration. Tunkwa Provincial Park pond, 23 July 2024.

A closer look at a Long-billed Dowitcher, still in its colourful breeding plumage. Tunkwa pond, 23 July 2024.

A tranquil scene at Mamit Lake, 10 August 2024.

For the past few summers a pair of Herring Gulls has nested on an island close to the camp site at Tunkwa Lake. I suspect they often mooch food from the campers.

By early August this Herring Gull pair had two large fledglings, just learning to fly. Tunkwa Lake, 8 August 2024.

This juvenile Franklin’s Gull was an unexpected visitor at Tunkwa Lake on 8 August. This species breeds on the Prairies, so this bird probably wandered over from Alberta. It was catching insects in the air as it flew over the lake.

A couple of pairs of Belted Kingfishers breed in burrows in the high sand-banks on Mamit Lake. This is a fledgling. 10 August 2024

Two common “peeps” that visit our wetlands in late summer – Least Sandpiper (left) and Semi-palmated Sandpiper (right). They can be difficult to identify, but a close look shows differences in their beaks, plumage and leg-colour. Mamit Lake, 10 August 2024.

Baird’s Sandpiper is a relatively rare migrant in the BC Interior. This long-winged shorebird goes all the way to Patagonia during its non-breeding season. Tunkwa Lake, 8 August 2024.

I always enjoy seeing the elegant Lesser Yellowlegs when they visit our wetlands. Mamit Lake, 10 August 2024.

Pectoral Sandpipers are a regular visitor in late summer and fall. Mamit Lake, 10 August 2024.

Big-beaked birds! Local breeder Wilson’s Snipe on the left and migrant visitor Long-billed Dowitcher on the right. Both species use these long beaks to probe into the mud to find invertebrate prey. Mamit Lake, August 2024.

These Red-necked Phalaropes, part of a flock of seven, were an unexpected sight on Mamit Lake, on 23 August. This species breeds on ponds in the arctic tundra. A few pass through our area on their way to their oceanic wintering grounds.

A closer look at one of the Red-necked Phalaropes. These are shorebirds that are adapted to forage on tiny aquatic animals which they catch while swimming or wading. Mamit Lake, 23 August 2024.

A lovely group of Lesser Yellowlegs, Mamit Lake, 23 August 2024.

Two Stilt Sandpipers were a surprise at Mamit Lake on 23 August. This species is relatively rare in the BC Interior.

Compare the Lesser Yellowlegs (left) with the Stilt Sandpiper (right). The downward curving beak is a key feature of the Stilt Sandpiper. Mamit Lake, 23 August 2024.

Peregrine Falcon, Mamit Lake, 23 August 2024.

This juvenile Merlin captured and ate a large dragonfly while I was watching. It later posed for a better photograph (right). Mamit Lake, 23 August 2024.

This Mule Deer found a cool shaded spot in a sand-bank on a warm summer’s day. Mamit Lake, August 2024.

I watched this young Mule Deer leave the lake shore and swim several hundred metres to a large vegetated island. Mamit Lake, 10 August 2024.

This Yellow Pine Chipmunk was infected with a parasitic blowfly. Notice the raw spot on its shoulder where a fly maggot is living. Mamit Lake, 10 August 2024.

A family of five River Otters spent the summer on Mamit Lake – providing entertainment on all my visits to that lake. 10 August 2024.

White Pelicans are regular visitors to Mamit Lake, although we saw fewer this year than in previous summers.

Early fall migrants – Pectoral Sandpipers with two smaller Least Sandpipers. Mamit Lake, September 2024.

Close view of a Pectoral Sandpiper. Mamit Lake September 2024.

Ospreys are regulars at both lakes all summer and into fall. Mamit Lake,21 September 2024.

Same species – different plumages. Long-billed Dowitchers arrive in early summer in their breeding plumages (left; 28 July) but by early fall they are in their basic winter plumage (right; 21 September). Mamit Lake.

These two River Otters were squabbling over the large fish that one had caught. Mamit Lake, 12 October 2024.

A curious River Otter that approached to check me out. Mamit Lake, 12 October 2024.

Fall colours at Mamit Lake, 12 October 2024.

A Great Blue Heron – Mamit Lake, 12 October 2024.

In October and into November there were about 100 Common Mergansers on Mamit Lake. They don’t breed here and are on their way to their marine wintering grounds. 12 October 2024.

Western Grebes breed on Shuswap Lake at Salmon Arm, over 100 km away, but in fall we usually see a few on Mamit Lake en route to the sea. Notice how this bird tucks its feet up on its back – presumably to keep them out of the cold water. 12 October 2024.

Mountainous country in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, with the Fraser River way below.

The Fraser River on the road to the Gang Ranch

The road north of the Gang Ranch, approaching the Chilcotin River

The Chilcotin River at Farwell Canyon. A major landslide upstream, a few weeks earlier, turned this river muddy.

A chilly morning at Bull Canyon park. The Chilcotin River above the recent landslide is a typical milky blue from glacial runoff.

Waiting for a high horse-power fill-up? Redstone, on the Chilcotin-Bella Coola highway.

Coast mountains, seen from the Chilcotin-Bella Coola highway.

The notorious “Hill” road, going from the high Chilcotin plateau to the coastal lowlands at Bella Coola along the edge of a very steep canyon.

Two large grizzlies, evidently a mother and her two-year-old offspring catching salmon in the Atnarko River near Bella Coola.

Mama grizzly and her cub at the Atnarko River near Bella Coola.

The cub was usually intently interested in what his mom was doing.

Mama grizzly eating a Pink Salmon, Atnarko River.

Mother and cub sharing a salmon.

We were impressed at the amount of salmon they could eat, especially the adult female.

The grizzlies just 15 m from where our group was gathered. The mother was deliberately ignoring us, but the cub, safe behind his mum, was extremely interested.

Mother and cub swimming away across the river.

The Bella Coola River – milky from the glaciers up the mountains.

Mountains behind the lodge where we stayed outside Bella Coola. We scanned the slopes with binoculars for Mountain Goats but the ones we found turned out to be white boulders.

Hiking up the Snooka Creek trail to the lookout above Bella Coola.

Some of the big Red Cedar trees in the Bella Coola valley.

Leaving Bella Coola harbour on the Northern Sea Wolf ferry – 13 September 2024.

Fjord scenery from the ferry.

Old glacier ice on a peak – North Bentinck Arm near Bella Coola.

Interesting patterns in the calm sheltered ocean

Coastal mountain scenery from the ferry.

An adult Humpback Whale – Fitzhugh Sound

One of the Orcas in the pod we passed – Fitzhugh Sound.

Three of the Orcas in the pod we passed.

Female Humpback Whale close to the ferry – Fitzhugh Sound.

Baby Humpback imitating his mom, with an impressive breach – right out of the water.

Baby then followed this with five more breaches – this sequence shows one of them.

Pelagic Cormorant – Queen Charlotte Strait.

Common Murres – Queen Charlotte Strait

Misty scenery in Queen Charlotte Strait.

Scarlet Point Light-station, Queen Charlotte Strait

A curious split island – Queen Charlotte Strait.

Sea Otters in the strait.

Some of the totems in Alert Bay, including two that are in front of private homes.

A wonderful eagle carving – Alert Bay

These are door panels at the cultural centre, Alert Bay.

The ‘Namgis burial grounds have some of the older totems.

Marianne & Damien at Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island

Corey, Damien & Marianne at Fisherman’s Wharf and doing the essential silly tourist thing at the Royal BC Museum.

Our campsite at Spray Lake Provincial Park on the Alberta edge of the Rockies.

View of Marvel Lake from the helicopter as we headed across the Rocky Mountains.

With its Matterhorn spire, Mount Assiniboine is one of the most awesome peaks in the Rocky Mountains. At 3,618 m (11,870 ft), it is the third highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The summit is 1,525 m (5,003 ft) above Lake Magog.

Summer and Winter – Mount Assiniboine in August 2024 and March 2010.

Our tents at Magog Lake campsite. The cooking shelter has bear-proof lockers where we stored our food and cooking gear.

Our first hike was along the shores of Magog Lake to the base of Assiniboine peak.

Huge boulders of intriguing conglomerate rock hug the shoreline of Magog Lake.

A Hoary Marmot on the slopes above Magog Lake.

Another Hoary Marmot at Magog Lake.

Lovely waterfalls coming off the high glacier on Mt. Assiniboine.

Our visit in mid-summer was a good time to enjoy the alpine wildflowers. We were too late to see the flowers of this mop-top (Anemone occidentalis), but the seed heads are very attractive too.

Pink Wintergreen (Pyrola asarifolia) is a fairly common little herb in the sub-alpine zone.

Paintbrush (Castilleja spp.) is a diverse and common plant across most of British Columbia. They tend to hybridize so nailing down the species can be tricky. The red one (left) is probably C. miniata. We were pleased to find the less common white one, probably C. occidentalis.

Two common species in the sub-alpine forests – Hermit Thrush (left) and Boreal Chickadee (right). Both are uncommon at low elevations in BC. It was a joy to go to bed in the evening and wake up in the morning hearing the lovely flute-like song of the Hermit Thrush.

Columbian Ground-squirrels are one of the most common mammals in Assiniboine.

The only Mountain Goats we saw were these three, perched precariously on the cliffs adjacent to Mount Assiniboine.

On our second day in the park we hiked 5 km through the huge expanse of Og Meadows to Og Lake

Pikas live in the rock piles of the mountain slopes. Although they look like guinea-pigs they are actually Lagomorphs – relatives of rabbits and hares. They don’t hibernate but survive through the long alpine winters by stockpiling dried grass and herbs. So in summer one sees them carrying mouthfuls of vegetation and making little haystacks to dry in the sun outside their rock-crevice homes.

Og Meadows. We kept a close lookout for Grizzly Bears here but didn’t see one. A few days later, however, some hikers encountered a young Grizzly here.

Sunburst Peak and Sunburst Lake with Mount Assiniboine behind.

Sunburst Lake and Sunburst Peak

Throughout the sub-alpine areas there are numerous meadows and glades with lovely displays of wildflowers -mainly the yellow arnicas, red paintbrush, blue fleabane asters and white sweet-vetch.

A Golden-mantled Ground-squirrel.

The view from the Niblet lookout, along the route up to Nub Peak. From left to right the lakes are Magog in the distance, Sunburst and Cerulean.

Stunning views from the trail up to Nub Peak.

Lyell’s Phacelia (Phacelia lyellii) is endemic to the southern Rocky Mountains in BC.

Cut-leaf Fleabane (Erigeron compositus).

Moss Campion (Silene acaulis) is commonly found in high alpine areas and also throughout the Arctic tundra. As a pioneer species growing on raw gravel it often provides a base for other plants to colonize, like the grasses in this cushion.

Two high alpine flowers – Black-tip Groundsel (Senecio lugens) on the left and Alpine Anemone (A. drummondii) on the right.

Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala) is another high-alpine species that is also common throughout the Arctic tundra. Here it made extensive carpets in which other plants sometimes take root.

This big shaggy Hoary Marmot is probably an older animal – foraging in the high alpine area.

View from the summit of Nub Peak, at 2,746 m (9,009 ft).

Roy and Heather at the summit of Nub Peak, with Magog Lake below and the red roofs of Assiniboine Lodge on the far left. Smoke from nearby wildfires was starting to drift into our area at this time.

Summer and winter – the Naiset Hut cookhouse and the Jonesy Hut where we stayed in March 2010.

Beautiful Gog Lake on the trail up to Wonder Pass.

We encountered several Snowshoe Hares on our hikes. This one stayed long enough for a photo.

What a surprise to emerge from the Larch trees to see this gorgeous waterfall coming out of a deep canyon.

Unfortunately the smoke reduced the impact of the view from the Marvel Lake overlook. Mount Assiniboine is on the right.

The route back to Wonder Pass (on the horizon) went down this very steep and slippery scree slope. A challenge for my creaky knees.

What a difference a day makes – views of Mount Assiniboine from Sunburst Lake. The photo on the left was at sunset on 3rd August and the one on the right was the next day when thick smoke from nearby wildfires filled the valley.

A couple of the lovely butterflies that were common in the alpine and subalpine areas: Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta; left) and Bog Fritillary (Boloria eunomia; right).

Growing on a rocky outlook, some Spotted Saxifrage (Saxifraga bronchialis).

Three colorful daisy relatives: Alpine Groundsel (Packera pauciflora) on the left, Orange Agoseris (A. aurantiaca) centre and Arrowleaf Senecio (S. triangularis) right.

Most meadows were dominated by the yellow Broadleaf Arnica (A. latifolia).

But some meadows were dominated by Subalpine Fleabane (Erigeron glacialis).

White-flowered Rhododendron (Rhododendron albiflorum) is a common shrub in the subalpine woodlands.

Andrea on the trail near Cerulean Lake.

Spruce Grouse are usually common in the subalpine spruce forests, but on our hikes we had only a fleeting glimpse of one. On our last evening I took a stroll and this male grouse was right in the path. He even stayed long enough for me to warm up my failing camera battery and get a few photos.

All too soon it was time to pack up and get the helicopter back to Alberta and then the long 7.5 hour drive home.

With hundreds of islands, lovely shorelines, beautiful forests and mountains, and loads of interesting wildlife, the Broughton Archipelago is one of B.C.’s premier kayaking destinations.

Will it all fit in? Doing a test pack in our yard at home.

Loading kayaks on to the Paddlers Inn boat in Port McNeill.

Traveling to the Broughton Archipelago – a 2.5 hour boat ride from Port McNeill.

Paddlers Inn, located on Gilford Island in Little Simoon Sound.

Sorting and packing for our camping trip on the Paddlers Inn dock.

We left some of our gear and food at Paddlers Inn but needed lots of stuff for four nights of camping.

Heather, Roy, Andrea and Alan at the start of our adventure.

At last we are on the water and heading off.

Our first night of camping was at Echo Bay Provincial Park – close to float houses and a lodge.

Day 2 began with a 10.4 km paddle to our next campsite on the Fox Islands. Andrea among the many small rocky islets.

Short-billed Gulls were our constant companions. These are non-breeding immature birds.

On a couple of occasions we passed a Raccoon foraging at low tide along the shoreline. But they scampered away before I could get a decent photo. We also saw several Mink but they were even more skittish and disappeared as we approached.

A few pairs of Black Oystercatchers appear to be breeding on the islands. Here we see a bit of display between a pair on their territory.

Dozens of Harlequin Ducks were in the Fox Islands. These are all males – the females are back on the breeding grounds far inland, looking after the year’s offspring. Once the eggs are laid the males leave their mates, head back to the coast and spend the rest of the summer hanging out with the boys and moulting. Notice how ragged their plumage looks – they are replacing all their feathers and are flightless for some of this process.

Harbour Seals are plentiful in this area. They are often curious and follow behind a kayak.

A male Columbian Black-tailed Deer on one of the Fox Islands. Deer are good swimmers and we later saw this individual swimming to a small islet to enjoy a feast of lush grass there.

Our tent for three nights at the Fox Islands campsite.

Our campsite in the Fox Islands offered a cooking shelter. This was a very welcome feature as the rain set in. We stayed three nights at this site and luckily no-one else was using the shelter as we spread out our wet gear.

Day 3 was rainy through most of the day. But the sea was calm and we explored some of the more exposed islands – the Coach and Marsden groups, Hudson Island and nearby islets. Here we are transiting the narrow passage between Tracey and Mars islands.

Paddling among the Coach Islets with the open Queen Charlotte Strait beyond.

Throughout the Broughton Archipelago, especially around the outer islands, we saw numerous Marbled Murrelets – over 150 on a 20 km paddle to the outer Coach and Marsden islands on 29 July 2024. [These photos were taken elsewhere – I didn’t have the right camera gear to photograph murrelets on our Broughton trip]. Photos: ©Alan Burger

By the end of the day the rain eased somewhat and we were happy to be back in our campsite shelter making hot dinners.

Day 4 started off foggy but once the mist lifted we had good conditions for the day. We headed north to explore Blunden Passage, Innis Island and around Insect Island.

A lunch break on Eden Island. The beaches are not sand but are ancient clam middens. There are few of them and we were often on the lookout for somewhere to land for a break. Across the channel is the campsite at Insect Island, with a group of kayakers.

Many of the little rocky islets have lovely wildflower patches. The plant on the right is a Yellow Monkey-flower (Mimulus [Erythranthe] guttatus).

High rainfall and frequent mist promote lush lichens on the forest trees. The one on the right is Methuselah’s Beard Lichen (Usnea longissima).

As we paddled into an inlet on Baker Island we spotted a Black Bear on the shoreline.

We drifted quietly closer and watched as she rolled over boulders to get at crabs and other intertidal critters hiding beneath.

And at the forest edge we saw two tiny cubs. We moved away to let the bear family continue their activities in peace.

We were surprised to have several encounters with Red-throated Loons. This is a fairly rare species in southern B.C. but we saw them at four locations. Notice that the loon on the right is carrying a fish. Moments later these two took off and headed inland towards a nearby lake where they likely were feeding one or two chicks.

Day five – we headed back to Paddlers Inn, with many detours to explore inlets and islets.

Part of a big flock of Surf Scoters – all look like immatures. The adults are hundreds of km away, breeding on lakes and rivers as far off as the Yukon.

One of the many Bald Eagles we saw. One nest had two almost full-grown chicks.

We were amazed to find this small Western Toad on a small islet where we stopped for lunch. We saw several toads on the big Gilford Island but this little guy somehow got across 20 m of salt water to reach this islet.

Returning to Paddlers Inn.

Enjoying a cuppa on the deck of our cabin – Alan, Andrea, Heather & Roy.

Dinner with a view! And the sounds of Humpback Whales and Marbled Murrelets in the ocean below.

Relaxing at the covered dockside lounge at Paddlers Inn.

The lupin flowers on our cabin deck attracted many bumblebees – we later identified them as Sitka Bumblebees (Bombus sitkensis). Note the orange pollen sacs on the bee’s hind legs.

There is an interesting hike of about one km through the forest from Paddlers Inn to a beautiful lake.

The lake in the hills above Paddlers Inn.

Lakeside flowers – Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) with Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant) on the left and Salal (Gaultheria shallon) with a few Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum) on the right.

Kayaker’s view of our cabin at Paddlers Inn.

Roy and Heather paddling along the heavily forested shore of Gilford Island.

The Broughton Archipelago has experienced a long history of logging, continuing today. At many places along the shore we came across old equipment, like this winch.

Heather passing one of the colourful oceanside cliffs.

What a thrill to be sitting in a kayak as Humpback Whales pass nearby. We saw this female and her calf on several occasions around Paddlers Inn.

A sunset view from our Paddlers Inn cabin. The impressive high peak in the distance, Mount Spencer, is 3,006 m in elevation, in the Waddington Range.

The Bruneau Dunes State Park in Idaho was a lovely place to stop over, and do a little hiking among the extensive sand dunes.

Great Salt Lake from our campsite on Antelope Island, with the mountains behind Salt Lake City in the background (and yes, the water does taste very salty).

We didn’t expect to find a herd of Bison on Antelope Island, within sight of Salt Lake City.

Big mesas of Navajo sandstone on the road to Horsethief Camp, Utah.

Hiking the mountain bike trails at the Horsethief Camp area

One of the little ground squirrels common throughout the canyon area of Utah – a White-tailed Antelope Squirrel

The view from Dead Horse Point State Park, looking towards the mountains behind Moab. The blue ponds in the bottom right are evaporation ponds for extracting potash.

Dead Horse Point – look carefully to see the two people on the clifftop, providing scale to these immense cliffs.

The Colorado River has carved these magnificent canyons, on its way to the Grand Canyon further south.

Views from one of the hiking trails at Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah. The Island in the Sky portion of Canyonlands National Park is on the plateau on the horizon.

True to their name, Rock Squirrels live right on the edges of the immense cliffs. We watched them chasing each other within inches of the abyss.

Two of the more exotic (for us) birds in the canyon lands – a Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay (left) and a Grey-headed Junco (right). The junco is a variant of the very common Dark-eyed Junco which we have in our backyard in British Columbia.

Andrea and Alan do the selfie thing at Canyonlands National Park.

Wonderful rock formations and canyons far below our vantage point on the upper plateau. The harder white sandstone forms resistant caps on top of the softer reddish sandstone.

We were amazed to see two climbers ascending the Totem spire –  305 feet (93 metres) high.

This huge intrusion, known as the Upheaval Dome, was probably formed by the collision of a large meteorite. The feature is 3 km wide.

A splash of colour in the rocky landscape – Zion Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja scabrida)

Andrea on a Canyonlands hike.

Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma). Many of these trees are hundreds of years old, gnarled and twisted. A somewhat younger tree on the right is loaded with juniper berries which are actually fleshy cones.

Art in nature – on a gigantic scale. The blackish band near the bottom is 2 metres thick.

Art in nature – sandstone sculpted by rain and wind.

A dramatic sunset with rain clouds at Island in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park. The river in the distance is the Green River which joins with the Colorado River in Canyonlands National Park.

Mesa Arch at Canyonlands National Park.

Cliffside scenery – Mesa Arch area.

Petroglyphs on the road between Moab and the Needles portion of Canyonlands National Park.

Our camp at Creek Pasture BLM campsite. Most of the campers at this site were rock climbers, taking on the cliffs that you see in the background.

We stopped to watch the rock climbers at the Indian River cliffs. The tiny figure in the left photo is shown again, zoomed in, on the right. We were very impressed!

Needles! A sample of the wonderful scenery that we enjoyed for our week at Needles in Canyonlands National Park.

Our camp at the Needles portion of Canyonlands National Park.

We shared our Needles campsite with this Desert Cottontail. That was appropriate because it was Easter weekend, but bunny evidently didn’t get the Easter egg message.

Another resident at our campsite was this beautiful Black-throated Sparrow, sitting in a juniper bush. Who knew that a sparrow could be so striking.

Andrea on one of the many trails in the Needles park.

The hiking trails often traversed large areas of slickrock – mostly easy hiking but sometimes steep and exposed.

Eroded sandstone formations.

One has to ponder at the time it takes to erode sandstone in a desert environment to create these lovely formations.

At every turn in the trails there was more exquisite scenery. In the far left distance are the snowy mountains near Moab.

An easy portion of the 12 km hike from our camp to the Chesler Park needles and back.

But there were also steep and tricky portions along most of the trails.

Along the Peekaboo Trail – notice the people traversing the rock ledge mid-picture.

Semi-desert country on the border between Utah and Nevada – we traveled through many miles like this.

But if you get out and look around there are many little treasures, like this Squarestem Phlox (Phlox muscoides) or the well camouflaged Saussure’s Blue-winged Grasshopper
(Leprus intermedius).

We also encountered a few small herds of Pronghorn Antelope – apparently one of the few animals that thrive eating sagebrush.

We spent a night at the Great Basin National Park in Nevada, right on the Utah border. The mountains here rise out of the flat desert plain to impressive heights. We camped in fresh snow in the high elevation campground.

Wild Turkeys in Great Basin National Park.

The mountains in Great Basin National Park, Nevada. The highest is Mt Wheeler at 13,063 feet (3,980 m) and several of the others are over 10,000 ft (3,000 m).

We had days of unexpected cold weather in Utah and Idaho. This scene was in Nevada near the Idaho border.

Contrasting campsites on the last two nights of this journey. We camped in deep snow and icy conditions at Winchester, Idaho. Got out of there before breakfast. Our last night was in relatively balmy and sunny Palmer Lake in Washington near the B.C. border at Osoyoos.

A view of Mamit Lake. Most of the lake shoreline is natural with no houses or fields bordering the lake.

About 8 pairs of Killdeer breed on or near the shores of Mamit Lake. Killdeer feed mainly on the drier parts of the mudflats, taking flies and other insects.

Once the chicks have fledged, Killdeer often hang out in flocks of 10 or more along the shoreline.

Spotted Sandpipers are the most conspicuous of the shorebirds on the lake. They are resident here all summer and 10 or more pairs establish breeding territories along the shoreline. This adult bird is agitated because it has small chicks hidden nearby.

Wilson’s Snipe foraging on the water’s edge. There are probably a dozen or two pairs of snipe nesting around Mamit Lake, but they tend to remain in the thick vegetation and are not often out in the open like this.

Wilson’s Phalaropes do not breed on Mamit Lake (as far as I have seen), but they must breed on ponds nearby because juvenile birds like these regularly show up in mid- to late-summer. Phalaropes are unusual among shorebirds in that they mainly forage by swimming and picking tiny prey items off the water.

Closer view of a juvenile Wilson’s Phalarope. Notice how immaculate and unworn its feathers are.

This juvenile Wilson’s Phalarope still carries some of its natal down – suggesting that it must have come from a nearby nesting site.

One of several broods of Barrow’s Goldeneyes that were on the lake in mid-summer. The little ducklings dive underwater to feed themselves from the time they leave the nest. Female Barrow’s Goldeneyes are renowned for attacking other conspecific females and the winner often ends up with a duplicate brood of ducklings. So these 14 ducklings are likely not all her own offspring.

A female Blue-winged Teal with her brood of ducklings. This is one of the less common duck species breeding here – I encountered only two females with ducklings

The huge beak easily identifies a female Northern Shoveler, with her ducklings. Another uncommon duck on this lake – probably only 2-3 pairs breed here.

Mallards are by far the most common breeding duck on the lake – this horde is mostly comprised of half-grown ducklings, all staying together with a few adults in between.

An adult Bald Eagle with a large fish – probably a sucker, one of the more common large fish in the lake. One pair of eagles has a nest visible from the lake and another pair probably nests nearby.

This immature Bald Eagle was one of 5 or 6 regularly seen at the lake through the summer.

An Osprey calling – there is likely another conspecific in sight. One or possibly two pairs of Osprey nest nearby and use the lake as their fishing ground.

Belted Kingfishers nest in the sandy banks at a couple of locations on the lake shore. This hovering bird is a female – with chestnut breast markings.

Most often the Belted Kingfishers forage by sitting on perches overlooking the water and plunging down into the water when a fish is spotted.

I usually see 4-6 Great Blue Herons foraging for fish along the shoreline of Mamit Lake.

White Pelicans do not breed on Mamit Lake but this is a favourite spot for immature birds to spend much of the summer. At one stage there were 45 pelicans at the lake – feeding and resting.

I see several Mule Deer every time I paddle around the lake in summer and fall.

I regularly see Coyotes sniffing along the shoreline, but they are very wary and usually disappear into the thickets when they see me in my kayak.

Long-billed Dowitchers are regular visitors to Mamit Lake on their southward migration. These birds are a long way from their arctic tundra breeding grounds, but on 27th July they still have most of their cinnamon breeding plumage.

Here are two of the regular small “peep” sandpipers that visit the lake in late summer – Semi-palmated Sandpiper on the left and Least Sandpiper on the right. Their leg colour, beak shape and plumage are identification features.

The elegant Greater Yellowlegs are regular visitors and always a delight to watch.

Solitary Sandpipers are normally an uncommon species in our area, but in 2023 they were seen in many nearby wetlands and there were 2 or 3 on Mamit Lake for much of the late summer.

This Solitary Sandpiper provided some goofy entertainment – first getting something dislodged from its throat and then running across the mudflats.

Another contrast of migrant peeps – Semipalmated Sandpiper left and Least Sandpiper right.

Juvenile Hooded Mergansers – likely born and raised here at Mamit Lake. Look closely and you can see the serrated ridges on the inner beaks of these birds – these tooth-like ridges allow mergansers to catch slippery fish and aquatic invertebrates like dragonfly larvae.

Taking photos of land birds from a kayak on the lake is not easy. Here are a couple: an Orange-crowned Warbler in the shoreline bushes (left) and a Song Sparrow having a bath (right).

By August there are usually several dowitchers stopping off at the lake – mostly Long-billed Dowitchers, but see the next photo …..

This photo shows two species of dowitchers. There are two Short-billed Dowitchers – the bird at the front left and the bird furthest right at the back. This species is unusual in the BC Interior but more common along the coast. The remainder are all Long-billed Dowitchers – the species most likely to be found in the BC interior. Notice that the Short-billed Dowitchers have orange-and-black tiger striping on their dorsal feathers – one of the diagnostic features of this species.

Another long-billed shorebird, but the plumage is very different from that of the dowitchers. A resident Wilson’s Snipe foraging in the shallows.

Lesser Yellowlegs usually show up on Mamit Lake in August and there might sometimes be a dozen or more on the lake.

Compare the yellowleg species – Greater Yellowlegs on the left and Lesser Yellowlegs right. When they are side-by-side like this recognition is easy, but when alone one has to look at bill-length and subtle plumage features to identify them.

Another graceful Greater Yellowlegs. If the bill is longer than the head length that indicates Greater.

An equally elegant Lesser Yellowlegs. If the bill is about head length then it indicates Lesser.

Least Sandpipers can be found for most of August and September at Mamit Lake. Their tiny size and greenish-yellow legs are diagnostic.

This was a very exciting shorebird to find on Mamit Lake – a Stilt Sandpiper. The long yellow legs and long slightly downturned bill are identification features. Several of this mid-sized shorebird were reported in the Kamloops and Logan Lake area around mid-August in 2023.

Here are two different Merlins at Mamit Lake – an adult on 2nd September and an immature bird on 27th August 2023.

White Pelicans were on the lake for most of the summer with a high count of 45 birds on 6 August 2023. Notice all the feathers on the mudflat – these birds are moulting.

Scenic shot – Mamit Lake on 17th September. Notice the little group of White Pelicans on a tiny island near the far shore.

A post-breeding flock of swallows containing mostly Bank Swallows and a couple of Barn Swallows.

Savannah Sparrows breed in the vegetation bordering the lake but often venture out on the mudflats to feed on seeds and insects.

In late September migrating flocks of American Pipits forage on the open mudflats. I counted 129 on 17 September, the day these photos were taken.

Action from a Bald Eagle – this adult eagle was swooping down to attack a duck on the water – unsuccessfully.

Red-necked Grebes sometimes breed on Mamit Lake. There was a pair here in 2023 but I didn’t see any chicks.

Canada Geese are resident at the lake from early spring until the lake freezes and they raise many goslings here. Some of these birds are likely locally-bred juveniles.

In a kayak it is sometimes possible to quietly drift up to birds and get quite close. This Green-winged Teal appeared to be asleep, but look closely and you can see it was actually watching me. Then it aroused with a big yawn!

Autumn colours at Mamit Lake on a misty morning – 8 October 2023.

Western Grebes on a cold misty morning – 8 October 2023. This species breeds on Shuswap Lake more than 100 km from here and these birds are probably from there, making their way to the coast to overwinter.

A Western Grebe in the colourful reflection of fall trees.

Horned Grebes are another species that doesn’t breed on Mamit Lake but several of them stop off on the lake in early fall as they migrate to the coast.

Common Mergansers – another species that I see on Mamit Lake only on their fall migration. But there can be several dozen of these fish-eating ducks on the lake in October.

The last of the pelicans – these two were still on the lake in early October, but gone by mid-October.

Five of the 10 Trumpeter Swans on Mamit Lake – 22 October 2023. These were the first swans to arrive in our area on their southward fall migration. Some of them remain in local lakes until these freeze over in mid-winter.

Late migrants – these three Long-billed Dowitchers were the only shorebirds on the lake on 22 October.

More fall colours at Mamit Lake – 8 October 2023.

The Trophy Mountain trail at the start of the alpine meadows, Wells Gray Provincial Park.

Alpine Meadows on the Trophy Mountain trail.

Andrea and Kona at the remains of a hut used by a trapper/shepherd in the 1950s. Not exactly luxury accommodation.

The Trophy Mountain trail

Spot the bear. This Black Bear was grazing on marsh plants at a small lake just below Sheila Lake. Fortunately a safe distance away from our trail.

Sheila Lake is a popular and well-organized campsite in the alpine area. Part of Trophy Mountain on the right.

An American Pipit at Sheila Lake

Sheila Lake, Wells Gray Provincial Park. The tent platforms are a recent addition to protect fragile alpine habitat.

Beyond Sheila Lake the trail heads up into more sparse alpine habitat. Trophy Mountain is in the background.

Alan and Kona at a high lookout with Trophy Mountain behind. The peak is 2,350 m above sea level.

We found this Spruce Grouse in the forest along the Trophy Mountain trail.

We encountered several Snowshoe Hares in Wells Gray Park – all in their brown summer outfits, but retaining white belly and paws. Look at the size of the paws – it is easy to see how the bunny gets its name!

Osprey Falls just below Clearwater Lake, Wells Gray Park.

Panorama shot of Osprey Falls on the Clearwater River.

Helmcken Falls is the fourth highest waterfall in Canada. The Murtle River drops an impressive 145 m straight down and has chewed a major canyon for several kilometres through the basalt.

To fully appreciate Helmcken Falls we visited it twice – in the early morning on 8th September (left) and in the late afternoon on 10 September (right).

Spahats Falls – almost as impressive as Helmcken Falls, dropping 70 m into a narrow basalt canyon.

Basalt cliffs at Spahats Falls. These lava layers are 10-20 m tall.

A large Chinook Salmon vainly attempting to leap up Bailey’s Chute on the Clearwater River. During our visit dozens of these big fish kept leaping up the cascade, only to be swept back by the relentless current. These fish were born in the Clearwater River nearby and are returning to spawn, having swum over 600 km upstream from the Pacific Ocean to reach this point.

More placid waters on the Clearwater River at Horseshoe Bend – the shallows here are a major spawning area for the salmon.

Alice Lake – one of many lakes in the forested areas of Wells Gray Park.

A tiny Western Toad toadlet in Alice Lake. Only 2 cm long it had recently metamorphosed from a tadpole in the lake.

An interesting mineral springs near the Ray Farm in Wells Gray Park. We expected the water bubbling from this spring to be hot but it was icy cold.

Angel’s Wings mushrooms (Pleurocybella porrigens) in the moist forest, Wells Gray Park.

Ruffed Grouse were common along the roads and in the campsite at Wells Gray park.

Red Squirrels are abundant in Wells Gray Park.

View from the top of Pyramid Mountain looking northeast.

Looking east from Pyramid Mountain with the Murtle Lake valley in the far distance.

Moose are common winter visitors to the park and especially on the higher slopes like Pyramid Mountain. But all we saw were their winter nuggets.

Our group camping at Quinisco Lake. We stayed here for 2 nights while exploring the well-used trails in the core area of Cathedral Lakes Provincial Park.

Lake of the Woods – one of seven scenic lakes in the core area of Cathedral Lakes Provincial Park. The rocky mountain in the left distance is Boxcar which we traversed on our hike.

A Cascade Golden-mantled Ground-squirrel. Double the size of a chipmunk, they have the same habit of boldly trying to steal one’s food at the core area campsites.

White Bog Orchids (Platanthera dilatata) in a wet spot next to Quinisco Lake.

We encountered two of these handsome male Spruce Grouse on the trail between Quinisco and Lake of the Woods.

A Clark’s Nutcracker. We watched as this bird took small items of food and cached them in the moss & lichens next to where it was sitting – and then plugged the hidden cache with more lichen.

A Yellow-pine Chipmunk – a very common resident of Cathedral Park, especially where it can scavenge scraps from campers. This one is having a more honest meal of a flower head.

Early morning at Quinisco Lake looking up at the slope where the Diamond Trail crosses.

View from the high point on the Diamond Trail loop, looking down on Scout Lake. Notice the smoke in the valleys from two nearby wildfires – fortunately far enough away not to cause us alarm. But 4 days after our trip this small fire erupted into a massive fire causing the park to be closed and evacuation of the Lodge and all campers in the park.

A Dwarf or Alpine Lupine (Lupinus lepidus) on the gravelly alpine of the Diamond Trail.

Chris on the Diamond Trail.

Pikas were very active in the boulder fields in many places. These little critters look like guinea-pigs but they are actually related to hares and rabbits (Order Lagomorpha).

A Hoary Marmot. Even though it was not even mid-August some of these big rodents were already hibernating and we saw relatively few that were still out and about, putting on fat to see them through the winter.

Hoary Marmot.

A Broadleaf Lupine (Lupinus latifolius) on the Diamond Trail.

Fireweeds (Chamaenerion angustifolium) were in full splendour at the time of our visit.

A couple of white-flowered species: Fringed Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia fimbriata) on the left and Sitka Valerian (Valeriana sitchensis) on the right.

We encountered numerous mushrooms – these are probably Lycoperdon perlatum puffballs.

A bolete mushroom – likely Suillus ochraceoroseus. And no – we didn’t try eating any.

Scout Lake on the Diamond Trail – a lovely spot for lunch and a comfy seat in the grassy lake edge.

We were surprised to see this Hooded Merganser on Scout Lake – the dark eye indicates that it is a juvenile.

A Pika in the meadow bordering its rocky hideout, gathering grass for its winter haystack.

Pikas spend much of the summer gathering grass and herbs and laying them out on the rocks to dry – providing food for the long winters. Unlike marmots, ground-squirrels and chipmunks, Pikas do not hibernate and remain active through the winter in their bouldery habitat underneath the snow.

The valley-bottom trail heading to Goat Lake.

Jake and James on the trail approaching Goat Lake with the jagged peak of Matriarch Mountain behind.

Alan next to Goat Lake with Matriarch and Macabre peaks behind.

These young River Otters, probably siblings, were an unexpected sight at Goat Lake. There were plentiful small trout in the lake to keep them going – at least until the lake freezes over in winter.

River Otters at Goat Lake

A view of Goat Lake with the pair of otters on the foreground rock. If you look carefully you can see James fishing from the far shore.

At first the trail goes up slopes covered with open larch forest.

Duncan and Jake approaching the treeline above the larch trees.

Above the larch forest we encountered a large herd of Mountain Goats – females and their offspring.

Chris heading up the final open scree to the saddle. The dark mountain immediately beyond Chris has the Stone City, Smokey-the-Bear and Cleft formations popular with many hikers in Cathedral Park.

Duncan and Chris on the Boxcar plateau. The rounded peak with a summit pimple in the distance is Haystack Mountain – our destination for this day.

View from the Boxcar looking back west at the core area of Cathedral Lakes Park, with (L to R): Pyramid Peak with Ladyslipper Lake below it, Quinisco Peak, Red Mountain, and Scout Mountain with the lodge and Lake of the Woods in the far right valley.

The Boxcar plateau. On the rocky outcrop to the east you can see some hikers – the only 3 people we met in three days of hiking.

Some of the weather-sculpted sandstone rocks at Boxcar.

Boxcar sandstone formations in the foreground, Mount Ewart in the centre middle distance and the mountainous wilderness of Washington State beyond.

Looking down from Boxcar at Goat Lake – getting from there to here was a hard two-hour uphill hike.

What appeared to be a grey rock turned out to be a female White-tailed Ptarmigan. We were on the lookout for these high-alpine grouse so it was great to find some.

The female ptarmigan was joined by her five almost full-grown chicks.

Our route from Boxcar to Haystack Mountain – a long drop down, up-and-down along the lower ridge, a steep climb up to the big (un-named) mountain ridge, and then behind that ridge to the northwest side of Haystack Mountain and eventually around that mountain to Haystack Lakes.

Another herd of Mountain Goats – again females with young ones.

Looking back from the big mountain ridge at our route from Boxcar.

Jake and James relax after the steep climb up to the major ridge.

Wonderful sandstone rock formations once again. Our route took us up and through the gap on the left.

Looking back to the southeast from the cleft in the sandstone.

Contouring around the east side of the big mountain ridge, heading for Haystack Mountain. The geology here is interesting – this big ridge is yellow-grey sandstone and there is a sudden transition to the black basalt that makes up Haystack Mountain.

This little plant, Umbellate Pussypaws (Calyptridium umbellatum) thrives in the most inhospitable-looking habitat – loose sandstone gravel in the high alpine areas.

Finally a glimpse of the Haystack Lakes from the slopes of Haystack Mountain. Three of the four lakes are visible. Our camp was in the trees bordering the lake at the left edge of the photo.

Our campsite on the shores of the largest of the lakes with Haystack Mountain beyond.

Early morning light on Haystack Mountain.

One of the new trail markers put up by the recent BC Parks trail team.

A Spruce Grouse in the forest near Haystack Lakes.

We were extremely grateful for the chainsaw work by the BC Parks trail team.

Hunting for the trail markers in the forest blowdown. This was extremely slow and heavy going, having to climb over and under hundreds of fallen trees.

A very welcome place – the camp on the banks of Ewart Creek.

Duncan and Chris on the Ewart Creek trail.

The bridge over Ewart Creek at the Juniper Creek confluence. This bridge was once a marvel of bush engineering but after 50+ years it is in sad disrepair and rather dodgy to cross.

Duncan at the pool below the Juniper/Ewart Creeks bridge.

Here in the lower-elevation forest the common grouse was Dusky Grouse (formerly known as Blue Grouse). We found two families on the way down Ewart Creek. This is an almost full-grown juvenile.

From the Ewart Creek trailhead we hiked 1.8 km down the road to find a place where we could cross the Ashnola River.

The final obstacle on our trip – wading across the Ashnola River.

Sore-footed but happy! Our group just before heading home: Duncan, his sons Jake and James, Chris and Alan.

Chris near the start of our hike, in the lovely old-growth forest. The trail follows an abandoned road for several easy km. Zupjok Peak is visible on the horizon – a step on our route.

On the Zupjok ridge looking toward the Anderson range to the northwest. Chris is still wearing his gloves after getting chilled during the thunderstorm.

View along the Zukjok ridge with the shark-fin Vicuna Peak and rounded Guanaco Peak in the distance. We climbed down to the sloping meadow below to find a camp site.

Our campsite next to a beautiful little pond between immense granite slabs and the terminal moraine created by ice sliding down the slabs. We camped next to the square boulder at the end of the pond.

Vicuna and Guanaco peaks seen from our campsite pond.

Our campsite near Zupjok Peak. Finding a level spot for my little tent and Chris’s bivvy bag was a challenge but we both ended up with comfy sleeping spots.

A late evening view of the granite slabs above our campsite.

Our campsite below the granite slabs.

Another view of our campsite giving a better impression of the size of the granite slabs.

This Long-toed Salamander, about 12 cm long, was an unexpected resident of the campsite pond, along with many water beetles and caddis fly larvae.

A male White-tailed Ptarmigan – the source of our mysterious evening calls. These alpine grouse are always a treat to find and one always has to do a lot of legwork to get into their usual alpine habitat. Notice the feathery legs – a feature of ptarmigan.

The female White-tailed Ptarmigan – much better camouflaged than the male in this summer plumage. In winter they moult into pure white plumage but they retain their white wing feathers year-round.

The female White-tailed Ptarmigan on alert, with her five chicks running about nearby.

The female White-tailed Ptarmigan with four of her five tiny chicks running about on the granite slab – one chick is part-way under the rock.

Female White-tailed Ptarmigan and chicks.

The male flew over to join the family but remained on the moraine, keeping watch.

A view back at our campsite at the foot of the open granite slabs.

A panoramic view of the Zupjok-Alpaca ridge, looking south to southwest. The nearby rounded peak on the left is Zupjok Peak. Beyond that is the high Needle Peak and slightly to the right Flatiron Mountain – both of these have been hiking destinations for us in the past.

Alan on the ridge trail. Behind me is the route from Zupjok Peak along the undulating ridge. Looking along the horizon – to the far left is Zopkios Peak, then the distant Illal Creek ridge with the pyramid-shaped Jim Kelly Peak, jagged Coquihalla Mountain and then beyond Zupjok Peak is Needle Peak.

The impressive Anderson Range of peaks to the west of our route. In any other country this mini-Yosemite would be a national park, in B.C., sadly, it is just another logging site.

Much of the route along the Zupjok-Alpaca ridge is across granite outcrops – good and solid underfoot.

As we approach Alpaca Peak the view of Vicuna and Guanaco peaks to the east becomes more impressive.

Another view of the Anderson Range to the west of our route.

How did these huge boulders end up on the tops of granite ridges? We speculated that they were carried by the ice when the glaciers covered these mountains, dropped down through the ice and then were too massive to be moved as the glaciers dwindled.

Another high-elevation specialty. These Grey-crowned Rosy-finches regularly forage for insects and seeds on the melting snow patches.

Finally – at the summit of Alpaca Peak with its lovely pond. There are actually two summits of equal elevation (2074 m according to my GPS). I’m standing on the west summit and the east summit is behind the pond, with Vicuna and Guanaco peaks beyond.

Looking east from Alpaca Peak – Vicuna and Guanaco peaks.

A wide-angle view towards Vicuna and Guanaco peaks.

Looking north-northwest from Alpaca Peak with Bighorn Peak in the middle-distance.

Chris looking north from Alpaca peak. In the far horizon one can see Stoyoma Mountain – the northernmost peak in the Cascade Range – another mountain that Chris and I have climbed.

Looking back south from Alpaca Peak at the route we took from Zupjok Peak and passing nearby llama Peak. Needle Peak and Flatiron Mountain in the middle distance.

A panoramic view from near Alpaca summit with the Anderson Range on the left and Bighorn Peak on the right.

Near the summit of Alpaca Peak we found this burnt patch of stunted alpine trees – evidently a lightning strike last year.

Another of these enigmatic ridge-top erratics – huge boulders dropped by glaciers in the most unexpected places.

Heading back from Alpaca Peak – a long hike along the undulating ridge to Zupjok Peak and then the steep descent back into the forest and eventually our car-park.

GPS track of our route – 7 & 8 July 2023.

A wider view of our route showing the local peaks.