I WALKED ALONG THE OKANAGAN RIVER FROM HOME THIS MORNING.

I just took my camera and 100-400 zoom lens with me.  No tripod, everything was hand held.  We had a couple of days where it got down to -8C so some ice came back.  With warmer temperatures and rain in the forecast, the ice will quickly disappear.  Several times I sat on the riverbank and the dippers came close to me.

American Dipper.

American Dipper.

American Dipper.

American Dipper.

American Dipper.

American Dipper.

I TOOK MY CAMERAS DOWN TO ROAD 22 SOUTH OF OLIVER AND POKED AROUND BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER. IT WAS A REWARDING DAY.

Northern Flicker.

Northern Flicker.

Juvenile Bald Eagle.

White-crowned Sparrow.

Northern Harrier.

Northern Harrier.

Cooper's Hawk.

Cooper's Hawk.

Cooper's Hawk.

Cooper's Hawk.

Male Pileated Woodpecker.

Male Pileated Woodpecker.

Male Pileated Woodpecker.

Male Pileated Woodpecker.

Male Pileated Woodpecker.

Male Pileated Woodpecker.

OUR WALK THIS MORNING TURNED INTO A KESTREL ESSAY!

Aileen gets the credit for spotting the Kestrel this morning.  I was trying to decide if I could capture the moon when she asked me if that was a leaf or a bird on a small bush.  I couldn't tell until I pointed my 800mm lens at it.  American Kestrels are small falcons that are only about nine inches tall.  They hunt by perching or hovering in mid air then diving down on their prey.

Hovering.

Hovering.

Hovering.

Hovering.

Starting his dive down on an unsuspecting mouse.

He took the mouse to a fence post to eat it.

It didn't take long to have his lunch.

SOME RECENT PHOTOS AND THE LAST OF THE HOAR FROST IMAGES.

Female Western Bluebird.

Male Western Bluebird.

Male Western Bluebird with a wizened grape.

Near the Vaseux Lake boat ramp.

Near the Vaseux Lake boat ramp.

This image is already enlarged as I took it at 160 mm.  I had seen that white spot in the tree and wondered if it was a wasp nest.

I was surprised to see it turn into a pair of Red-tailed Hawks resting way up there.

This was on a log lying on the ground.

Ponderosa Pine.

Ponderosa Pine.

Ponderosa Pine.

Ponderosa Pine.

Ponderosa Pine.

The top of the ridge south of Okanagan Falls on the west side of the highway.