Western Painted Turtle - Chrysemys picta bellii

We found these turtles sunning themselves on a small pond.

The Western Painted Turtle is named after the bright yellow stripes on its head, neck, tail and legs, and the glowing red on its plastron (shell covering the belly) and under-edge of its carapace (shell covering the back).

Most adult Painted Turtles spend the winter hibernating in the mud at the bottom of ponds and lakes.  Once temperatures warm up and the ice leaves the water, Painted Turtle courtship begins.

In B.C., Painted Turtles are found in pockets throughout the southern interior, as far north as Golden.   This includes the Okanagan Valley, Kamloops Lake, Shuswap Lake, and the Creston and Nelson Area.

At present, the Western Painted Turtle is on the provincial blue list.  This means they are considered vulnerable to habitat loss, and susceptible to human and natural disturbances.  Habitat is being lost because of pollution and waterway interference due to damming, agriculture, and urbanization of waterfronts.

Wild Clematis in the forest after the rain

Filmed May 4, 2012 at Mission Creek Park...

The Wild Clematis was the first delicate flower we came upon. This one is mauve, but apparently there are also yellow ones. They grow in predominantly shaded areas in the forest, using other trees for structure. They do not have tendrils like most vines.

music by 03 - zero-project - 03 - Twilight poem

The Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus - RARE YouTube

It is believed that there are only a few hundred breeding pairs of Long-billed Curlews in British Columbia, Canada.

Prior to legal protection in early 1900s, Long-billed Curlews were decimated by hunters in eastern North America, and were eliminated from many parts of their range by expansion of agriculture on the plains and prairies in the 1930s. The Long-billed Curlew has already disappeared from most parts of eastern Canada and United States.

In British Columbia, curlews breed in the Southern Interior; primary breeding areas are the open grasslands from Williams Lake west through Alexis Creek, in the Okanagan and lower Similkameen valleys, in the East Kootenay Trench, in the Nicola Valley and near Kamloops; a few pairs breed north along the North Thompson River to Clearwater and along the Fraser River near McBride.

Curlews frequent grassy terrain, newly-ploughed fields, green hayfields, meadows and pastures; birds do not have to be near water.

Curlews got their name from their unmistakable call, "curleeuu, curleeuu, curleeuu. "

When danger approaches, parents sound an alarm call telling chicks to "freeze" and hide; parents and neighbouring birds dive from skies to drive intruders off.

Threats:
Habitat loss due to agriculture and urban development.
Sensitivity to human disturbance.
Off-road vehicle use in or near nesting habitat.

Info via Government of British Columbia - Ministry of the Environment
Music by Alexander Blu 11 - Fadeoutv

The Mountain Bluebird ~ Sialia currucoides

Bluebirds are considered fairly common, but their numbers have declined substantially during the last century. Populations have been given a boost by the birdhouse boxes that have become popular in many parks and backyards.

Bluebirds eat small fruits and hunt insects, spiders, and other creatures from above. The birds perch, watch, and then swoop to the ground to pounce on their prey.

Pairs mate in spring and summer, when they construct small, bowl-shaped nests. Females lay four or five eggs and incubate them for about two weeks. Young remain in the nest, cared for by both parents, for an additional 15 to 20 days. Bluebirds often have two broods in a season. Sometimes, a young bluebird from the first brood will remain in the nest and assist its parents in caring for the second.

How to film wildlife - YouTube

Well almost, ducks on a path and a squirrel in the tree isn't really wildlife but it's still fun filming them and you never know what your going to catch.  I especially like the ducks waddling off at the end of the video...

There's really no secret to filming nature and wildlife, find a spot and stake it out and just wait.