Richard Cannings
@dickcannings
Biologist, author, birder, mediocre fiddle player, slow cyclist and grandfather. Canadian Member of Parliament for South Okanagan-West Kootenay 2015-2025.
Latest fire imagery from NASA FIRMS of the Bald Range fire. Active front is along the south edge that might become problematic if wind strengthens from north.
Week one is done at the Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory! Here are the totals up to day 6 (we’re over 200 banded!) and the big surprise from this morning —our first Ovenbird for the station.
I left before Day 3 was added but here are the banding totals for the first two days of action at the Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory. Drop by for a visit any morning until October 15! 1 km north of Vaseux Lake.
Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory is open for the season starting today! Drop in any morning until October 15 as we monitor bird populations. Located on west side of Hwy 97, 1 km north of Vaseux Lake, 4 km south of Okanagan Falls. Photo: bander-in-charge David Bell with Bewick’s Wren.
Watching the big game with David Coletto in Penticton! @davidcoletto.bsky.social
High winds, high temperatures and smoke in the air. The start of wildfire season in the Okanagan.
Wear your helmets! I had a bit of a spill on the bike yesterday but luckily my helmet broke instead of my head. The ER doctor said she’d seen five cyclists that day and three of them weren’t wearing helmets and ended in brain bleeds. I’m totally ok except rather stiff and sore.
A young saw-whet owl looks out of its nest at Vaseux Lake--species number 127 of 131 for the day on my annual bicycle birdathon last Sunday. Please support our fundraising effort for Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory at www.canadahelps.org/s/jShS4E !
Sure sign of spring: a Mountain Chickadee gathering furry nest material from owl pellets. It’s territorial neighbour was tearing apart coyote poop for the same stuff.
Thanks to the CFSOS for a start-up grant to the Dream Society for our efforts to reopen a world-class live music venue in Penticton. The Dream Society is a non-profit volunteer-driven society--please go to dreamsociety.ca to see how you can support us!
Christmas in February! My friend Seabrooke Leckie has come out with another fabulous moth book—and this one covers 1900 species of the tremendously diverse moth fauna of the West. Congratulations Seabrooke!
This little Northern Pygmy-Owl says happy Superb Owl Sunday! And I say happy anniversary (40th!) to my wonderful wife Margaret!
The last our 2025 potato crop is going crazy (poorly stored) so I took advantage of the warm spring weather and planted them yesterday!
These social huntsman spiders are common in Australia—and spectacular—but luckily are harmless. Took this pic in Tasmania a couple of weeks ago
Deeply saddened by news that my friend Kirsty Duncan passed away today. I worked closely with her while she was the Minister of Science and the Chair of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology. I texted her on Saturday when I was at a Robbie Burns dinner—her favourite event of the year.
The weather has been crazy lately but I was still surprised to see this red-eared slider sunning itself in Penticton on December 14!
Just checked out Comet Lemmon in the western sky by following the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper down towards Arcturus. Helps to have binoculars or a scope and a dark sky! Map by Anthony Wood.
The 2025 Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory season ended with 1539 birds of 55 species banded and an impressive 185 species detected. A record hot September kept birds at higher elevations so a lot of birds passed us by. Thanks to David and Aiva and all the volunteers!
Only a few days left in the banding season at Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory. A lot of big birds going south on the north wind this morning —vultures, ospreys, harriers, rough-legged hawks and more. Last day is Wednesday!
The fall season is winding down at the Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory with the shift to late migrants like Pacific Wren and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Last day of operation is October 15.
Two of the five lutescens Orange-crowned Warblers netted today at Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory. VLBO is open to the public every morning until October 15, located 1 km north of the lake (4 km south of OK Falls).
Dropped into Salt Spring Books and met Adina Hildebrandt who has owned this fine independent bookstore for 25 years. Support your local bookseller!
Nice to bump into friends and colleagues Jan O’Brien and Geoff Meggs and talk about families as well as the federal and provincial political scene.
We were all saddened to learn today that Ken Dryden had passed away. I had the privilege of meeting him in 2022 at the celebration for the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Canada-Russia hockey series--he was a great Canadian on and off the ice.
It’s moulting season at Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory for songbirds as they get their flight feathers renewed for the fall and winter ahead. This young chat and adult male goldfinch are going through complex patterns of moult that will make it easier for them to fly.