BACK HOME TODAY BUT YESTERDAY THE OTTERS GRACED OUR LAST VISIT TO THE SALMON ARM WHARF.

Our eight days in Salmon Arm just flew by.  Lots of photography happened and we got to visit various family.  We visited two of my aunts and their husbands and two of my cousins.   My cousin Sherry had her daughter and two littles ones visiting from Pemberton which was a bonus because we hadn't met them.  Sherry is staying with her son and wife while she and Ron are waiting to get into their new house.  I hadn't met him before either, at least I don't think so.  We also got to see another cousin when he popped in to wish his mother happy 80th.

Canada Geese.

Canada Geese.

Otter.

Canada Geese.

Otter.

Otter.

Otter.

Otter.

Otter.

Otter.

Otter.

Otter.

Otter shaking like a dog.

Otter.

Otter.

Otter.

Eeew, you're shaking on me.

Otters.

A last look at the Salmon Arm wharf.

MOSTLY GREAT BLUE HERON PHOTOS TODAY.

On our walk at the Salmon Arm wharf yesterday I interacted with a heron for a long while.  I will share just a few of the images I captured.

I had my extra wide angle lens on when this seagull flew by really close so I just whipped the camera up and managed to capture it.

A wide angle shot on the wharf looking back to shore.

Not sure why the heron was moving the stick around but he seemed pretty intent on it.

All dressed up.

Breakwater pilings.

Looks like a miss.

Female Mallard doing a happy dance.

Hawkweed against a pond.

MORE PHOTOS CONTINUING FROM THE LAST POST.

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

If you look closely at the centre pelican, you will notice that it is two tight together.

Takeoff!

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

Pelicans in Salmon Arm Bay.

Virginia Creeper at McGuire Lake.

A pair of resting mallards.

Pink water lilies are still blooming at McGuire Lake in Salmon Arm.

And the honey bees are still active.

WE TOOK THE MOTORHOME TO SALMON ARM FOR A FEW DAYS.

And of course that means regular visits to the waterfront to see what kind of birds happen to be in residence.  This trip the bonus is pelicans!  In all the years we lived in the area, pelicans were hardly ever seen.  Now apparently, they are regular visitors.   They tend to stay quite far out so it is difficult getting close up photos.  On Friday some were a bit closer and I did quite a bit of walking trying to get in position to get some shots.  At one point I climbed partway up a gate and held myself in place with my legs braced but I still had reeds and other vegetation partially blocking my view.  Then I walked out on the island where I had a more unobstructed view but then I was shooting more into the sun.  When I went down to the wharf this morning, a group of pelicans was working its way closer so I hung around and got some better shots.

Pilings in low water, Shuswap Lake.

Common Merganser hen.

Osprey.

Osprey.

Pelicans.

Pelicans.

Pelicans.

Great Blue Heron.

Pelicans.

Fountain in a little pond down by the wharf.

Pelicans.

Seagulls resting on the lakeshore.

Pelicans.

Great Blue Heron.

Pelicans.