Featured image for “In Our Backyard: Great Basin Gophersnake”

In Our Backyard: Great Basin Gophersnake

April 3, 2023

In spring, the largest snake found in BC stirs from its hibernation to mate and forage. The Great Basin gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola) is found in dry, grassland or forested...

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In Our Backyard: Peregrine Falcon

March 7, 2023

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) holds the title of fastest bird on the planet, and some argue it’s even the fastest animal on the planet using...

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Featured image for “In Our Backyard: Little Brown Bat”

In Our Backyard: Little Brown Bat

February 1, 2023

At this time of year, you typically won’t spot this bat species unless you are exploring abandoned mines and dark caves where they hibernate during the cool months. The little...

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Featured image for “In Our Backyard: Western Rattlesnake”

In Our Backyard: Western Rattlesnake

December 30, 2022

Did you know that the western rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) is the only venomous snake native to British Columbia? The western rattlesnake, also known as Northern Pacific rattlesnake, lives in in...

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In Our Backyard: Sharp-tailed Grouse

October 31, 2022

As the Thompson Watershed transitions through fall, you may be able to spot the flocks of the sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) on the roadside and underneath...

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Featured image for “In Our Backyard: Great Basin Spadefoot Toad”

In Our Backyard: Great Basin Spadefoot Toad

October 7, 2022

If you are out at night in the Thompson Watershed you may be able to hear the call of the Great Basin spadefoot toad (Spea intermontana), which...

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Featured image for “In Our Backyard: Southern Mountain Caribou”

In Our Backyard: Southern Mountain Caribou

September 14, 2022

If you go hiking through the Thompson Watershed, you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the southern mountain caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). This population...

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Featured image for “In Our Backyard: Olive Clubtail Dragonfly”

In Our Backyard: Olive Clubtail Dragonfly

July 27, 2022

If you’ve been on the South Thompson River in Kamloops you may have been fortunate enough to have seen the striking blue eyes of the olive clubtail dragonfly (Stylurus olivaceus)....

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In Our Backyard: A Coastal Shore Bird in the Grasslands?

July 1, 2022

Long-billed curlews are North America’s largest shorebird. In Canada, they breed in southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the interior of BC. Approximately 16% of the long-billed curlew’s global breeding range is...

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