A selection of winter and early spring photos from the members of the Nicola Naturalist Society, Merritt, BC.
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![Northern Pintails in early spring. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-085-NoPi.jpg)
Northern Pintails in early spring. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![Canada Geese and Mallards on a spring pond, Nicola Valley. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-064-CaGo-and-Mall.jpg)
Canada Geese, Northern Pintails and Mallards on a spring pond, Nicola Valley. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![American Goldfinch male in late winter. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-051-Am-Goldfinch.jpg)
American Goldfinch male in late winter. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![A Northern Pygmy Owl. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_6843-N-Pygmy-Owl.jpg)
A Northern Pygmy Owl. Photo: © Alan Burger
![A Belted Kingfisher on the shores of Douglas Lake. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-001-Belted-Kingfisher.jpg)
A Belted Kingfisher on the shores of Douglas Lake. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![A Western Screech Owl photographed in the Okanagan Valley. Photo: © Kenneth Ostraat.](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Ken-Ostraat-Western-Screech-Owl.jpg)
A Western Screech Owl photographed in the Okanagan Valley. Photo: © Kenneth Ostraat.
![This Cat-faced Orb Weaver spider was found on a Merritt lawn. Photo: © Gloria Brenner](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Brenner-cat-faced-orb-weaver-combo.jpg)
This Cat-faced Orb Weaver spider was found on a Merritt lawn. Photo: © Gloria Brenner
![Red-naped Sapsucker male. This species is common in the forests around Merritt, BC. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_0202-RNSA.jpg)
Red-naped Sapsucker male. This species is common in early spring and through the summer in the forests around Merritt, BC. Photo: © Alan Burger
![A Yellow Pine Chipmunk - newly emerged from its winter hibernation. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_0188-Yellow-Pine-Chipmunk.jpg)
A Yellow Pine Chipmunk – newly emerged from its winter hibernation. Photo: © Alan Burger
![Sagebrush Buttercups (Ranunculus glaberrinus) is always the first flower to bloom in early spring in the Nicola Valley area. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_0183-Sagebrush-Buttercup.jpg)
Sagebrush Buttercup (Ranunculus glaberrinus) is always the first flower to bloom in early spring in the Nicola Valley area. Photo: © Alan Burger
![A lovely portrait of a Mourning Dove at a feeder in winter. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-MoDo-039.jpg)
A lovely portrait of a Mourning Dove at a feeder in winter. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![A male House Finch in winter, Merritt, BC. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-HoFi-male-145.jpg)
A male House Finch in winter, Merritt, BC. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![This Sharp-shinned Hawk was a regular visitor to backyard feeders in the Merritt area. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-215-SSHa.jpg)
This Sharp-shinned Hawk was a regular visitor to backyard feeders in the Merritt area. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![Early spring aggregation of Canada Geese, Northern Pintail and Mallards at a shallow pond in the Nicola Valley. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-097-CaGo-and-NoPi.jpg)
Canada Geese and Northern Pintails at a shallow pond in the Nicola Valley. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![Bohemian Waxwings - common winter visitors to the Merritt area. Photo: © Bruce Grimshire](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Bruce-Grimshire-IMG_0422-sm.jpg)
Bohemian Waxwing – a common winter visitor to the Merritt area. Photo: © Bruce Grimshire
![Spring migrants: female (left) and male (right) Varied Thrushes. Photos: © Anne Pang (L) and Murphy Shewchuk (R)](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Varied-Thrush-combo-Pag-Shewchuk.jpg)
Early spring migrants: female (left) and male (right) Varied Thrushes. Photos: © Anne Pang (L) and Murphy Shewchuk (R)
![This Wilson's Snipe was mistakenly searching for food among the rocks of a Merritt garden. Photos: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-023-014-combo.jpg)
This Wilson’s Snipe was searching for food among the rocks of a Merritt garden. Photos: © Bob Scafe
![An immature Red-tailed Hawk in winter, Nicola Valley. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_6770-juv-RTHa.jpg)
An immature Red-tailed Hawk in winter, Nicola Valley. Photo: © Alan Burger
![This Muskrat was diving down below the ice to bring up plants to eat, Harrison Lake, Kane Valley near Merritt. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_0287-Musk-Rat.jpg)
This Muskrat was diving down below the ice to bring up plants to eat, Harrison Lake, Kane Valley near Merritt. Photo: © Alan Burger
![A Muskrat muching on aquatic vegetation that it has brought up to the ice to eat, Harrison Lake, Kane Valley near Merritt. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_0285-Muskrat.jpg)
A Muskrat muching on aquatic vegetation that it has brought up to the ice to eat, Harrison Lake, Kane Valley near Merritt. Photo: © Alan Burger
![A mid-winter flock of Bohemian Waxwings in the Nicola Valley, BC. Photo: © Bruce Grimshire](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Bruce-Grimshire-IMG_0429-BoWa.jpg)
- A mid-winter flock of Bohemian Waxwings in the Nicola Valley, BC. Photo: © Bruce Grimshire
![Like an impressionist painting, this cell-phone photo beautifully captures the lifestyle of Mountain Goats. Interior BC. Photo: © David Pitt](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Pitt-P1040352-Mountain-Goat.jpg)
Like an impressionist painting, this cell-phone photo beautifully captures the lifestyle of Mountain Goats. Interior BC. Photo: © David Pitt
![A pair pf Barrow's Goldeneyes in spring, Kane Valley near Merritt. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_0217-BaGo.jpg)
A pair pf Barrow’s Goldeneyes in spring, Kane Valley near Merritt. Photo: © Alan Burger