On a beautiful warm spring day 16 members of the Nicola Naturalists joined with 12 members of the Vermilion Forks Naturalists (Princeton) for an excellent day of hiking and naturalizing on the Seven Half Diamond Ranch. This location is about half way between Merritt and Princeton and has beautiful lakes, small ponds, grassland, forest and much more. We enjoyed spring wildflowers, numerous singing birds and several broods of goslings and ducklings in the ponds. Huge groups of Western Toad tadpoles were found in the shallows of Batstone Lake and nearby was a large and colourful Western Terrestrial Gartersnake – no doubt preying on the tadpoles. Below are some photos from participants.
Many thanks to Jim and Heather O’Connor of the Seven Half Diamond Ranch for allowing us to roam your beautiful property. To see more about this guest ranch click here: Seven Half Diamond Ranch.
To see the full list of birds and other animals recorded click here: Critter List 5 June 2016
A good turnout from our 2 nature clubs at Seven Half Diamond Ranch. Photo: © Anne Pang
Exploring Batstone Lake on Seven Half Diamond Ranch. Photo: © Anne Pang
Part of the mass of Western Toad tadpoles in Batstone Lake. Photo: © Bonny Kozub
A Boisduval’s Blue (Icaricia icarioides), one of the many butterflies we encountered on 5 June at Seven Half Diamond Ranch. Photo: © Anne Pang
A pair of Lesser Scaup (male left, female right). Photo: © Bonny Kozub
This Tree Swallow was nesting in a hollow in an aspen tree – possibly an old woodpecker nest. Photo: © Bonny Kozub
A beautiful Red Columbine flower (Aquilegia formosa). Photo: © Deb Stowell
Several pairs of Killdeer breed next to the lakes and ponds on the ranch. Photos: © Bonny Kozub
Cows are part of the ecosystem at a working ranch. Photo: © Bonny Kozub
