Late June 2020
After my wonderful hike around Kentucky Lake, I left Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park to connect with Highway 97C, heading east towards the Okanagan. I had to transition to faster speeds, but luckily the traffic was light and the road is fun to drive. I turned south onto Highway 97 at Peachland, excited to travel a section of road (from here to Oliver) that I had never visited before. I had been in phone communication with my brother Daniel who was spending several days in the Okanagan with his wife Michelle and their two youngest, Simon and Madison, and we had agreed to meet up. They were travelling and staying in their groovy old Okanagan motorhome (nicknamed “Okie”) and had been finding places to cycle and swim and enjoy the sun. We met up at Skaha Lake Park and enjoyed a very nice visit and lunch together.
After our visit, I continued south down 97 to Okanagan Falls Provincial Park which was fully booked but luckily I got a site because of a last-minute cancellation. With its closely-spaced sites and many noisy families surrounding me, I wasn’t thrilled with the campground, but later in the evening I would witness a natural wonder that would make me very thankful to have stayed here (more on that later!).
After securing my site, I drove back up Highway 97 to connect with Highway 3A west, and then turned left onto Twin Lakes Road and then left again onto White Lake Road. Inspired by Liz Bryan’s chapter entitled “Sage Brush Solitudes”, I was headed to White Lake, intending to do a 10 km hike from there to Mahoney Lake. Bryan writes, “It is extraordinary that the huge area of grassland/sagebrush in which White Lake sits like milk in a teacup is still intact, a wonderful undulating sweep of country devoid of development except for the observatory on its northeastern edge.”
After parking beside several other cars, I wasn’t quite sure which of the trailheads I could see was the correct one for the hike to Mahoney Lake. Also, I wasn’t feeling either very brave or energetic this afternoon so I decided to just wander down to the lake along this old road.
Access to the shore or further along the lake was blocked by a fence so I meandered slowly back up the track, enjoying the contrasts of colour and form between dark purple alfalfa and these lovely stems of sage-coloured plants.
Not yet ready to leave this quiet place, I found another track that led uphill towards a rocky outcropping.
These yellow cinquefoils, carpeting the hillside in and amongst the sage, captured my attention for a few lovely moments.
The track let up to a small wetland, dark green with rushes and enlivened by the sharp calls of red-winged blackbirds.
The track became a path that lead through a pretty swath of golden grain towards another small dark-green patch of wetland rushes.
And there was yet another patch of wetland area ahead of me a little further on and higher up.
From here, I appreciated the view looking back towards the west, with White Lake hidden from sight in the bowl below.
I made my way slowly back downhill, reluctant to leave this beautiful and peaceful landscape.
Back at my car, I continued down White Lake Road, looping my way back towards my campsite via Fairview White Lake Road and then Green Lake Road. I passed pretty Mahoney Lake (one day I’ll do that hike!)….
and then further down the road I passed the aptly name Green Lake.
Soon I was back at my campground and did not relish spending the evening there with people all around. I made and ate a quick dinner, called my brother, and arranged to meet him, Michelle, and the kids at Vaseaux Lake to walk the interpretive boardwalk there. The boardwalk was short, and access to the lake limited, but it was nice to be there with family in the quiet of early evening.
Back at my campsite, I decided to stretch my legs before bed with a short walk south on the path that paralleled the Okanagan River on one side and woodland on the other. Dusk was falling, and millions of tiny moths were emerging over, above, and beside the river. Excited at the prospect of seeing bats, I was amazed when I began to see tens and then perhaps even hundreds of flying forms swooping so fast above the river, zipping and changing directions with incredible agility, precision, and speed. A few bats were in the mix, but most of the dark shapes were clearly of birds, mid-sized and with sharply pointed wings. I was standing near a few groupings of other campers and walkers who were also watching, mesmerized by the spectacle. “What are they?” I asked one couple, and was told they are nighthawks. Members of the nightjar family, and not hawks at all, they are shy, well-camouflaged nocturnal birds that are rarely seen during the day. Their acrobatic display, in such numbers, over the Okanagan River in the darkening dusk is a very special sight that will remain with me for a long time.
The next morning, I packed up early and headed south down 97 to connect with Road 22, south of Oliver and just north of Osoyoos Lake. Road 22 crosses the Okanagan River over a fine old wooden bridge and from here you have a choice of four directions to walk or cycle on the riverside dykes: east or west of the river, and either upstream or downstream.
I chose the upstream path, east of the river, and plan to return to walk each of the other choices on future trips.
While participating in the Global Big Day bird count in early May, I had learned from the stats on ebird.org that Road 22 is a top hotspot for birding in the province which is not surprising given the variety of ecosystems in this area. Within view were streamside thickets, ponds, marshes, river, hayfields, large deciduous trees, and dry areas of sage, grasses, and antelope brush.
Armed with my binoculars and camera I headed off on this quiet morning, cool with an overcast sky and light breeze. I saw so many birds, and I’m sure there were many more that I missed! Here is what I recorded in my journal after my walk: 2 ravens, 6 Eastern king birds, 4 quail (one of my favorite reasons to visit the Okanagan – I love them!), 2 grouse (first one, and later another), bank swallows swooping over the river (so fast!), an osprey in her nest, red-winged blackbirds, Brewers blackbirds, song sparrows, multiple American goldfinches (very bright yellow), multiple yellow warblers (so pretty), a mourning dove, and … a lazuli bunting!
Now, my bird photos are not good at all so I will only show two, but please do look up “lazuli bunting” images online to see what a beautiful bird it is!
Some sections of the trail were bordered by huge pillowy mounds of baby’s breath, an invasive plant with the ability to spread over 10,000 seeds per plant!
Other plants, including narrowleaf plantain, sheep sorrel and yellow mullein were of interest along the path.
Very happy with my walk along the river, I drove just a short distance further on Road 22 to photograph the atmospheric heritage buildings of the Haynes Ranch. Built in 1882, the tumbledown buildings are comprised of the main ranch house, a smaller bunkhouse (the original homestead), and a large barn.
I crossed the road for closer views of the massive barn, surrounded by a field of yellow, and I took a peek inside the cavernous interior.
After I had circled back around to the south side, I saw a marmot sunning himself on a window ledge.
From the ranch buildings, I drove a short distance north on Black Sage Road, and then turned right onto Meadowlark Lane to visit the Haynes Lease Ecological Reserve. I parked in the small parking area at the end of the lane, with views of the trellised vines of the Burrowing Owl Winery to my left and the entrance to the ecological reserve on my right.
The 101 hectare reserve is bordered to the east and south by reserve lands of the Osoyoos Band and was created on a section of old ranch property to protect habitat for the endangered burrowing owl. I have visited the Haynes Ecological Reserve several times before with my family on short trips to Osoyoos, and we all love it here. A trail meanders through the open area of rabbit brush, bunchgrass, sage, wildflowers, and prickly pear, and there is just something very special about being here.
Dotted here and there with mature Ponderosa pines, the reserve has exciting views of the Okanagan valley below and of rocky cliffs on its eastern edge, with great tumbledown boulders at their base.
We call this big boulder “split rock” and Daniel and Sophie always climb it.
Every single time my family and I have walked here at Haynes Lease, there has not been another soul in sight – just the wonderful views, rocks, plants, birds, and sky. And, on this particular visit, I had the unexpected good fortune to see several beautiful mariposa lilies blooming right beside the trail. What a joy!
Then, to top it all off, near the end of my walk I saw a western bluebird! I had hoped to see one, my first, and there it was perched on a section of fencing wire at the edge of the reserve. (Please google an image! I cannot decide which is prettier, the mountain bluebird or the western bluebird. But, perhaps that is a comparison that should not even be made). Too slow with my camera, I missed the opportunity of a photo, but I was very happy nonetheless. What another wonderful reward for seeking out and visiting some of the Okanagan’s beautiful quiet spaces.
What a treat to follow you on this one. Nightjar birds? Who knew? . I’m learning just what an awareness of flora and fauna you have! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Anna. Thank you very much for your comment. Regarding my “awareness of flora and fauna” I continue to learn as I go. For example, I recently ordered several excellent B.C. wildflower guides, written by Neil L. Jennings, through the library. I really wanted to know the name of several of the beautiful wildflowers I encountered at Tunkwa Lake and found them in his “Central Beauty: Wildflowers and Flowering Shrubs of the Southern Interior of British Columbia.” I’ve always found that once I know the name of a plant, bird, or animal there is an extra connection there that somehow increases awareness and appreciation. Regarding the nighthawks, I had actually seen several earlier in the year but they were deep in my memory and as yet unnamed. Last May, on Father’s Day, Brent, Daniel and I drove out to Chilliwack and did a “pretend camp” in a forest service campsite right beside the Chilliwack River. Our “pretend camp” was basically a hike along the river, followed by a cook up of burgers on the camp stove, and then sitting around a campfire until night fell and it was time to drive home. At dusk, as usual, we looked for bats and saw quite a few zipping around over the river and near our camp, quite near and not very high in the sky. Way up high though, over the river in the waning light, were several bird-like shapes swooping and turning like swallows but much bigger. I was curious and wondered what they were but then forgot about them until I saw the nighthawks in the Okanagan. From now on, of course, I will be more aware and notice them and know what they are. By the way, there is a Nighthawk Vineyards winery very near to the Okanagan Falls campground. 🙂
WOW, Christine, and I thought I knew the Okanagan!