I’m a recent arrival in the South Okanagan, a migrant species from the B.C. coast, Cortes Island to be exact.
I left behind the dense, frequently rainy coast for this dry, seemingly sparsely inhabited dry land with soaring temperatures and open skies. Hesitant at first, I mourned the loss of my favourite evergreen and ocean vistas; my scratchy trails buried in salal and blackberries, the lively seashores and towering cumulus clouds.
Where is my precious landscape that seemed to be the epitome of natural diversity? The answer, right under my feet. In fact, all around me.
What a shock to discover that the dry interior is also a rich collection of wonders. Here superficially barren-looking rabbit bush and sage hillsides, rolling grassland areas, Ponderosa pine forests and rare water sources are abundant, lively environments. Everything is hiding in plain sight, providing hugely important habitat and a surprising plethora of new to me birds, plants and mammals.
My discoveries really opened up thanks to folks like naturalist Doreen Olson and friend-of-the-outdoors, Connie Denesiuk. They shared very special places and invited me to participate in a potential book on the lands and treasures of the South Okanagan and Similkameen. The Meadowlark Festival too has been a big player in introducing me to things that might not be noticed.
Birding excursions and presentations offered by the South Okanagan Naturalists Club also brought my attention to the Valley’s unforeseen and exotic wild inhabitants. With passionate guides like that and an occasional cameo by ornithologist (now MP), Dick Cannings, everyday is discovery day.
From extraordinary mosses, lichens and tiny flowers whimsically named Pink Twinks, to athletic Big Horn Sheep and Mountain Goats, from transcendent Mariposa Lilies to dainty Spotted Sandpipers and big-eyed Kildeer, all have caught my eye.
What a delight to hear Meadowlark song peel across a pasture, catch the trill of a Cassin’s finch or track an owl by following the alarm calls of small birds. The latter led me to my first Great Horned Owl sighting. What a buzz when those big yellow eyes met mine.
This wide-open landscape is a bonus too. It’s so easy to move through and see into.
Kayaking on Vaseux Lake, scrambling up lakeside bluffs, finding historical pictographs, spotting ancient fossils, all are remarkably accessible and inviting. Roads wind off in all directions — an especially nice change from island life where all roads, and trails, led back home in less than an hour.
Here if I want a change of scene I can take a jaunt up to Apex mountain or explore west into the Similkameen valley with its sharp peaks and slightly wetter, cooler climate.
I’ve now explored many options and trace future possibilities on a map. On a recent drive through the Nighthawk border crossing I followed our U.S. neighbours’ portion of the Similkameen River to its confluence with the Okanagan River just south of Oroville. What fun to close the loop and appreciate the links we all share via waterways and corridor valleys no matter what side of the border, or what part of this south central dry land we live on.
Aided by my trusty lightweight camera with built-in super optical and digital zoom, I can pull this world in close. My camera has really added an extra dimension and ability to focus on my new environment.
Engaging more fully through photography is also relatively new for me. I’ve been a professional artist and illustrator most of my life, sharing my vision through wildlife publications, museum and national park exhibits, and providing my own personal magic window on the world with my landscape paintings.
The more observant I become, the more I feel compelled to share my discoveries.
Our world in all its forms is so fascinating it’s a passion of mine to help make it more visible, appreciated and protected.
Dianne Bersea, a member of the South Okanagan Naturalists Club, is temporarily subbing for Nature Wise columnist Bob Handfield who returns in August. Comments do not necessarily reflect SONC. For info on SONC meetings, speakers and events visit southokanagannature.com.
