Another selection of nature photos from the members of the Nicola Naturalist Society, Merritt, BC – a colourful sample of the wildlife diversity in our area.
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![A Great Gray Owl caught in the act of catching a mouse - near Tunkwa Lake. Photo: © Jack & Carol Madryga](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Madryga-GGOW-P1050766.jpg)
This Great Gray Owl was caught in the act of catching a mouse – near Tunkwa Lake, BC. Photo: © Jack & Carol Madryga
![A Killdeer with its downy chick at Harrison Lake in the Kane Valley near Merritt, BC. Photo: © Gerry & Jill Sanford](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Sanford-killdeerfamily-sm.jpg)
A Killdeer with its downy chick at Harrison Lake in the Kane Valley near Merritt, BC. Photo: © Gerry & Jill Sanford
![Commonly known as "Maple Bugs" because they live on maple trees, these two are mating. Photo: © Bob Scafe](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Scafe-048-bugs-sm.jpg)
Locally known as “Maple Bugs” because they live on maple trees, these two are mating. Photo: © Bob Scafe
![Painted Turtles bask in the spring sun at Corbett Lake, near Merritt. This species is generally not found in lakes in the Nicola Valley and the ones in Corbett Lake might be introduced by people. Photo: © Andrea Lawrence](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Andrea-IMG_6503-painted-turtles-sm.jpg)
Painted Turtles bask in the spring sun at Corbett Lake, near Merritt. This species is generally not found in lakes in the Nicola Valley and the ones in Corbett Lake might be introduced by people. Photo: © Andrea Lawrence
![A lovely Mourning Cload butterfly - quite a common species in the Merritt area and BC interior. Photo: © Murphy Shewchuk](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Shewchuk-Mourning_Cloak_Butterfly_82665-sm.jpg)
A lovely Mourning Cloak butterfly – quite a common species in the Merritt area and BC interior. Photo: © Murphy Shewchuk
![A pair of Red-necked Grebes photographed in the midst of a spring courtship display. Photo: © Anne Pang](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Pang-RNGr-IMG_3268.jpg)
A pair of Red-necked Grebes photographed in the midst of a spring courtship display. Photo: © Anne Pang
![2013 was a bumper year for many wild fruit and berries. Chokecherries were superabundant. Photo: © Murphy Shewchuk](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Shewchuk-Chokecherry_Fruit_81901-sm.jpg)
2013 was a bumper year for many wild fruit and berries in the Nicola Valley. Chokecherries were superabundant. Photo: © Murphy Shewchuk
![This cinnamon-coloured black bear was photographed in the Kane Valley near Merritt. This coloration is quite often found in bears around Merritt. Photo: © Gerry & jill Sanford.](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Sanford-bearkane.jpg)
This cinnamon-coloured black bear was photographed in the Kane Valley near Merritt. This coloration is quite often found in bears around Merritt. Photo: © Gerry & jill Sanford.
![A large Western Toad is hard to see among the leaves and ground litter. These tough amphibians spend most of their lives on land and return to water just to breed. Photo: © Gerry & Jill Sanford.](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Sanford-westerntoad.jpg)
A large Western Toad is hard to see among the leaves and ground litter. These tough amphibians spend most of their lives on land and return to water only to breed in the spring. Photo: © Gerry & Jill Sanford.
![A juvenile Long-toed Salamander. This is the only salamander found in the Merritt, BC area. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_6435-LT-Salamander.jpg)
A juvenile Long-toed Salamander. This is the only salamander found in the Merritt, BC area. The long toes develop as the animal matures. Photo: © Alan Burger
![Many Cicadas emerged in the summer of 2013. Their high-pitched buzzing is one of the signs of summer. Photos: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_3807-3789-Cicada-combo.jpg)
Mountain Cicada (Okanagana bella), a species often associated with Douglas-fir forests and common in some parts of the Nicola Valley. Many Cicadas emerged in the summer of 2013. Their high-pitched buzzing is a signature sound of summer. Photos: © Alan Burger
![A female White Tailed Ptarmigan photographed near Mt. Coquihalla. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_3919-WTPt-female-sm.jpg)
A female White-tailed Ptarmigan photographed in the high alpine near Mt. Coquihalla. Photo: © Alan Burger
![Pikas are common in the rock screes of the alpine and high elevation areas around the Nicola Valley and Coast Mountains. Photo: © Alan Burger](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Burger-IMG_4018-pika-sm.jpg)
Pikas are common in the rock screes of the alpine and high elevation areas around the Nicola Valley and Coast Mountains. Photo: © Alan Burger
![Pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea). This plant is a saprophyte - meaning that it gets most of its nourishment by tapping into other plants, or in this case underground fungi. It is quite widespread in the coniferous forests of the BC interior. Photo: © Gerry & Jill Sanford](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Sanford-Pinedrops-Pterosproa-andromedea-sm.jpg)
Pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea). This plant is a saprophyte – meaning that it gets most of its nourishment by tapping into decaying material, with the help of symbiotic underground fungi. It is quite widespread in the coniferous forests of the BC interior. Photo: © Gerry & Jill Sanford
![A mixed group of swallows: Tree Swallows on the left and Barn Swallows on the right. Photo: © Jill & Gerry Sanford.](http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/files/Sanford-treebarnswallows-sm.jpg)
A mixed group of swallows: Tree Swallows on the left and Barn Swallows on the right at a lake near Merritt, BC. Photo: © Jill & Gerry Sanford.