We have wilderness and wildlife corridors right through the middle of our City.   The North and South Thompson Rivers are transformed as the waters rise and flood the rock shorelines and sandbars.    The rivers expand right into the vegetation zones on either side.   While paddling on the river this week, the following can be seen by other observant outdoors people:

• Nesting ducks and geese along shorelines, in tree caverns, and on shelves above the water line.
• Loons are not normally seen on the river near town except in May-June.   Loons were diving in the wide section of the river east of the Yellowhead bridge.
• A muskrat home can be seen close to the shore on the Reserve side upriver.
• Beaver activity can also be seen on the shoreline.
• Two Canada goose mothers each had three fledglings on the shoreline.
• Shrubs and trees adapted to the flooded riparian zone dominate the shoreline.   In the Kamloops area, the shoreline it is often hardhack spirea, red osier dogwood, shrub willow, and black cottonwood.
• Spirea was in flower, even with its feet in the water.   Catkins have not yet swelled.
• Shrubs and trees make hollows, tree-caves, and alcoves for wildlife.   We area usually only aware of the rustlings.
• Eagles and ospreys perch on high spots looking down at the river.
• Gulls and crows scavenging along shorelines.
• Shore debris that is lifted by the rising river.
• The whole river channel changes with new eddies, small whirlpools, and rebound waves appearing over what had been shoreline a few weeks ago.    Rippled water covers rock bars and sandbars.
• On the claybanks, small birds nest in burrowed holes.   We saw mountain bluebirds and swallows flitting to the nests and back over the river.