Fifteen-year-old birder, wildlife photographer and outdoor enthusiast, Gaelen Schnare, has us lurking through high grasses on the shores of Kootenay Lake in search of local birds. He divulges how he became interested in this wonderful hobby at the mere age of six. Around Kootenay Lake, you can find more than two hundred different bird species which can be attributed to the variety of habitats located in fourteen provincial parks across major mountain ranges and a multitude of wetlands. What you don’t see that often, is other people in one of Kootenay Lake’s most underrated past times. So, pack a field guide, grab your binoculars and head out into nature. Visit nelsonkootenaylake.com to learn more.