The World Through Our Lens
My husband, Bob, while in the process of putting bird food into the feeders, happened to notice a new visitor to our backyard…a Black-and-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia), a type of Wood Warbler. Read more
In the Summer of 2013, Bob and I drove to Montreal to take in the Mosaiculture 2013 competition underway at Montreal Botanical Gardens. The Garden had so much more to offer, including 31 specialized gardens. When we hit upon the Daylily Garden, I could not believe the number and varieties of daylilies covering endless flowerbeds…daylilies such as this ruby red beauty. Read more
On a visit to Oxtongue Lake, in Ontario, Bob and I made a point of revisiting the now familiar Great Blue Heron rookery because we knew the Great Blue Herons had made their return to the nests earlier this spring. What a delight to see so many young herons once we got our binoculars and camera lenses focused on the nests. Read more
As Bob and I were about to leave Montreal’s Botanical Gardens, after a day-long tour of the wonderful Mosaicultures 2013 on exhibit, we came upon a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) sniffing around the various plants in one specialized garden. What a surprise to find this wild creature quite at home in urban Montreal. Read more
When I read Sonia Day’s article in the Toronto Star, about Mosaiculture 2013, an international competition being held at the Montreal Botanical Garden, I was consumed with intrigue. Competitors from around the world had created giant living “sculptures” using plants as their medium, and the theme for 2013’s competition was Land of Hope. Bob, and I just had to go and check it out. Read more
On a beautiful sunny day, Bob and I decided to head to the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park in search of birds that are uncommon in our own part of the province. As we approached Forks of the Credit Provincial Park near Caledon, along a quiet country road called McLaren Road, a vibrant green sludge drew our eyes to a pond at the side of the highway. When we spotted a turtle poking its head up through the surface of the water, we had to pull over for a look. The reptile turned out to be an Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta). Read more
When Bob and I visited Grand Canyon National Park , our primary objective was to revel at the overwhelming and impressive scale of the canyon. Little did we know that our passion for birdwatching would be so richly rewarded both on the South Rim and deep within the canyon, itself. On one visit to Hopi Point, we were lucky enough to spot one of the two California Condors known to be nesting in a nearby rock face. Read more
Recently, Bob and I took the opportunity of a break in the rain for a hike along the Seaton Hiking Trail, near Whitevale, Ontario. How apt that we spotted a Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans) resting at the side of the swiftly moving water on a damp rock. Now, you are probably thinking, “aren’t all frogs green?”, but the Green Frog is one of Ontario’s 13 recognized frog species. Read more
After leaving the Waterford Crystal Factory, Bob and I did some hasty research and selected Dunmore East (Irish: An Dun Mor Thoir) , a small fishing village south of Waterford in Ireland, as a likely destination that seemed of interest. When we pulled into the sleepy community, it immediately had us feeling right at home. Read more