The World Through Our Lens
Photography of birds, animals, landscape and places we have travel to around the world.
On our last day in Mexico, Bob and I planned to do a little birdwatching along the shores of Lake Chapala before heading east to Mexico City for our evening flight. As we packed our luggage, pastoral sounds emanating from the urban farmyard next door floated in on the cool breeze. Shortly thereafter, we found ourselves in the colourful community of Chapala located on the north shore of Lake Chapala. Read more
For our first few days in South Africa, Bob and I stayed in Sabie. Ideally situated enroute to Kruger National Park, the location also allowed us ready access to the sights along the Mpumalanga Panorama Route which takes in all of the Blyde River Canyon. For us, the most impressive views were had at the lookout overlooking the Three Rondavels.
Our arrival at Valley View Lodge in Sabie came at the end of a prolonged drive from the airport in Johannesburg. Of course, there were many stops made along the way for photo ops, including one in Long Tom Pass where the highway climbs into the mountains between Lydenburg and Sabie.
Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland, Canada, is well known for its fjords. Western Brook Pond is one such fjord that was carved by glaciers and is now shouldered by forests and cliffs. Because it is landlocked, the long, narrow body of water is referred to as a pond or fjord lake. Read more
An opportunity to visit the only nesting site of White Herons in New Zealand could not be missed when traveling on the South Island near Whataroa. A day in advance, we booked ourselves on a tour that would take us to the heart of the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve to observe these elegant birds. Read more
Ready to explore the Po River Delta, the biggest wetlands in Europe, Bob and I were off the sheets early on our first full day in the region. The enchanted landscape covers an area of 140,000 hectares, so under a crystal clear sky, we set off in the direction of Parco Regionale Veneto del Delta del Po. Read more
Bob and I had never explored the Canadian Prairies before we planned our summer vacation to the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Committed to discovering more of our own country’s unique landscape and culture, we booked a car in Regina, Saskatchewan, for use after flying west from Toronto. Grasslands National Park East Block was our first destination. Read more
Bob and I were obliged to remain inside our car at Sunset Dam as is the case almost everywhere you go in Kruger National Park. Allowance is made for parking along one section of the shore, and it was from there that we had fantastic views of this African Jacana. Read more
From the patio door, on our second morning at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, I saw dense fog hemming in the mountains and feared, at best, an overcast if not a rainy day. A glance at the clock revealed it to be only 5:30 a.m. Two hours later, the fog was lifting, and the sun bathed the hillsides in golden showers of light. Read more
Fiordland National Park on the South Island of New Zealand abounds with picturesque landscapes. While there, several stops to appreciate the scenery also rewarded us with a couple of special bird sightings. One pullover afforded us the encounter we had hoped for. Several Kea, also known as New Zealand Mountain Parrots, flew in to greet us. Read more
