Discovering The World Through Our Lens
One of my favorite animals seen when visiting South Africa was the tall, elegant South African Giraffe. Also known as the Cape Giraffe, Bob and I came across these gentle giants on several occasions as we toured Kruger National Park, and it was always a pleasure to sit and observe them. Read more
Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby, Ontario has all the trappings of Christmas this year.
For the second visit in a row at my mom’s place, a tour of the gardens was in order, and both times found me without the camera that usually hangs around my neck. A mad dash to the house to alert Bob and to grab my camera had me ready to photograph this stunning Snowberry Clearwing Moth as it flitted from flower to flower. Read more
Bob and I had been looking forward to getting up to the Carden Alvar for at least a couple of years. Our schedule and family commitments just did not allow us the opportunity until this May. I was filled with excitement at the prospect of seeing a number of early spring migrants and birds that favour the specialized habitat of the alvar plain, so it came as a pleasant surprise to also come across a rare Blanding’s Turtle. Read more
When my son forwarded photos of a Mudpuppy that he and his buddies pulled from Lake Nipissing in Ontario while ice fishing, I thought “how interesting” but gave it no further consideration. I did not realize how uncommon these little aquatic creatures are. Read more
At the end of a very rewarding afternoon that had Bob and I enthralled with the cave dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, we had to return to our base lodgings at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. The drive took us right past Monument Valley on the border of Utah and Arizona, so we couldn’t pass up seeing the famous landmarks located there. That is where we came upon this female Desert Spiny Lizard. Read more
Like in our own cities, conservation areas and parks here in Canada, squirrels are a common sight if not a nuisance, but we still adore their sweet little faces and comical antics. The same can be said for the Rock Squirrels at Grand Canyon National Park. The rodents are so plentiful that Park’s staff warn visitors to be on the lookout for their bold behaviour! Read more
Late last summer, based on reports of a Yellow-crowned Night Heron being seen at Colonel Samuel Smith Park in Etobicoke, Bob and I finally found the time to take a spin down to that waterfront park to see if we would be lucky enough to find it. Amongst other things, I found this gorgeous Shamrock Orbweaver Spider. Read more
The second morning following our arrival in Mexico, Bob and I took full advantage of a perfect sunny day to go to Santuario de la Mariposa Monarca “El Rosario” to witness the phenomenon of wintering Monarchs by the millions. Getting there was half the adventure, and unexpected sights such as a spur-of-the-moment cockfight at roadside certainly made the trip interesting. Read more