Hiking Bright Angel Trail To Indian Garden at the Grand Canyon

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bright angel trail sign 2aa

The day preceding our hike on the Bright Angel Trail at    Grand Canyon National Park ,    saw Bob and me taking it easy and making the necessary preparations for our lengthy endeavour.  We purchased lots of salty snacks, lunch supplies, energy bars and fruit, knowing full well that the demands on our bodies would probably be the most extreme we had ever experienced.  With our alarm set for 4 a.m., and plans to hit the trail by 5 a.m., Bob and I intended to retire early, but in the end, we hit the hay about the same time as usual…10:30 p.m.  We were full of anticipation and trepidation.  Were we really up to the task? Read more

Mule Deer along the Grand Canyon South Rim Trail

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mule deer, grand canyon national park

Bob and I had been at    Grand Canyon National Park    for a few days, and on top of exploring the phenomenal panoramic sights, we  had also been engrossed in the observation of a variety of bird species.  It was not until the morning of a guided Fossil Hike that we first came upon some Mule Deer.  People wanting to join the hike were to assemble on the canyon-side patio of Bright Angel Lodge, and there, just below the stone wall edging the pathway, a family of Mule Deer was having its breakfast. Read more

Message in a Bottle Update from Markham, Ontario

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A message in a bottle in Markham, Ontario

Message sits inside a bottle

A little less than a year ago, Bob and I came across a mysterious message in a bottle at Milne Dam Conservation Area in Markham, Ontario.  Languishing in the high-water debris of Milne Pond, the well-stoppered bottle with a remarkably in tact wax seal was just waiting for someone to rescue it from almost certain obscurity. Read more

Double crested Cormorant at Lynde Shores Conservation Area

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double-crested cormorant swims towards swamp

double-crested cormorant, profile of head

Bob and I have seen many Double crested Cormorants in the Georgian Bay area when canoeing the Beaver River and in the Minesing Swamp, not to mention right in the town of Thornbury, but we had never come across a member of the species at Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby until on a recent visit there. Read more

The Poison Garden At Blarney Castle In Ireland

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An image of the deadly nightshade skull and crossbones sign in the Poison Garden at Blarney Castle in Ireland. Photograph by Frame To Frame - Bob and Jean.

The Poison Garden at Blarney Castle is one of the featured gardens on the grounds that span some 1,000 acres, but it is but a tiny plot sheltered behind the Blarney Castle battlements.  The Poison Garden contrasts sharply with the expansive green spaces and vibrant flowers found elsewhere on the estate property, but mystique pervades the small plot and has curious visitors anxious to investigate . Read more

Brown-headed Cowbird Juvenile Visited Our Toronto Backyard

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brown-headed cowbird, juvenile, toronto, ontario, canada

One fall, Bob and I were so excited to see what we thought was a new bird sitting on our backyard arbour.  Trouble was, we couldn’t find the bird in any of our bird books, so we turned to Toronto and Southern Ontario Birding for their input.  It turns out that this beautiful bird is a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater). Read more

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