Discovering The World Through Our Lens
The route we chose as a conduit between Hilltop Camp and the Nyalazi Gate in South Africa had us experiencing a couple of close calls on our last morning in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve. One incident was when we came head-to-head with this massive White Rhinoceros. Read more
Our plan, when staying in La Fortuna, was to make a couple of road trips to further our exploration of the area. On our third day in Costa Rica, we were up at 5 a.m., wakened by bird song, but pouring rain had us holding off until 9 o’clock before setting off for Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. It is considered by many to be the third most important wetland in the world. Read more
On a recent wintry day, Bob and I headed to our local park for some fresh air and a bit of exercise. As we walked the asphalt trail through a wooded section of the park, I noticed movement off to the side of the walkway. A young Virginia Opossum had dared to be out of its den during daylight hours! Read more
Amherst Island is situated in Lake Ontario near Kingston, and for at least a couple of years, Bob and I had intended to visit it. The intention was to photograph birds of prey that winter there. Our explorations were enriched by of a healthy population of White-tailed Deer that casually foraged in different areas. 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
Bob and I learned about Amherst Island from fellow birders who touted it as the most reliable location to see Snowy Owls in the winter. On our first ever trip there, we were not disappointed. Read more
Bob and I arrived at Hilltop Camp in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park exhausted after an extremely long day that saw us traveling from Kruger National Park and across Swaziland to get there. Over dinner, we had views of the Park from the expansive restaurant patio that overlooked muted silhouettes of undulating mountaintops while an armed guard sat unobtrusively in the shadows and watched for wildlife that might cross the thin electric wire just below the terrace. Read more
On what seemed a very ordinary winter day, Bob and I took a leisurely walk over to one of our local parks to escape the routine of familiar household chores. Milliken Park in Toronto, Ontario, was almost deserted. Though we scanned bushes and trees, not a single bird was seen until I noticed a solitary Cooper’s Hawk perched on a sunlit branch. Seconds later, the hawk launched into the air and nabbed a Big Brown Bat that was flying by. Read more
On a bright, sunny Saturday in mid-October, Bob and I decided to make a trip to the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. A fellow birder had reported groups of Sandhill Cranes in that vicinity where corn fields had recently been harvested. At first, we were afraid the drive would be all for naught, but in the end, we located close to 200 of these elegant birds. Read more