The World Through Our Lens
Bob and I wasted no time when in Costa Rica. For the morning of our second day, we had booked a guided bird tour at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. At 5:30 a.m., a bus picked us up at Hotel Kokoro, and as it navigated the steep, sinuous road to the pavilion, the sun was just beginning to wedge its way between the deep shadows of the mountains and the dark night sky. Read more
Costa Rica was a destination on our bucket list for a good many years. We were there to see birds! Our flight landed in San Jose after sunset, so when we departed for Hotel Kokoro in La Fortuna the following morning, Bob and I were eager to see what species would constitute our first sighting of the trip.
When Bob and I decided to go birding at Long Point on the shores of Lake Erie in Ontario, it was our first planned trip for that purpose. We spent a couple of days birding popular areas near Port Rowan and Long Point Provincial Park but also had pre-booked a Zodiac boat ride from Long Point Tours out to the Tip of Long Point. Read more
When Bob and I visited Monteverde, we hiked in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve multiple times. One day, we found ourselves alone on a trail in the jungle. I was ahead of Bob when I heard him exclaim in a loud whisper “there they are!” I stopped in my tracks for Bob could only mean the Resplendent Quetzals. The pair was perched less than 20 feet to the side of the trail. Read more
The most-desired species of bird for Bob and me to see when visiting Costa Rica was the Resplendent Quetzal. In an effort to fulfill our dream, Bob pre-booked an early-morning guided hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. Just before noon, our guide heard the Quetzals vocalizing, but it was actually Bob that picked them out high in the cloud forest canopy. Read more
It was a rainy afternoon when Bob and I finally made it to Lake Matheson to explore the walking tracks there. The famous reflection of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman did not materialize on the lake’s surface, but we sure had dandy views of a New Zealand Bellbird alongside the trail. 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
The date was in mid-November, Bob’s birthday actually, and to mark the occasion, we decided to get out in the field for some birding. Little did we know that a diminutive Northern Saw-whet Owl would make our day! Read more
When staying at Hotel Garza Canela, a great birding base in San Blas, Mexico, we found the hotel staff and other birders quite willing to give helpful tips on where to go looking for birds. One recommended area was Cerro de San Juan Ecological Reserve near Tepic. A trip to this area required a 1 1/2 hour drive to get there. Read more