Tri-colored Heron in the mangrove swamp at San Blas

tri-colored heron, mangrove swamp, san blas, mexico, pic 7

It is safe to say that Bob and I probably failed to get an exact count of all the different birds that we managed to see in San Blas, Mexico, but at least we were able to make positive identification of those species that crossed our paths, birds such as this Tri-coloured Heron. Read more

Yellow-crowned Night Heron Deep In The San Blas Swamp

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, mangrove swamp, san blas, nayarit, mexico, pic 19

When Bob and I visited San Blas on the Pacific coast of Mexico, our objective was to see some of the endemic bird species as well as others that winter in that southern locale.  We had seen a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron in our hometown of Toronto a couple of years earlier.  As we cruised through the mangrove jungle on our guided tour, closeup views of these rather elegant birds were fairly frequent. Read more

Australasian Gannets at the Muriwai Gannet Colony

australasian-gannet-at-the-muriwai-gannet-colony-waitakere-new-zealand-2

Bob and I had a long list of sights to see in New Zealand and first up was the gannet colony at Muriwai Regional Park just outside of Auckland.  About an hour’s drive north of Lone Kauri Lodge where we were staying on the North Island, it made for the perfect day trip.  Over 2,000 Australasian Gannets make up the colony at Muriwai, which is one of only three mainland gannet colonies in New Zealand. Read more

A Northern Parula Warbler in a Backyard Oasis

Northern parula sitting on a tree limb in Toronto, Ontario

It was this past spring that Bob and I finally visited the Long Point area of Ontario during the peak period of songbird migration.  We had a long wish list of new birds that we would like to see, and on this list was a Northern Parula.  We failed to spot any when in that area of the province but did have one spend the afternoon in our Toronto backyard soon thereafter.  What a pleasant surprise! Read more

An Osprey carries branch to its nest at Carden Alvar

osprey, carden alvar, city of kawartha lakes, ontario, pic 8

osprey with tree branch, carden alvar, ontario, pic 2

On a mid-June visit to Carden Alvar in Ontario, Bob and I opted to tour the area in the reverse direction from our first visit when we crossed Canal Lake at dusk.  First thing in the morning provided better light for photography, and there was no lack of activity near the Osprey nests.  We were hoping that the Osprey did not drop its load as they flew over! Read more

Green Kingfisher In The Mangrove Swamp At San Blas

Green Kingfisher male, mangrove swamp, san blas, nayarit, mexico, pic 2

Bob and I were so excited as we set off from the pier on our mangrove swamp tour.  With Chencho at the helm of our substantial launch, we were confident that many tropical birds would not allude detection.  One species that caught our eye on several occasions was a Green Kingfisher, seen here perching at the edge of the San Cristobal mangrove estuary. Read more

A Brown Thrasher Hunts for Bugs at Carden Alvar, Ontario

brown thrasher holding bugs at carden alvar, cameron ranch, kawartha lakes, ontario

The day in June that Bob and I chose for our visit to the Carden Alvar was a steamy one in a string of hot days more characteristic of the tropics.  Our first stop was at Cameron Ranch where friends had photographed beautiful expanses of Indian Paintbrush wildflowers only a couple of days earlier.  The flowers were past their prime, but I came face to face with this Brown Thrasher as it waited to supply its nestlings with these freshly-caught insects. Read more

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