The World Through Our Lens
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
As Bob and I made our way into the Main Pavilion at Skukuza Rest Camp to sign up for a guided night safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa, our mission was interrupted when a flicker of yellow drew our eyes to a nearby palm tree. We were delighted to see a beautiful Lesser Masked Weaver dangling upside down from a stiff palm frond. Read more
An irruption of Snowy Owls in southern Ontario in the winter of 2017/2018 gave Bob and I huge expectations of seeing one. Reports had been pouring in from all across the province, so we made plans to go touring with friends in the hopes of turning up a couple. 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, Canada. 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
On a cool November day with sunshine in the forecast, Bob and I decided on the spur of the moment to take a drive into Eastern Ontario to see the spectacle of Greater Snow Geese amassing near Casselman. Reportedly, 60,000 Snow Geese had already formed one flock with more arriving hourly. Read more
On our first full day in New Zealand, Bob and I headed north from Karekare to the well known Gannet colony at Muriwai. We were very pleased to find a significant colony of White-fronted Terns also sharing the headland at Otakamiro Point. Read more
After picking up a rental car in Auckland, New Zealand, Bob set about driving us to our first accommodation in Karekare at the edge of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park in the Waitakere Hills. What a warm welcome we received at Lone Kauri Lodge and what a nice touch to see the Canadian flag flying proudly from their flagpole. Read more
What a thrill to have our exclusive up-close-and-personal encounters in a Blue-footed Booby colony on Isla Isabel off the west coast of Mexico. After spending a couple of days in San Blas, and with the assistance of Josefina Vazquez at Hotel Garza Canela, we lined up a full-day excursion to the small volcanic island that is located some 43 miles northwest of the tiny fishing village. Read more
What a delight to have winter arrive on time! Cold temperatures and lots of snow meant that our bird feeders were busy from morning until night in Ontario, Canada. And then one morning, we noticed that all was quiet in our suburban backyard. A Sharp-shinned hawk had landed. Read more
It had been several years since Bob and I came across a Northern Saw-whet Owl, the first time being in our local park in late October of 2012. It was that bird sighting that got us hooked on bird watching. It was a long interlude but not for lack of trying. Our patience and persistence finally paid off when we located this Northern Saw-whet Owl on a recent warm February day near Oshawa, Ontario. Read more
