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
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
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
Te Puia Geothermal Preserve near Rotorua, New Zealand, is located within Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley. Bob and I decided to investigate the natural wonders caused by the continual geothermal activity in that Taupo Volcanic Zone of the North Island, this after spending the early part of the same day at another attraction, Hobbiton. Read more
It was with notions of mystery and intrigue, memories of historical facts and a sense of spiritual respect that Bob, our son and I headed to Salisbury Cathedral. After recently reading Sarum and Pillars of the Earth, we could hardly wait to set eyes upon this magnificent cathedral whose spire has dominated the Wiltshire skyline in rural England since 1320. We were in awe! Read more
San Gimignano is a well-preserved medieval hill town in the Italian province of Siena that is famous as the town “with a thousand towers”. Dominating the horizon from its perch, San Gimignano creates an unforgettable skyline complete with its encircling stone walls and towers. No wonder it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 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
When Bob and I headed to Muriwai on New Zealand’s North Island, we had one intention and that was to photograph and observe the dense Australasian Gannet colony that occupies the headland there. The location was also perfect for Southern Black-backed Gulls, so there was a good number of them as well.
