The World Through Our Lens
On our first full day at Grasslands National Park, after waking up very early and having a hearty breakfast, we took the advice of our hostess and set out to drive the Ecotour Road to the Borderlands Lookout. It was a relaxing way to start our explorations on the heels of a very long travel day. Read more
Pandemic birding and nature hikes have kept us close to home since March of 2020, and one of our favorite places to get outdoors is in Rouge National Urban Park. On an early June day, we were very fortunate to see an Eastern Milksnake in Bob Hunter Memorial Conservation Area. Read more
On a late summer afternoon, Bob made a brief stop at North Reesor Pond in Rouge National Urban Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His intention was to look for shorebirds, but with none presenting, he began to scour the reeds and bushes for insects. That is when he happened upon this most unusual caterpillar, a Cecropia Moth Larva. Read more
On an outing to Rouge National Urban Park in Ontario, Canada, we came upon a pair of Cecropia moths mating beside a pond. Read more
Day 2 in Costa Rica had us first completing a very early morning guided bird hike. After breakfast back at Hotel Kokoro, Bob and I headed to Ecocentro Danaus on the edge of La Fortuna. It is a private reserve with a butterfly conservatory where Bob and I hoped to see some of Costa Rica’s tiny winged jewels. Read more
Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland, Canada, is well known for its fjords. Western Brook Pond is one such fjord that was carved by glaciers and is now shouldered by forests and cliffs. Because it is landlocked, the long, narrow body of water is referred to as a pond or fjord lake. Read more
Bob and I covered a lot of ground on our second day in Costa Rica. We began birding before sunrise and by early afternoon, we decided to check out Ecocentro Danaus on the outskirts of La Fortuna. The small private reserve was rich in wildlife. Read more
After our flight from Toronto to Regina, Bob and I drove directly to Grasslands National Park near the southern border of Saskatchewan. We were determined to complete a hike in the East Block of this Park and opted to do the Valley of 1000 Devils Route before traveling further west to Val Marie on the edge of the Park’s West Block. Read more
Setting off mid-morning from Skukuza Rest Camp in Kruger National Park on a self-guided safari had Bob and me filled with anticipation. Our destination for the afternoon was Sunset Dam near Lower Sabie Rest Camp, a mere 36 kilometres southeast of Skukuza. The generous waterhole at Sunset Dam rewarded us with prime wildlife viewing that included this family of Hippopotamuses. Read more
Bob and I were obliged to remain inside our car at Sunset Dam as is the case almost everywhere you go in Kruger National Park. Allowance is made for parking along one section of the shore, and it was from there that we had fantastic views of this African Jacana. Read more
