Sundarbans National Park protects the world’s most extensive mangrove forest––3900 square miles of mangroves!––located in the delta of the combined Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers. About a third of the mangroves are in neighboring Bangladesh. Both governments are committed on paper to preserving this important coastal … Continue readingSundarbans: World-Class Mangroves!
Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Site in northeastern India, is not only home to two-thirds of the world’s Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros, wild Asian Elephants, and Tigers––it is also a designated Important Bird Area. Its exceptional biodiversity stems from its location at the margins of … Continue readingKaziranga’s Birds of Forest and Field
One morning en route to Kaziranga, when the fog was thick, we stopped at a local restaurant for hot tea to accompany our packed breakfasts. Towering over the restaurant was a giant fig tree, laden with fruit and birds. Great Hornbills reached delicately with their … Continue readingA Feast of Figs, India-Style
Although the mega-mammals draw most of the visitors to Kaziranga National Park in India, the birdlife is equally stellar. Let’s start with the denizens of shore and water. Bar-headed Geese at Kaziranga National Park, India (All photos by Narca) For years, I have wanted … Continue readingMeet the Bar-headed Goose and Friends!
Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northeastern India, is among India’s finest national parks. The great Brahmaputra River flows through it, bringing annual cycles of flood to replenish the swamps and grasslands along its shore. The park holds a vast expanse of … Continue readingKaziranga’s Grand Rhinos
Come with me to the Himalayan fastness of Singalila National Park, high along the border of India and Nepal, and home to the superlative Red Panda. Red Panda, Singalila National Park (All photos by Narca) Recently I joined an India tour run by Naturalist Journeys … Continue readingRed Pandas!
Scotland!! One of my favorite destinations is Scotland, and our last trip there was topnotch. I discovered new places to explore, and savor, and bird––all while delighting in the Scottish brogue. RSPB Reserve, Loch Garten (All photos by Narca) On this April trip, I was … Continue readingNethy Bridge and the Capercaillies
In recent Septembers, as part of our Rodeo-Portal Heritage Days, Elaine Moison and Dave Jasper have guided a field trip into South Fork, to discover and enjoy the wildflowers that flourish at the end of the summer monsoon. This year we found exquisite flowers, in … Continue readingAn Autumn Bouquet
Unsettled weather brings new possibilities, wakes us up. We’re more watchful, alert to what may be coming. What interesting changes are carried on the wind? Today, our weather is quite unsettled. A big storm passes through to the west, and we feel the winds it … Continue readingUnsettled Weather
Printing art on clothing has taken a new leap forward with an innovative company, VIDA, which I recently discovered. VIDA was founded in 2015 by Umaimah Mendro, a woman born in a village in Pakistan, who formerly worked for Microsoft. Based in San Francisco, VIDA … Continue readingVIDA: Art on Clothing!