Mesmerizing Canadian sights: Come witness the enchanting locations of Canada. These glorious sights will leave you awe-struck. Take a look…

A couple rides a horse-driven sled along the snow-covered village of Saskatchewan, Craven.

 A trekker watches takes a pause to admire the sunset the at the Narrow Hills Provincial Park in Craven.

 A couple looks over the gorgeous natural surroundings of Nova Scotia.

 The air in Edmonton is filled with festivities as the sky sparkles with fireworks in Alberta.

 A hiker enjoys the view at the Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, Albeta.

 A couple spends their time surrounded by nature at a park in New Brunswick.

 A man enjoys his afternoon at the Prospect Bay in Nova Scotia.

 A man clicks the gorgeous view of Cape Tryon, at Park Corner or Prince Edward Island.

 A woman gleefully watches the gentle waterfall of Fundy National Park in New Brunswick.

 People enjoy a day of kayaking at Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick.

Best Sun Sents

Ferry ride at sunset, Galveston, Texas

A new beginning, Velisemmandalam, Tamil Nadu 

 Sunset at Ramakkalmedu

 Sunset at Pushkar Lake

 Speechless Beauty

Placid lake in twilight 

Outskirts of Mumbai

 Sunset in Kochi, Kerala

Last moments of (sun)day

 Lonely Planet, Alleppey, Kerala

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 Lovely light, Mysore

 

Goa, strictly for the birds

To most people Goa is a land of beaches, great food and the good life. But towards the Western Ghats that border its eastern limits, Goa is a birder’s paradise. Dense forests, river beds, and mangrove forests along the many backwaters and streams are flocked by several winged species – some endemic, a few migratory but most are residents. 

 * * *

Flame-throated Bulbul
In the forests of Tambdi Surla in Goa, I met this brilliantly coloured bird. The state bird of Goa, the Flame-Throated Bulbul (Pycnonotus gularis) is bright yellow with a black head and a bright, flame-colored patch on its throat. This bird moves around in pairs, and is mostly encountered in forests. 

 

Woolly Necked Stork
Though relatively common, the handsome Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) is not an easy bird to see up close, because it takes flight when approached. This is one of the closest sightings I have ever had of this bird. I also spotted it during the boat ride on the Zuari River. 

 

Black capped Kingfisher
Bird-watchers from all over the world visit Goa to see this spectacularly colorful bird. The canals and mangrove forests around some of the fishing hamlets in Goa are known to harbor many varieties of kingfisher. Of these, the Black-capped Kingfisher is the most sought-after. 

 

Slaty Breasted Rail 

We saw this bird hiding among the reeds on the banks of the river Zuari. This bird was a lifer for me. In birding terms, a lifer is a bird that has been spotted for the first time in the birdwatcher’s life.

 

Grey Heron
Not cranes, not storks, these large grey birds are herons. Note the long, fish-spearing beak. It was early in the morning as we sailed down the Zuari and spotted this Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) on the river banks.

 

Chestnut-tailed starling
Relatives of the mynas, the starlings are noisy, active birds that are often found in large flocks. I was walking around the Tambdi Surla temple when this Chestnut-tailed Starling (Sturnia malabarica) was looking down at me , perhaps wondering if I had anything in store for it. 

 

Crimson-backed sunbird
Also known as the Small Sunbird, this tiny bird is found in the foothills of the Western Ghats. One of the easiest birds to spot, it is rather difficult to photograph as it never sits still.

 

Orange-headed Ground Thrush
Sporting such brilliant colors, this Orange-headed Thrush (Zoothera citrine) was seen on the way to Dudhsagar Falls. It was patient enough to pose for us. These thrushes spend most of their time on the ground, searching for insects among fallen leaves.