Six Months in South Africa: Winter Morning in Grahamstown

On a winter morning in Grahamstown, I birded my way up Gunfire Hill and through Rhodes University campus and Makana Botanical Gardens. The air was filled with promise and new beginnings – a good day...

Six Months in South Africa: First Impressions of Grahamstown

My first impressions of Grahamstown, South Africa, are conflicting. On one hand, the Eastern Cape hub town is home to a world-class university, hosts an annual national arts festival and boasts stunni...

Six Months in South Africa: Destination: Grahamstown

Destination: Grahamstown. A six-month soujourn in South Africa to study big cat movements begins with flights to London, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, followed by a drive through Eastern Cape veld bri...

Dartmouth After Rain, Nova Scotia

In mid-October, I spent an hour strolling Dartmouth streets and waterfront near Alderney Landing while Vilis attended his cello lesson. In the wake of steady rain, mist hung over Halifax Harbour, shro...