Astro Images
Robins' Nest, April/May 2020
In the spring of 2020, during the COVID-19 quarantine period, a family of robins had a nest clearly visible in the tree just outside our living room window. For a month we could watch all the events and see them grow.
Hawaii, January 2019
Photos from the Big Island and Kauai -- thanks to our host friends, Lor and Mike Gehret!
Luft Family Siblings
An album of old family photos for the Luft siblings from birth through school years: Philip, Gretchen, David
Luft Family Parents: Jack and Martha
An album of old family photos of Gretchen's parents, Martha Sheers and Jack Luft
Luft Family Ancestors
An album of old family photos for the Luft family parents, grandparents, and more: the oldest from 1879!
Scenery From the Galapagos Islands, March 2017
From March 12 to 25 we visited the Galapagos Islands, first week for a conference and the second week on an island cruise. Here is the scenery and wildlife (except for the birds). Most photos were done with a Nikon D750.
Birds in the Galapagos Islands, March 2017
Here are some of the rich collection of bird pics from our 2-week visit in the Galapagos, March 2017. Most are from our week on the cruise catamaran "Cormorant" which visited half a dozen of the big islands. Most photos were done with a Nikon D750.
Germany, June 2016
Heidelberg, Schwetzingen, Cologne, Dresden -- early June 2016.
Prague, June 2016
Gretchen and I took 3 days to visit Prague, in the middle of a two-week stay in Heidelberg.
Cape Breton (Nova Scotia), August 2015.
Gretchen and I took most of a week to stay on Cape Breton (first time for either of us), staying in the small tourist center of Baddeck. The weather was amazingly good -- sunny almost every day. Photos are from the Cabot Trail, whale watching, birds, waterfalls, and more.
Jasper National Park (Alberta), September 2014.
Gretchen and I visited Jasper for 4 days in excellent fall weather. We stayed at the same cabins we had done during our honeymoon ages ago, and soaked in fabulous Rocky Mountain scenery throughout the park.
Gros Morne National Park (Newfoundland), July 2013.
Gretchen and I went for a quick 5-day vacation to the fabulous Gros Morne National Park to experience some terrific scenery. Desperately hoping for good weather, and we got it! Every day but one.
Mt Holyoke, May 2013.
Gretchen and I went to Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts for her 50th class reunion. Great weather, and all 5 of her best buddies from college all came! Three days of nonstop talking, food, and fun.
Easter weekend, March 2013.
These are photos from around home at the end of March 2013. The main feature is the bald-eagle nest at the Royal Botanical Gardens (north shore trails), plus other birds of several kinds.
Summer holiday Bruce Peninsula, August2012.
These are photos from around home and on the Bruce Peninsula at the end of August 2012.
Vacation in Alaska, June 2012 -- our trip to Denali National Park.
We spent a big hunk of our vacation going up to Denali Park on the train, looking around the park and Mount McKinley, then back to Anchorage. Here's some of the glorious scenery.
Vacation in Alaska, June 2012 -- our two glacier tour days.
We spent two separate days on boat tours around Prince William Sound and the Kenai Fjords. Highlights were the glaciers themselves, but loads of marine wildlife and birds too.
Vacation in Alaska, June 2012 -- flightseeing around Mount McKinley.
McKinley is the highest peak in North America, at just over 20,000 feet (Mount Logan in the Yukon is second). Although it's commonly referred to by its native name of Denali, the official name is still McKinley. More than just height though is its breadth -- it rises from a huge base and spans kilometers across as well, so it really stands out prominently above the Alaska Range that surrounds it. It creates its own microclimate that changes by the hour, so chances are that sometime in the day (or week) you can get a good view of it. We decided a tour by air would be terrific fun, and it was.
Vacation in Alaska, June 2012 -- All the birds.
Everywhere we went in Denali Park, Kenai Fjords, Prince William Sound and other places near Anchorage, we saw lots of birds big and small. Here are the best attempts to photograph them. This is such a rich place for marine birds especially. The photos were taken with a Nikon D5000 plus Sigma 150/500 telephoto lens. A small disclaimer: some of these were taken at some distance and sometimes from moving vehicles (boats, trains, buses).
Vacation in Alaska, June 2012 -- All the wildlife.
Here are some of the best photos of all the wildlife we saw in Denali Park, Kenai Fjords, and other places near Anchorage. Grizzlies, moose, orcas, humpbacks and much more. Most of these were taken with the same camera as for the birds (above).
Birds Near Home -- 2011/12
Here's a collection of bird photos taken around the area during winter and spring 2011/12. Most were taken with a Nikon D5000 plus Sigma 150/500 telephoto lens.
Cottage week on the Bruce Peninsula, August 2011
In late August we spent a week at a cottage on Lake Huron, near Lion's Head on the Bruce Peninsula. Here are some pics of our hiking, birdspotting, boating, and just plain classic scenery.
Australia Bird Photos
This album is a collection of the best bird photos taken in Australia during 2010/11. These were taken with a Nikon D3100 plus 55-300mm telephoto lens.
New Zealand Bird Photos
Although our New Zealand South Island trip in April 2011 concentrated mostly on scenery [see albums posted below], here are a few of our best bird photos, especially featuring the Northern Royal Albatross, which can be seen near Dunedin on the Otago Peninsula.
Kangaroo Valley and Mollymook -- April 2011
For our last little weekend getaway before returning home, we spent a couple of sunny days for a look at the coast near Mollymook and Bateman's Bay, the area that Canberrans use for beach resorts. We went back up through the beautiful forests and cliffs of Kangaroo Valley and Fitzroy Falls.
New Zealand: Dunedin and Tairoa Head -- April 2011
In mid-April we spent a terrific holiday week driving around the south part of the South Island of New Zealand. Here's a sampling of the roughly 700 photos we took that week! This section features Dunedin, Tairoa Head with the albatross colony, the rare Yellow-Eyed Penguins, and more.
New Zealand: Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound -- April 2011
These are from our bus and boat tours to see the fiords at Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound. Incredible.
New Zealand: The Southern Alps -- April 2011
This set is from our days driving around the SW coast including Te Anau, Wanaka, and the Southern Alps.
In and Around Canberra -- Feb/March 2011
We spent both our 2001/02 and 2010/11 sabbatticals at Mount Stromlo Observatory in Canberra. For most Australians, Canberra is far down the list of "must-see" places, but we've always liked it particularly for its open, spread-out form and quick access to the countryside. And if you want big-city culture and activity you can find that too. Here's a sampling of our meanderings around our sabbattical "home base". Birds, scenery, events and more. (Once you start the slideshow, click the "i" button at top to display the caption text.)
Tasmania January 2011
During a two-week trip in January 2011, we spent a few days in Melbourne followed by 8 days looking around Tasmania -- our first time there. Here are just a few of our photos. (Once you start the slideshow, click the "i" button at top to display the caption text.)
Great Ocean Road and Adelaide, November 2010
In November 2010 we did a 2-week car trip from Canberra to Melbourne to Adelaide and back. Highlights were a weekend at the Rutherglen wineries, the Great Ocean Road west of Melbourne, the culture in Adelaide, views along the south coast, and the drive back along the Murray River. (Once you start the slideshow, click the "i" button at top to display the caption text.)
And here are some older albums (2008 and earlier). I've stopped updating these.
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Astro Images |
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Observatory Trips |
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Around McMaster |
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Australia 2001/02 |
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Birds |
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