Tag: nature
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Costa Rica (2024): Monteverde
Part 2 of my June 2024 Costa Rica adventure with Seba and Celia takes place in Monteverde, a famous montane cloud rainforest situated 4,364 feet (1,330m) above sea level in the ethereal, misty highlands of the Cordillera de Tilarán. We spent two nights (Days 5-7) in Santa Elena, a town bordering the expansive cloud forest,…
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Costa Rica (2024): La Fortuna
My passion for the natural world has been with me as long as I can remember, but there was a place I visited as a kid I vividly remember it igniting fully for the first time. Costa Rica. I was on the verge of turning seven years old. My parents, wanting to bring my lively…
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Three-Day Birding Trip to Fraser’s Hill, Malaysia (2023)
Back in mid-October of this year, after our fall break family trip to India was unfortunately cancelled (we didn’t have visas!), my family left it to me to plan a backup trip. Though I had more than a few wildlife-rich localities in mind, I decided on one spot in particular that I believed would appeal…
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A Short Summary of Two Months in Spain
This summer I spent a full 2 months (June 1-July 25) in Alicante, Valencia in a Spanish immersion program. I stayed with a host family and attended classes at a local university, and on the weekends pursued activities with other members of the program. This was my first time experiencing full, long-term independence and while…
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Borneo (2023): the Kinabatangan River
Malaysia’s second-longest river, the Kinabatangan, and its surrounding floodplain forests, are two exquisite ecological gems constituting the jewel-studded crown of Borneo. I was grateful to spend two nights exploring this incredible ecosystem on my March 2023 Borneo trip. The Kinabatangan River possesses an ecosystem so bountiful in wildlife that it is often marketed as ‘Asia’s…
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Borneo (2023): Selingan Island and the Sepilok Sanctuaries
Welcome to part 2 of my March 2023 Borneo adventure! Hopefully you’ve read through part 1 and are up to date on the beginning of the trip for some background information. This post marks roughly the middle of the weeklong vacation: day 4 and half of day 5. We had a wide range of experiences…
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Borneo (2023): the West Coast of Sabah
To start my recounting of my recent trip to Sabah, Borneo (March 18th-24th, 2023), I’ll recite an excerpt from my journal: “When you love a place without having ever truly explored it, and finally get a chance to see it for yourself, you will almost certainly face disappointments and enchantments beyond anything you could’ve pieced…
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Short, Wet Birding Trip to Pasir Ris Farmway
Sometimes a shorter birding outing is really what I need, as opposed to a half-day species and rarities haul. With schoolwork and studying consuming most of my time lately, I’ve been having less and less energy for bigger birding expeditions. Not to worry though, I’m still in the market for birding when I can get…
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A Productive Weekend of Birding in Singapore
I’m not kidding when I say that sometimes my passion for the natural world is the only thing keeping me sane through high school! It’s a crazy time of my life; my whole future laid out before me as a path with many difficult obstacles to overcome. The good news is I’m certain my future…
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Birding in St. Augustine, Florida on Christmas Eve
Before I get into this interesting and productive birding outing, I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to read my blog! This my first post of 2023. It’s been almost a year since I started this blog, with the intention of cataloging my wildlife watching (primarily birding) outings, and other eco-adventures across…
Bennett Gardner Wildlife Watching 