Canyon Critters

I'm not done boring you with my vacation photos yet. Here are some of the critters we saw at the Grand Canyon.

My continued obsession with chickadee photos. But this was a western chickadee:


Elk:

Coyote (he licked his lips when he looked at Chris):

This was funny. We were driving along, and I said, "I wanna see a jackrabbit." Ten seconds later:

Squirrel enjoying a view of the canyon, or contemplating suicide.

Don't jump, squirrel!

Play ball!

We interrupt our vacation coverage to bring you photos from Cam's first baseball game. He was starting pitcher and closing pitcher (he called himself The Door) and hit a home run. In the next game he only played one inning and hit another home run. He had oral surgery this morning so he can't play in today's game (although it may be rained out). He's doing well; coming out of the anesthesia was rough, but he's doing okay now.

Day 3: volcanoes, craters, ruins, and the canyon

This was cool. A trail that took us through lava flows and cinder barrens to the base of Sunset Crater, which erupted about 1000 years ago:



This is from the top of a 1/2-mile hike (straight up!) that took you to look down on Lenox crater. That line at about Cam's elbow level is where it drops down to the crater. Hard to see the perspective in the pictures.


Why, yes, I think we will visit some more ruins.

Walnut Canyon:
Cliff dwellings:
View from Walnut Canyon:
Wupatki National Monument. The biggest pueblo we saw. It had a common room and a ball court and a blowhole, whatever that is, in addition to about 100 rooms.






View from Wupatki, with a little of the painted desert visible:More flora. The fauna was at the Grand Canyon.
Agave:
Obligatory prickly pear cactus shot:
That evening we arrived at Grand Canyon National Park just after sunset.
First view of the canyon:
First family photo at Grand Canyon:
Desert View Watchtower.

Day 2 Arizona

Are you ready for some pictures?

First stop, Oak Creek Canyon:


It was a little chilly that morning:
Next, Slide Rock State Park:
Banana yucca:

More flora:Sedona. Love, love, love those red rocks:
Red Rock State Park:


Crescent Moon Recreation Area/Red Rock Crossing:





Tuzigoot National Monument (more Indian ruins). The view was awesome here; photos can't do it justice. So quiet too.


Can any birders identify? I can't.