Grand Birds in the Grand Canyon & the Journey's End

We were seated and enjoying some lunch near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center when my nephew said there was a 'red bird over there'. I took no notice really, thinking he must have spotted a House Finch or some such bird I could see just as easily back home. But I decided to be respectful of William's birding so I looked up to see.... WTF...? It was a Red Crossbill, seated atop a pine.

I took a few zillion photos of the bird species I don't see as often as I see too often and told William what a fantastic score the 'red bird' was. Then I proceeded to (I hope) regail every poor soul within earshot about the wonders of Crossbills. Poor things... the people, not the birds.

I never photograph House Sparrows (I'm such a bigot) but I did so this once. 

Juniper Titmouse, so like the titmouses in my back yard, but a different species

William photographed this obliging Red-breasted Nuthatch

Do not believe I've ever seen a Dark-eyed Junco in this color palate before

Hoppy little White-breasted Nuthatch

Far off Clark's Nutcracker

Cassin's Finch

Shiny as heck Raven

On one of the park roads there was this 'watch out for Mountain Lions' signs. AS IF! I'd have wet myself - from over enthusiasm -  had we spotted a lion.

Here is the end of William and my wonderful cross country journey. We couldn't believe how fast two weeks shot past. We drove to Las Vegas tonight and holed up in the Luxor Hotel. William tried his hand at some gambling while his cranky Aunt stayed in and hit the sack. And tomorrow we drive home to my house in Fair Oaks, California. Wow. Twelve States, three National Parks, and umpteen events crossed off the bucket list. What a satisfying fortnight spree!

Grand Canyon: New and Again

South Rim Vista

Today held the fun of William's first view of the Grand Canyon, while for me it is a 2nd visit with a caveat. The caveat being that I visited was at the canyon in 2014 but on returning home my san disk card was MIA so no photos of that inspirational visit. So today was a photo opt free-for-all and even if I lose my photo card, chances are William isn't an absent minded klutz like his aunt.

Now - how about that scenery, eh?

We visited several rim scenic views which were each equally charming & rugged.

I birded as we toured, and I think that deserves a posting of its own. We stopped by my favorite bit of most parks, the visitor center. 

Grand as the Canyon, Visitor Center

Being a huge park, there are diverse Passbook stamps to collect - and I've got about half of them - yeah. I know. There's no prize for accumulating any of the things.

Stamps - th gold at the end of the park rainbow

Our last stop was the grand 'desert view'  tower. The Watchtower is famous for having been built for the sake of being built and for not actually existing for any reason other than for existing and looking cool. Works for me.

The Watchtower that has a sweeping 'desert view'

Visitors can hike up to the top, which, of course, I did not

The desert view

We spent part of the afternoon driving from one colorful scenic view to the next.

This shot of the Colorado River (?) was far off in the distance 

 Everywhere we went, ravens could be seen playing in the thermals, like mini-thunderbirds.

The Ravens flew everywhere

I spent a lot of my afternoon watching and photographing birds. And how about those birds!

Montezuma's Castle and Sedona Arizona

Montezuma Castle

The day started with William, Rhonda and I breakfasting in a cute little restaurant shop that specialized in breakfast dishes, you know, nifty omelettes and the like. For our short visit, I found Chandler Arizona is adorable with beautiful architecture. After lots of hugs and 'I'll miss you's, William and I headed... right into an inexplicable northward traffic jam. I was driving and the fun part was the slow traffic allowed lots of photo opts of the slowly passing window for William.

Gila Monster - Arizona has beautiful highway byways

Parting is such sweet Saguaro.... HAHAHAHAHAA!

Note the hawk on the upper right saguaro...
My nephie birds!

Took a couple of hours to arrive at our day's main stop: Montezuma Castle National Monument. The monument has nothing to do with Montezuma, as he was born after this impressive apartment complex (that's how I view it anyway) was completed. I visited this site years ago, but as I lost the scan disk that held the photos I took, I had to return, and this time I have good company for my visit.

Entrance view of the ancient Sinagua people's dwellings

The dwelling is neither a castle, nor did it have anything to do with Montezuma, who was born after it was built. I love imagining what it would have been like to live in this impressive high rise; facing a good source of water - now called 'Beaver Creek' - safe up above from flooding and from any invaders. Just going down for your day's supply of water would have kept one and all healthy & fit. This was the Club Med for the first nation's peoples indeed. 

River rock, limestone and adobe type mortar were the building materials

A Ranger pointed out a hole up top of the cliffs and asked what we saw there...

 

I looked with my binoculars and spotted what was up - a honey comb! There were residents in the old dwelling yet - honey bees!  Yeesh... the look of honey combs squicks me out a bit.

There are other residences present nowadays too - Cliff Swallow nests

Oh yeah, and the odd Rock Squirrel lives there too.

Sycamores shade the peaceful creek below the dwellings

Along side the creek, the locals grew the 'three sisters', which are squash, corn and beans. And as 'locals' go, don't think the ancestors of the people who lived in the dwellings are long gone. Their descendants are still with us. There are local Hopi clans who have oral histories of their times on the cliffs. The Zuni once traded here, and the Yavapai bands also traveled here.

When William and I headed out for out next stop - Sedona, the sun was beginning its downward journey. It would take more than sundown though, to put any kind of a damper on the beauty of the hills around Sedona.

Sedona is a hoppin' town, jam packed with tourists, each driving,  andeach, as we were, looking for parking. We pleaded with good St. Norma and we soon had a prime spot on the main drag.

Beautiful, downtown Sedona

Loads of pretty things to admire and take a load of weight out of your wallet or exercise that charge card.

We missed no chance for a little fun

 But it had been a long time since breakfast so William and I started with dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Over dinner we snagged a hotel room - how easy travel can be in this century.

That's William over there, pondering the extensive menu

Yes.. we weren't going hungry and time soon...
And by the by, the entirety of this picture is only one meal...

So that was our day, which ended with a nice room at the Hilton Double Tree. I only mention that because I was pleased to realize this was the same hotel I stayed at the last time I was in the area.

Run, run, as fast as you can, you can't stop me, I'm the Gingerbread chick!

That's not the way the nursery rhyme goes, is it?