Grand Canyon, Day 1 …

Anne and I arrived safe and sound at the Grand Canyon this morning, and Arizona’s big erosion problem is truly a sight to behold, but the critters we encountered along the south rim were just plane amazing.

The western bluebirds were thick, and this one was the pick of the litter.

This red-breasted nuthatch was too busy for pictures, but this is only the second time I’ve gotten a picture of one, so here you go.

I’ve seen spotted towhees only a couple of times before, and I even got a picture once in Big Bend National Park, but this is my first portrait of one.

The Woodhouse’s scrub jays were almost as plentiful as the bluebirds, but they were a lot noisier.

Ravens appear to have learned that humans drop food on the ground, and this one was trying to convince a woman to move along so it could have the Fritos that she had dropped.

We also saw a couple of mammals, and here’s a rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus).

There was a good-sized group of dark-eyed juncos, and this one appears to be of the so-called “pink sided” variety (Junco hyemalis mearnsi).

Finally, the other mammal we saw was this cliff chipmunk (Neotamias dorsalis).