The World Through Our Lens
As Bob and I completed the trail that leads to Centennial Beach Cafe, we heard a raucous in a treetop right above our heads. A sole juvenile Bald Eagle sat perched there at rest, whereas only one week earlier, according to regular visitors, about 200 Bald Eagles were seen in Boundary Bay Regional Park and environs near Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Read more
Bob and I were well on our way back up to the South Rim from Plateau Point at Grand Canyon National Park after a grueling 12-hours of hiking, so with our noses to the grindstone, we just focused on putting one foot in front of the other to make headway. That is why neither one of us saw the Bighorn Sheep surveying its surroundings from a ledge above the trail, just below Mile-and-a Half Resthouse. If not for other hikers mentioning sight of the animal, we would have completed our hike in total ignorance of its presence. Read more
It was very late in the afternoon when Bob and I landed at Cape Royal, one of the lookout points on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Despite our rush to see the spectacular views before sunset, we took time to observe this little Northern Sagebrush Lizard seen scampering amongst the rocks right at the lip of the Canyon. Read more
When Bob and I decided to hike Bright Angel Trail, we knew it would be a demanding challenge, and one that would take many hours. From the South Rim, Plateau Point was a speck at the edge of the Tonto Platform; from midway down the fault line, the narrow meandering trail that leads from Indian Garden to Plateau Point was more discernible but no less intimidating. Read more
As Bob and I neared Indian Garden along Bright Angel Trail at Grand Canyon National Park, we kept a keen eye for birds and animals along the way. I was conscientiously watching for snakes and so tended to scrutinize the trail in front of me to avoid stepping on one, in particular any Grand Canyon Rattlesnakes that might be sunning themselves. It was Bob who spied this Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard where it originally sat hunched on the small branch of a Catclaw Acacia. Read more
Bob and I always keep a keen eye on the goings and comings in our backyard. There is constant activity centered around the bird feeders. If it isn’t squirrels that have outsmarted our most recent positioning of the feeding stations, it is the delightful array of birds sparring for feeding rights that entertain us. What a shock when one day Bob was walking to the garden house and spotted a new little critter under the arbour seat. A Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) sat huddled in the shadows hoping to avoid detection. Read more
When Bob and I first arrived at Grand Canyon National Park, it was getting late in the day, dusk in fact, so we were eager to find our accommodations in the Grand Canyon Village. As we drove down one stretch of the pavement, adjacent to the railway track, Bob caught sight of a number of Elk making their way from one side of the roadway to the other. Read more
After completing a guided Fossil Walk along the South Rim Trail at Grand Canyon National Park, Bob and I hiked further along the rim to Maricopa Point before turning and heading back towards Maswik Lodge. Our detour proved worthwhile when we discovered a small flock of Pygmy Nuthatches inhabiting one of the many trees. Read more
Bob and I had been at Grand Canyon National Park for a few days, and on top of exploring the phenomenal panoramic sights, we had also been engrossed in the observation of a variety of bird species. It was not until the morning of a guided Fossil Hike that we first came upon some Mule Deer. People wanting to join the hike were to assemble on the canyon-side patio of Bright Angel Lodge, and there, just below the stone wall edging the pathway, a family of Mule Deer was having its breakfast. Read more
Bob and I had planned our trip to the Grand Canyon so that our helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon was on the first morning after we arrived, hoping that it would give us a great overview of the landscape before we set off on foot to explore it. Read more
