Arizona, Part 3: Grand Canyon, 10/9/2025

     When we planned our trip months ago, a day trip to the Grand Canyon was built into the group itinerary.  About half the party had never been there before.  I visited it during my only other time in Arizona and thought it was a must see at least once in one’s lifetime.  The initial experience of visually seeing the sheer depth and breadth of the canyon cannot be truly appreciated unless you actually stand at one of the rims and gaze across this natural wonder.  I had no issue with seeing this magnificent vista again, albeit I had an ulterior motive for going again.  I wanted to see some birds that I missed the last time.  California condor, pinyon jay and Clark’s nutcracker were on my wish list.

Our trip to the Grand Canyon was nearly put on ice the week before we even left for Arizona.  The north rim of the park was already closed to due wildfires earlier in the year and now the federal government had shut down (I will keep political opinions to myself).   The canyon is a national park, meaning it would be affected by the government closure.  Luckily, we learned that the canyon, despite some services not being available, was still be open.  Even better, one of the unavailable services was the collection of entry fees.  The park was open and free to enter for now.

After our first night in Sedona, we all rose early Thursday to set off on our two-hour drive to the canyon.  On our way, we drove north along Route 89A towards Flagstaff before turning west on Interstate 40 towards Williams, AZ, then north again on Route 64 to the canyon.  Before Flagstaff, part of 89A involves a long, twisting, elevating path up where we stopped at Oak Creek Canyon Overlook and Oak Creek Vista.  This is a beautiful view of a much smaller and greener canyon.  I could have spent a few hours there birding, but to keep on schedule we only stayed about a half hour.  While there I listed four bird species that included a year bird and a life subspecies.

Left, view looking down at Oak Creek Canyon.  Right, map view of the twisted, elevated route of 89A to the vista.  © S. Weiss

One of the only two dark-eyed juncos that I saw on the entire trip was here and it was a gray-headed, which was new for me.  Back in New Jersey we only see the slate-colored group, and if lucky maybe the Oregon group which is rare back home.  Dark-eyed juncos are a large complex with up to seven groups and nine subspecies within those groups.  Also, at the vista I had a Townsend’s solitaire, a northern flicker and a couple spotted towhees.  The flicker was the western version, or red-shafted.  In the East we have the yellow-shafted version.

Dark-eyed junco (gray-headed).  © S. Weiss

The gray-headed and red-backed dark-eyed juncos are very similar in appearance.  The best field mark is their bills.  The gray-headed's bill is all pale, better seen in the photograph on right.  The red-back's bill is bicolored. 

Left, Townsend's solitaire.  Right, spotted towhee.  © S. Weiss

A little while later we arrived at the Grand Canyon.  In all, we spent little over five hours there and walked a little over seven miles along the south rim from the South Kaibab Trailhead to the Bright Angel Trailhead, including about one half mile down and then back up Bright Angel Trail.  My best chance of seeing birds and other creatures would have been to wander from the rim trail, but we tried to keep the group together the best we could.  I only managed 13 species, none of which were on my wish list.  I added western bluebirds and juniper titmouse to my year list.  Overall, it was a nice day with family at one of nature’s greatest wonders, even though the condor, nutcracker and pinyon jay eluded me yet again.

Views from the Grand Canyon’s south rim.  © S. Weiss

Message to those hiking Bright Angel Trail.  Points of this winding trail from the rim to the Colorado River are barely wide enough for a mule and a human to pass each other.  Word is that the mules don’t move over.  © S. Weiss

As we left the park for our rides back to Sedona, we got to see a small herd of elk loafing around the side of the road, including one very large male watching over his harem.  As several cars pulled over to take pictures of the herd, including us, I sensed that the resting bull had established an invisible line that he would not hesitate to defend had any human crossed over it.  I know we did not, but I hoped that no one else was naive enough to do so after we left. 

The master of the elk herd.  Only his eyes moved to follow anyone coming close.  © S. Weiss