Hello.  With the Covid threat marginalized, and being mostly recovered from retinal detachment surgery and hip replacement surgery within the last year, I am doubling down on traveling the road again.  Currently roaming in the 4 corners area, I gradually am headed by car to Yellowstone, where I have reserved at least 17 days of lodging on all sides of the Park.  I expect to be traveling for about 2 months in the northwest photographing birds and, hopefully, wolves and big bears through June, but am flexible.  On return I expect to then spend the month of August in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico for the Covid interrupted Chamber Music Festival.  Immediately on return from Mexico I have acquired round trip flights to Spain to roam around for 3 months – returning end of November. So – pretty much again on the road for next 7 months.

This trip I have spent time in Prescott photographing birds in the Watson Woods and Lake area, then on to Chinle and the Canyon de Chelly Nat. Monument on the Navajo Reservation.  I had hoped to hire a guide to travel to the end of Canyon del Muerto to photograph Anasazi cliff ruins from below -unfortunately 30-year record snow recently fell in the Chuska Mountains on the northern border of Arizona and New Mexico, followed by a warm spell, resulting in the normally tiny Chinle Wash turning into a raging river down through the canyons. Chinle homes along the wash were destroyed and both canyons were shut to all entry for the last 9 days. My photos of the canyons all are from overlooks.

I have included a few photos which may be viewed as a slide show, including my first sightings of the gorgeous Wood Duck, and a Summer Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Woodhall’s Scrub Jay with a lizard (worked hard to dispatch the lizard) and a colorful Western Bluebird and Spotted Towhee.  Also overview shots of the canyons and Anasazi cliff dwellings in the Monument.

Later, Dave