The Grand Canyon (Hopi: Ongtupqa; Yavapai: Wi:kaʼi:la, Navajo: Tsékooh Hatsoh, Spanish: Gran Cañón) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab National Forest, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, the Hualapai Indian Reservation, the Havasupai Indian Reservation and the Navajo Nation. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.

Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While some aspects about the history of incision of the canyon are debated by geologists, several recent studies support the hypothesis that the Colorado River established its course through the area about 5 to 6 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon. (Wikipedia)

This was taken from a vintage point, looking at the beginning of the Grand Canyon from a fair distance.

"Grand Canyon officially begins at Lee’s Ferry near Marble Canyon, and ends at Pearce Ferry (now Hoover Dam)." - according to "The Goat | Aug 27, 2019 | Grand Canyon".

This image is include in 6 galleries 1) "OISEAUX/BIRDS" curated by pattoune, 2) "Gaviota, Möwe, Gabbiano; albatros" by Luis Siabala Valer and 3) "Hunting birds and flying predators :-)" by Sigmund, 4) "EL GUSTO POR LA SENCILLEZ *nº2*" by R. Canel, 5) "Don´t give up" by Radoslav Besenyi and 6) "Amazing Photos" by Daren Rose.

The catch is a baby snapper, also called Pinkie.

Alternate title as suggested by Felicia : ......"hey what about me" ?!!!!

The gull stood at a landpost at the St Kilda Pier for quite some time before scooping down the water - snatching the prized trophy in one unerring act.

The stupid gull was not able to swallow it whole. He brought it to shallow water at the beach and tried many times. He did not know how to slice or break the fish into smaller pieces. Finally he gave up and flew somewhere else.

This image is included in a gallery "Butterflies" curated by Nasir Iftikhar.

Here the wings are flapping to gain balance before settling down.

This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Special Birds 1" curated by vidterry, 2) "Amazing, lovely little Birds" by Rita Rojas and 3) "Natura 22" by Stefano Bacci.

This was taken near SkyHigh Café, Mount Dandenong. These little critters are lightningly fast.

This image is included in 2 galleries : 1) "Pigeon, Dove!" and 2) "I love Doves - Pigeon", both curated by Rita Rojas.

This image is included in a gallery "Birds" curated by dmilokt.

This image is included in a gallery "La Planète des oiseaux (286)" curated by Laval Roy.

This image is included in a gallery "Les insectes...ceux qu'on aime...ceux qu'on aime moins...# 11" curated by Impatient_1.

This was taken near a road side en route to a few small lakes at Candelbark Park. The hot Australian sun has turned most weed grass yellow.

I followed this pair to different places. This time it was in the shade - here lovely evening colours offset the coolish gray all around.

These clouds look like stardusts.

This image is inclued in 5 galleries :- 1) "Birds (air 159) curated by Ahmad Ragab, 2) "Favorites - parrots" by Piglet1955, 3) "Birds XV" by John Jardin, 4) "Wings of Freedom" by Rosita So and 5) "09" by fstkkk.

This image has been used for an oil painting by Claude Demir, you are welcome to visit his website claudedemir.blogspot.com/ .

This image is included in 3 galleries 1) "Juillet 2021" curated by by Impatience_1, 2) "À la chasse...à la pêche...# 2" by Impatience_1 and 3) "Birds VII - 2021" by khoi tranduc.

It's a Soldier (Gymnapistes mamoratus) that it has caught - hope it didn't get a sore throat swallowing it because they have quite a sting in the dorsal spines - according to JimOnEarth.

(explored: May 8, 2012 #202)

(explored: Feb 28, 2011 #51)

Playing with WB

They appear to be 2 planes on the tarmac of a busy airport, waiting for the signal from the control tower to take off...

Explored #454

Juv. Cooper's Hawk in my back yard the other night... The background went to white in order to get the correct exposure on the hawk. If you look closely you can still see the hawk has some food on his face from a recent meal. My first time to see this particular breed.

Thanks to Skeletal Mess for the texture so I could bring a little more life to the image.

Please View Larger For More Detail

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This butterfly is feeding between flowers.

This image is included in a gallery "Butterflies for Mom" curated by George Clark (buddhadog).

This image is included in 3 galleries:- 1) "Two 2" curated by Annette LeDuff, 2) "z6" by fstkkk and 3) "insects and bees" by Sylvia Okkerse.

Also known as " Crimson Marsh Glider". The crimson one is male whereas the orange-yellow one is female. This was taken at a stream just outside Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve.

This image is included in a gallery "Des oiseaux de plus. More birds." curated by

rosedenovembre .

(explored: Apr 26, 2012 #296)

Captured this little bird at Christchurch Botanical Gardens. It is an introduced species from Europe in the 1860s and 1870s.

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens, located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand, were founded in 1863 when an English oak was planted to commemorate the solemnisation of the marriage of Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

Crosswinds Marsh - My first photo that I know of, to make Explore.

This image is included in 2 galleries:- 1) "Mariposas 2" curated by liviana and 2) "butterflies and dragonflies" by Sylvia Okkerse.

This image is included in 3 galleries 1) "Degli Insetti" curated by Grisu, 20 "Libellules (Dragonflies)" by AURA Nature_Thierry Chevrier and 3) "Libellules (Dragonflies)" by Garagnas.

A quote from www.guilinchina.net : Reed Flute Cave known as "the Palace of Natural Arts ” is located in the northwest of Guilin City , 5 kilometers away from the center of the city. It is a cave on the southern shoulder of the Guangming Hill (Bright Hill) and is one of the most extraordinary scenic spots in Guilin .

According to a legend, Reed Flute Cave got its name because people believed that the reed by the cave's mouth could be made into flutes. The length of the Reed Flute Cave is 240 meters and offers a majestic fairyland of karst caves with landscape and rural scenery. It is a magic fairyland of stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, stone curtains, birds, plants and animals in fantastic shapes and colors, all glistening in colorful lights. Some of them were given names such as Pines in the Snow, Mushroom Hill, Dragon Pagoda, Sky-Scraping Twin, Virgin Forests , Red Curtain, etc. These remarkable scenes in the cave can evoke breathless admiration from domestic and foreign visitors. The cave is highly praised as the ' Huge Art Palace of the Nature'. Tourists began to visit here in the Tang Dynasty. There are 77 stone inscriptions covering many years of history.

蘆笛岩位於廣西桂林市西北郊的蘆笛公園內的光明山上，因為其洞口長有可以做蘆笛的蘆笛草得名（一說是因為該草被吹響的聲音似笛聲）。

This image is included in 2 galleries :- 1) "LOVELY FLOWERS AND BUTTERFLIES" curated by .M*A*K. and 2) "TOP FLICKR 2020 * INTERPHOTO-TOP PHOTOSHARING" by Marzetti Gianfranco.

This image is included in 6 galleries :- 1) "Mariposas" curated by Monica Almassio, 2) "MARIPOSAS" by liviana100, 3) "Butterfly-III" by anandamoy 4)"HUMMINGBIRDS.DRAGONFLIES.LADYBUGS.BUTTERFLIES.(MAGICAL GODLY CREATURES)" by Jessica Myers, 5) "PERFECT TIMING IN NATURE" by Jessica Myers and 6) "Only Butterflies #2" Kathy (kfocean01)..

This image is included in 5 galleries :- 1) "Charming continued ..." curated by calamityjan2008, 2) "Insect Macro Magic (3)" by Photographic Poetry, 3) "Butterflies 122(1897)" by danavartanian, 4) "Butterflies-II" by anandamoy chatterji and 5) "Butterflies for Mom" by buddhadog.

These 12 rock columns look like imposing sentinels guarding the Half Moon Bay.

Located in Black Rock, about 19 km from Melbourne, Red Bluff is a high (over 25 m), active cliff cut in poorly consolidated clayey sands, with harder sandstone beds forming a series of irregular ledges and benches at the base. The greater part of the cliff is an exposure of the Red Bluff Sand, this site being the type locality for that geological formation. (Sourced from Victorian Resources Online)

The Red Canyon is a shallow, partly wooded canyon along UT 12 about 9 miles west of Bryce Canyon, Utah, USA. It is located on the Colorado Plateau on the southeast edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. It comprises of similar eroded red rocks and hoodoos, on a smaller scale than that of the Bryce Canyon. It is viewable from roadside overlooks and along short trails. It is part of Dixie National Forest.

The rocks looked glaringly red in the morning sun, against a cloudless blue sky dramatically darkened by a CPL filter.

Cropped this one quite a bit but still able to enjoy the flight of this male house finch...

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This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Llamada de la naturaleza" curated by estebanatienza, 2) "Aliens Are Among Us !" by Pro@ak! and 3) "INSECTOS" by Juan Antonio (jagar41_ Juan Antonio).

Mrs Blue Skimmer is on the left whereas Mr Blue Skimmer is on the right.

This image is included in 2 galleries 1) "God's Nature" curated by Suvad Hamzić and "Nature - clouds &" by OK Gallery.

Taken in Heidelberg moments before the sun rises.

Nesting in woodland near freshwater, sheltered coastal areas.

This image is included in a gallery "La Planète des oiseaux (224)" curated by Laval Roy.

This image is included in a gallery "photos i love5" curated by J. net photolog.

Captured this shot at a carpark near Grand Prismatic Spring. This bird was foraging for food over Firehole River.