Last place for bighorn

We hiked the high cliff edges of Thousand Creek Gorge. It looks like good sheep habitat but not today. Still a great walk.
An exotic looking game bird, the Chukar,

Chukar

Chukar

makes a noisy, flashy showing. They move from highest rock to highest rock along the trail then along the cliffs. We could hear their call nearly everywhere we went.
We enjoy the cliff top view. Swallows swoop close enough that we can hear the wind whistle past their wings. A kestrel hovers nearby and complains that we are interfering with her favorite roost. The grating alarm of Prairie Falcons rises from the canyon as an eagle comes to rest on the rim. His stay is short as they mob him relentlessly until he abruptly abandons his post and swoops out of our sight.
The creek meanders along the canyon floor shrouded in green vegetation. No doubt there are many other local residents hiding just out of our sight.

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