A hazy day on the river today, and despite more mud shoals and strong currents in places, we made it about 8 miles upriver to Capulin Canyon in Bandelier National Park. This time we found a place to land, and enjoyed about a 1/2 mile pre-lunch hike in the canyon surrounded by amazing rock formations and wildflowers.

Besides the usual Great Blue herons, spotted sandpipers, Black phoebes, ravens and turkey vultures, we were treated to sights of a Snowy egret, Bald eagle, Belted kingfisher, and dozens of White-throated swifts swooping over the water chasing insects.

And on the way to the boat ramp we saw a large Black bear racing through a meadow! It was incredible to watch such a huge creature moving so rapidly and gracefully.