Nevada Red Rock and Desert

Can you see Las Vegas in this picture? It's there, all the way in the back, in the valley behind the small hill. But there are more attractions in south Nevada than Las Vegas. This is the Red Rock Canyon, a state park with stunningly colors cliffs and a 12-mile scenic drive.







One of the favorite things for locals to do in this park is rock-climbing. On this picture, look carefully at the top right side of the rock - what do you see?


A pair of rock climbers!




Another desert setting - Corn Creek ranch just north of Vegas:




Another set of red rock outcroppings west of the city. Check out the raven in the center.






More wildlife on the rocks - red-tailed hawk:


Ah, the symbol of the desert - the roadrunner! Beep-beep!


Check out the alien-looking iris on it!


Cooper's Hawk - juvenile looking for sparrows in a local park:


And this is the parent:


No, this is not an accidental inclusion from my Indian photo collection. There was indeed a flock of peacocks roaming the Nevada desert park.


And I do have a few great Vegas pictures too!

Shaker Village

Hancock Shaker Village near Pittsfield, MA:

Main hall and living quarters:


Round Barn:


Machine shop and laundry... the ladder is an art installation.


Interesting find in a place like this - well-preserved REO car:




One of the barn's inhabitants:


Pictures from the gardens:

Cape May 1

Pictures from the dolphin watch at Cape May - there was a lot of bait fish around and therefore many large pods of dolphins:













Check out the scars on these dolphins - their life is not easy:


Besides dolphins, I did get to see two whales. They were reported in a particular spot, and several whale-watching boats plus one small fishing boat converged where they were last seen. The fishing boat was the winner - the whales came up so close to it, they almost overturned it:






Baby blue terrapin turtle:


Immature bald eagle:


And the adult one:


First-year mourning dove:


Osprey about to go on the morning hunt:


Black swan at the Cape May State Park. They are native to Australia, so it's obviously an escapee. But it's not tagged, so no one knows where it escaped from. It'll likely become a permanent resident there.


American oystercatcher at the Stone Harbor:


Piping Plover: