On the road to Vegas

[uplinktruck]

Flagstaff, AZ - Yesterday was a very long, but leisurely drive through west Texas, New Mexico and part of Arizona. I even stopped to shoot some pictures here and there.

Comments

Whoot!!

[laken_steeljaw]

We're in the Colorado Springs airport right now. Just a few more hours!

Wish you were in Pheonix, and closer. That'd rock. Absolutely awsome pics, BTW. Love the scenery and the train, but most of all the ravens! Those aren't crows, those are either Common or Chihuahuan Ravens. It's hard to tell the two apart unless you can either see the color of the down feathers on the neck or compare the nasal bristles side by side. Chihuahuan Ravens are just slightly smaller than common ravens, but Common ravens are also abundant in the desert southwest. Chihuahuan ravens are rarer.

Love that pic, could I get a larger copy of it? Also, could I post it to corvine with credit to you? It's a corvid-lovers community, and this is a great pic everyone there would adore. :>

Can't wait to see you! Just a couple more hours. :>

Re: Whoot!!

[laken_steeljaw]

Just did some looking, and I think they're more likely Common Ravens (Corvus Corax) versus Chihuahuan Ravens (Corvus cryptoleucus). Common Ravens are also more likely to live in more arid habitats, and looking at the distribution maps you may have been just too far west for cryptoleucus' range.

Either way, still love it. :>

Re: Whoot!!

[uplinktruck]

Of course you can have what ever I shot. I thought they were crows because they cawed at me.

Chasing trains, etc.

[anonymous]

Love the western photos. For my money, can't get enough of the red rock canyons in Arizona. Nice BNSF shot, too. Reminds me of sunny days at Cajon Pass.

FYI -- the longest mainline rail tangent in the U.S. is in -- North Carolina!

Come to Jersey, we'll chase trains sometime.

Stuart