Spring Beauty at the Rio Grande Nature Center

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A Visit to Rinconada Canyon

Recently Bosque Bill and I decided to go for a walk in Rinconada Canyon in Petroglyph National Monument. It was a beautiful day, although not particularly filled with birds. The petroglyphs, however, are spectacular.

The path that we took runs along the edge of the volcano escarpment.

Rinconda Canyon, Petroglyph National Monument.

The landscape is very rugged.

Rugged volcanic landscape

Looking to the east you can see Albuquerque, and even farther to the east you can see the Sandia Mountains.

Looking to the east toward the Sandias.

The scenery is striking, but it is the petroglyphs, images made by native people by pecking or chipping pictures into the rock, that are the main attraction.

Petroglyph grouping

This one looks like an alien. Perhaps he got lost on the way to Roswell.

An alien?

An interesting Petroglyph grouping featuring a snake.

Petroglyph grouping

These grazing sheep or goats don’t seem to notice the snake.

Grazing sheep or goats.

This impressive fellow was likely carved by a later resident of the area.

Petroglyph

Is this snake attacking a person?

Snake attack!

This coyote seems a bit outmatched.

Coyote and snake.

I like the way this face is made on two sides of the rock.

Two-faced

We saw petroglyph birds…

Dancers and a soaring bird.

A bird on the ground.

… and a few real birds too, although most were too far away for good photos.

Rock Wren

White-crowned Sparrow.

Petroglyph National Monument includes volcanoes, archeological sites and thousands of carved images. It is a fascinating place.

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