Hadwen Park (1/27)

On Saturday my Mom and I took a short hike at Hadwen Park. The water was mostly frozen over but the river was still open so there were still some ducks. We spotted Wood Ducks, Green-wing Teal, Mallards, Black Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and a pair of Swans.

The funniest thing we saw was a male Mallard looking for food. He pecked at a leaf but it was under the ice. Then he found an acorn, picked it up, gave it a few chews and swallowed it whole. I've heard that acorns are packed with calories but I hope that he can digest the outer husk.

Broad Meadow Brook (1/21)

Last Sunday I made a trip out to Broad Meadow Brook for a hike. I started at the Dunkirk entrance and was immediately greeted by the chatter of a flock of Goldfinches. The birds were picking thru the catkins of a small tree looking for seeds. Unfortunately there wasn't much else to see. I hiked for about two hours and only found a few birds. A couple of Blue Jays along the fringes of the powerlines. A Downy Woodpecker in the woods. A flock of Mallards on the brook. That was about it.

I did find some cool tracks though. I noticed a trail that looked like it had been made by a Eastern Cottontail. Nearby was a pair of tracks that I'm reasonably sure are Coyote. A general way to tell Coyote from domestic dog tracks is the general shape. Coyote tracks are oval while dogs tend to be circular. Also, only the front two nails tend to show on Coyote tracks. Using these criteria, it certainly looks good to me.

Wachusett Reservoir (1/13)

[After finally getting through all of my Las Vegas postings, I can finally try to get to what I've been up to this month. I'm going to try to go thru them quickly. And, since it's the dead of winter here in New England, there isn't much to report anyhow.]

A couple of weeks ago I got out to Wachusett Reservoir for a short hike. It was still quite warm but still most of the ducks had already departed. The only holdouts were five Goldeneye. Land birds were at a minimum too. But I did find some Chickadees and Titmice who were foraging through the bushes.

So, without a whole lot of activity, I just enjoyed the hike. I made it about half a mile or so before getting ready to turn back. But, before I did, I followed a side path out to the water's edge. There I was startled to see a deer carcass partially submerged in the water. It was relatively fresh but didn't show an signs of predation. I couldn't see any injuries on the body and it didn't look emaciated. Maybe it just got sick and died. I guess I'll never know.

Anyhow, my only hope is that it provided a good meal for a Coyote or Bobcat.

Frilled Shark Found in Japan

There was a sighting of a rare Frilled Shark in Japan last week. Apparently the animal was spotted by a fisherman and identified by staff members of the Awashima Marine Park. This species is relegated to very deep water but this individual is thought to be sick.

I have to admit that I find sharks in general totally fascinating. These animals have lived for hundreds of millions of years. Some species (possibly like this one) haven't changed all that much in all that time. They've survived comet impacts, ice ages, global warming, and (hopefully) inhumane finning practices. That's what we in the engineering trade would call a robust design.

Anyhow, this probably isn't the first time you've heard about this story. They video was even played over the closing credits of one of those "Entertainment Tonight" shows. Bizarre.

Mystery Track Identified?

I spent some time on Thursday attempting to identify the tracks that I found in the Overton Wildlife Management Area. And I think that I may have have done it. The tracks have 5 visible toes pads so that eliminates and felines or canines. That doesn't leave too many mammals in the area. From the size of the tracks (3" long) and the stride (13" long) points to a medium sized animal. Looking at Jim Boone's Mammal site, only one animal fit: the Coati or Ringtail. I just wish that I was around when the animal was making the tracks.

Las Vegas - Final Count

Our Vegas trip was very nice. We saw a lot of interesting things and our bird list almost made it to 100. The best thing was that 18 were life birds for me (highlighted in bold font). Here's the complete list:

Birds: Snow Goose, Ross's Goose, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-neck Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Gambel's Quail, Pie-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Least Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Ring-neck Gull, California Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Burrowing Owl, Long-eared Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Vermillion Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Horned Lark, Verdin, Bushtit, Rock Wren, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Crissal Thrasher, European Starling, American Pipit, Phainopepla, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Abert's Towhee, Black-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Cassin's Finch, House Finch, House Sparrow, Dark-eyed "Oregon" Junco, Western Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird, Clark's Nutcracker

Mammals: Desert Cottontail, Jackrabbit, Wild Burro

Wild Horse and Burro Management

Our encounter with the Wild Burros at Red Rocks got me interested in these animals. Apparently the horses and burros that we see today are decendants of animals who escaped their owners. There is some debate whether or not the horse is "native" to the American southwest. But regardless whether these should be considered feral (i.e. escaped or released domestic animals) or a reestablished native species, a large population of each animal exists in Nevada.

The responsibility for managing these populations falls on the Bureau of Land Management. The BML contends that the populations of horses and burros is several times what the land can support so they are instituting a reduction program. The animals are rounded up, checked, and vacinated before being put up for adoption. Some advocacy groups contend that the population data is incorrect and therefore they oppose the adoption program. They are particularly concerned that a portion of the adopted horses will resold to slaughterhouses. Their suit to halt the program was just recently dismissed in state court.

This reminds me a lot about the issues we have with White-tailed Deer here in the northereast. The animals lack the necessary predator population to keep them in check and the population increases. While nothing is perfect, the BLM's program seems like a good way to address the problem.

Las Vegas - Day 6: Red Rock Canyon (12/30)

Our last stop on Saturday was Red Rock Canyon. We had lunch at one of the picnic areas and relaxed while admiring the scenery. The picnic area had a short boardwalk trail near it so we decided to take a look. As we were starting for the trail my Mom noticed two large birds on the top of the bluff. We got the scope out and were able to determine that they were Golden Eagles. Our identification ws confirmed a few minutes later when a few kids hiking to the top of the bluff scared the birds off.

The boardwalk itself was pretty nice. There was a good deal of animal action even though there were lots of people exploring the area. We saw more Rock Wrens, Phainopeplas, and Western Bluebirds. Every so often a cottontail would peek out from the bushes. And along the trail were several piles of what looked like horse droppings (more on that later).

At the end of the boardwalk was a tiny spring. The sign stated that this was the habitat for a unique species of snail. It was amazing that this small amount of water could support anything bigger than a single cell animal.

As we were leaving the area we spotted one new bird species. Amongst some House Finches were a couple of Cassin's Finches.

At this point, we decided to head over to the visitor's center. It was pretty standard stuff but the exhibits were nicely done. They had some live animals, some stuffed specimens, a photo contest exhibit, and some dioramas on the Desert Tortoise.

We ended our day with a tour around the scenic drive. It was definitely worth the gas money. There were massive cliffs on either side of the road. Some of them were red but others were gray or tan. There were lots of people out climbing on the rocks but the daylight was waning so we just admired the scenery from the car. We did stop a couple of times though, to stetch our legs and see if we could turn up any birds. Unfortunately it appeared that the park had a massive fire in the last year or so and a good portion of the bushes and cactii were scorched (see foreground of this picture).

As we were making our way out of the park we came across 6 or 8 cars that had all pulled over to the side of the road. Soon we saw what all the fuss was about. Two wild Burros were browsing on the vegetation. They certainly drew a crowd. Some people even got close enough to pet the animals. I felt a little bad for them but they appeared to take it all in stride.

Las Vegas - Day 6: The Mountains (12/30)

Before leaving the area we had to make the trip up into the mountains. We started up the winding mountain road but unfortunately never made it to the top. This being our last full day in Nevada we were keeping the gas tank close to empty. Since there was no gas available on the road to the park, we weren't confident that we could make it back on the gas we had left.

So, we stopped at a pull off and did a little exploring. The landscape was so different than the desert that we had just left. There were more trees and a blanket of wet snow covered the ground. The dominant bird in this area had to be the Western Scrub Jay. We saw at least 8 - 10.

Las Vegas - Day 6: North Las Vegas (12/30)

We left the park and headed back to the vacant lot hoping to find the Burrowing Owls. This time they were out of their burrows enjoying the late morning sun. I didn't want to bother them so I didn't make an attempt to get a photo. It was just great to get a chance to see them.

And while the owls were what brought us back, they weren't the only thing to see. The vacant lot was just outside of a medium sized orchard (what they grow there I have no idea). In the fields next to the orchard were hundreds of Horned Larks. We also spied four or five Western Meadowlarks perched on the barb wire fence that surrounded the field.

And where there are small birds you almost always will find raptors. As we watched the flock of Horned Larks a falcon swooped into view. It flew quickly and very low to the ground but didn't catch anything. Then it landed on the fence and we were able to get the scope on it. It was a Prairie Falcon.

Las Vegas - Day 6: Floyd Lamb State Park (12/30)

We passed by Floyd Lamb State Park on our second day in Las Vegas. I was surprised to that I hadn't heard too much about the park. JeAnne told us that this was because the locals still refer to it as Tule Springs. It turns out that the Nevada state senator that the park was renamed for was a polarizing figure (to say the least). Apparently he was indicted on tax evasion charges and convicted in a bribery sting. This was in addition to his numerous fights with both man and beast (highlights include stabbing a man with a picket from a fence and punching a horse in the mouth). So, I guess I can understand why some are reluctant to honor him.

Suprisingly that's not the end of the strange tale of this park. As its original name suggests, the property is anchored by a natural spring. It was purchased by Prosper Jacob Goumond who converted it to a dude ranch which, oddly enough, specialized in divorces. In the 40's, Nevada some of the most lenient divorce laws of any state. The married couple only had to reside in the state for 6 weeks before a divorce could be carried out. So, the couple would spend there "residency" period vacationing at the ranch. The ranch closed its doors in the late 50's but most of the buildings are still standing.

History aside, we came to the park in hopes to see some Canvasbacks. There were reports of one or two of these ducks at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve but we couldn't locate them. JeAnne said that we should have no problem finding them at Tule Springs.

The park was actually very nice. It was a Saturday when we visited so it was pretty busy. Lots of people were fishing the ponds but I never saw anyone catch anything. Ducks on the water included Mallards, Pie-billed Grebes, Coot, and Redheads. Best of all we did locate four Canvasbacks. They were a bit skittish so I couldn't get close enough to get a great picture. But, the trip was certainly worth it.

In addition to the waterfowl, there were also some nice land birds. The water of the spring was enough to support a lot of good sized trees and these were bird magnets. I found some more Dark-eyed "Oregon" Juncos and a Say's Phoebe or two. But the bird of the site was a woodpecker that my Dad found. We watched it for a good 20 - 30 minutes but had a terrible time figuring out exactly what it was. It looked like a cross between a Red-naped Sapsucker and a Red-breasted Sapsucker. The bird had extensive red on its chest but it also had some black on the face. After some time reviewing the Sibley guide, we decided that it was a Red-breasted Sapsucker (a life bird for all of us).

But the strangest thing was the Peacocks. The park was packed with them. They roamed free foraging on the park grounds and getting handouts from visitors. I'm not entirely sure what the story was but it was cool to see these birds up close.

Las Vegas - Day 6: North Las Vegas (12/30)

We had actually planned to make the trip out to Death Valley on our last day in Nevada. But, it was going to be a very long trip so we decided to see more in the Las Vegas area instead. I was a bit disappointed but I'm sure I'll get back there some day.

So, we made a day of short trips. Our first one was to a residential area in north Las Vegas where JeAnne had told us some Burrowing Owls could be found. We got to the vacant lot early in the morning and spent about half an hour searching for the birds. Finally we decided that it was still too cold so we continued to our next stop promising to come back to see the owls later in the day.

Las Vegas - Day 5: Wetlands Park Nature Preserve (12/29)

After lunch on Friday we made on stop before heading back to the city. It was at the Wetlands Park Nature Preserve. The park is still a work-in-progress and we didn't spent a lot of time there. But it was worth the trip since I was able to find one new bird.. a Black Flycatcher.

Las Vegas - Day 5: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve (12/29)

Another site in the Las Vegas area that came highly recommended by Jim Boone was the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Located southeast of Las Vegas, the bird preserve is actually a sewerage treatment plant for the city. The plant processes the wastewater before sending it to holding ponds for the final treatment stages. The treated water is returned to Lake Mead.

As elsewhere in the country, the treatment plant is an oasis for birds. And anything that attacts birds will attract birders. The city of Henderson had the foresight to welcome these people like they would any other tourists. City officials went even further by forging a partnership with the Red Rocks Audubon Society that formally established a bird preserve at the plant. This is a perfect example of dual use of public land and it should be commended.

After hearing so many great things about the preserve (and reading all the great sightings they had there) we had been itching to get out there all week. But we kept postponing our trip due to the high winds that the area had been experiencing all week. By Friday we were running out of time so we decided to make short drive from Las Vegas.

We got to the gate around 6:30 or so and were buzzed into the facility. We headed to the headquarters to sign in. At the front desk we met a JeAnne, one of the preserve's staff members. JeAnne was great. She gave us tips on which species were present on the ponds and asked if there was anything in particular we were trying to find. One of the birds that we had missed so far was the Abert's Towhee. I was really anxious to find one of these Towhees since they have a very small range in the US. JeAnne told us that an Abert's Towhee usually came to the feeders in the early morning. When we looked out the window we saw a small flock of Gambel's Quail but, true to her word, the Towhee flew into view a few minutes later.

By this time, we were ready to get out and explore the property. After spending some time enjoying the quail, we started out to the ponds. There were birds everywhere, so many that I don't think I'll remember them all. We had several Black-crowned Night Herons (both adults and juveniles), Great Egrets, and Snowy Egrets all perched in the vegetation along the shores of the ponds. Killdeer and Least Sandpipers worked the mud flats of one of the ponds.

But, the stars of the show were the waterfowl. There were literally thousands of them. Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, Bufflehead, Ring-neck Ducks, and Coot were all present in great numbers. We found all three Teal (Green-winged, Blue-winged, and Cinnemon) and a pair of Grebes (Eared and Pie-billed). It was truly incredible.

Each pond had at least some ducks but the best one was Pond #9. There was a central "island" on this pond and hundreds of ducks were sleeping on its shores. Amongst the Shovelers and Coot were a dozen or so Moorhen. A Sora called from the reeds along the water and we were able to spot a few Snow Geese and Lesser Scaup across the pond.

But there were great landbirds as well. Black-tailed Gnatcatchers and Bewick's Wrens called from the bushes and I spotted another Abert's Towhee scraping the dirt for insects. Birds were everywhere. Coming around the corner of one of the ponds I spotted a Roadrunner. We chased it down the road hoping to get a better look before it ducked under the fence and ran into the desert.

The road back to the headquarters was rimmed with small trees and there we found some of the best birds. We chase a few birds before identifying them as Verdin. And a Loggerhead Shrike perched on a reed next to the water. A little further down the road my sister made a great find... a Vermillion Flycatcher. This was a life bird for me and it was great that he was so cooperative. He flew from bush to bush but never got too far away. He even came out in the open to let me get at least one nice shot.

After a short hike we made it back to the preserve headquarters. But, we still had some nice birds left. In the largest tree at the back of the building we spotted a Orange-crowned Warbler. It was a brilliant yellow, much brighter than in most of the guidebooks that I've seen. It was hard to track as it flittered back and forth between branches. A few minutes later it was joined by an Anna's Hummingbird who promptly started scolding us from above.

Back in the headquarters we happily discussed our sightings with JeAnne. Since we were unfamiliar with the area, JeAnne told of some great spots to check out. She even drew us some maps.

Las Vegas - Day 4: Overton Wildlife Management Area (12/28)

After leaving the park we drove up to Overton to get something to eat at the town's only restaurant, McDonald's. While there we decided to take a short trip over to the wildlife managemnet area. Unfortunately, like Jim Boone writes, this area is mostly closed to birders during the hunting season. When we arrived at the ranger on site showed us where the hunters were and told us where we could walk. It was a shame too since we could see all sorts of ducks coming in to land on the water.

But, we made the best of what was available. We took a short hike along the dirt road that ringed the WMA and saw a couple of nice birds including a Snipe that we spooked from the bushes. But, the highlight were the raptors. We saw Harriers, Red-tails, and what I'm guessing was a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Back in the parking lot I had a great look at a Loggerhead Shrike as it hunted from a favorite perch.

The strangest thing that we found were some tracks in the hardened mud. They were pretty large and appear to have five toes. At least this rules out any of the canines (four toes). But I don't have an idea of what could have made them. I'll have to look into it.

Las Vegas - Day 4: Valley of Fire State Park (12/28)

The next day we traveled out to Valley of Fire State Park. We had originally planned this as part of Wednesday's trip to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. But, things took longer than expected and the trip up the west side of Lake Mead would have taken an hour and a half. So, instead of trying to cram everything in, we decided to postpone it and I'm really glad we did.

We drove into the park the back way, starting north on Rt. 15 and turning off on Rt. 169 (Valley of Fire Highway). At the intersection of the two roads was a medium sized convenience store. This store must be doing a very profitable business, especially in fireworks. Only a dozen or so yards from the store there were piles of used fireworks all over the roadside. This continued for at least 1/4 mile. It was a little depressing that so many people thought that it was acceptable to leave their litter in the desert.

The rest of the drive into the park was pretty incredible. It was still very early and the road was deserted. The scenery was interesting with the desert dominating the foreground and the mountains in the distance. We finally got to the entrance to the park and decided to stop for a stretch. The wind was absolutely howling and, being in the desert, there was really no escape from it. This kept most of the birds down but we were able to spot some Black-throated Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, and a Canyon Wren in the scrub along the road.

As we drove on, the scenery changed abruptly. The bluffs all changed from gray to a rusty red color. It was unbelievably beautiful, even in winter. The formations were all all different shapes. Some were towers others were short and squat. We stopped several times to get out and look around before heading over to the visitors center.

The visitors center was very well done with several nice exhibits. The lady at the desk was great too and she told us the sites that we should try to get out to see. But, I couldn't bear to stay inside and headed out to see if there were any birds in the bushes that ringed the building. My initiative was rewarded by what I think was a Black-tailed Gnatcatcher. He was foraging in he bush until he spotted me. Then he came out in the open, puffed himself up to protect against the wind and cold, and began singing.

After everyone had enjoyed the visitors center, our next stop was a place called Mouse's Tank. The site was named after a Native American (Mouse) who used it as a hideout in the late 1800's. The tank is a rock formation at the end of the trail which collects rainwater. It wasn't very large (about the size of a large bathtub) but it was sheltered from the sun so the water that collects there is available during the dry months.

The tank was actually located a short hike away from the main road. The trail was just a passage between two canyon walls. The walls were covered with petroglyphs. These are pictures carved into the surface of the rock hundreds of years ago. A kiosk at the beginning of the trail explained what a few of the symbols meant. But I could only guess what this one was trying to say (looks like toast holding hands to me).

We also found some tracks in the soft sand. They looked like Kit Fox to me but I can't be entirely sure. If they were Kit Fox, he must have missed this guy.

After Mouse's Tank we continued on to see more of the park. We stopped at a place called White Domes which were cliffs of white rock sticking out of the sand. The pictures really don't do them justice since they have nothing to act as a scale. But they were truly immense. Then it was back to Atlatl Rock for more petroglyphs. We finished up by making quick stops at Arch Rock (pretty self-explanatory) anf the Seven Sisters (seven large rock columns). It was really a great park and I'd recommend it to anyone who's visiting the Las Vegas area.

Las Vegas - Day 3: Shark Reef (12/27)

You wouldn't expect to find ocean fish in the middle of the desert but in Las Vegas everything is possible. The Mandalay Bay has an attraction called the Shark Reef. Its like a medium sized aquarium. We visited it on Wednesday around dinner and had a great time. Its a little pricey but definitely worth it.

I thought that one of the nice touches of the attraction was that they gave you a audio tour wand with your paid admission. As you walked thru the exhibits you were prompted to key up audio on the animals you were looking at. It was really fun, I just wish they would have taught us how to switch off of Japanese.

The exhibits were really nice too. The reef had sharks (as its name implies) but also had hundreds of other fish and even a few crocodilians. The centerpiece was a large tank with a glass tunnel that allowed you to walk thru the reef. It reminded me of the inverse of the New England Aquarium's spiral tank.

My favorite fish: the Zebra Shark. These guys have stripes when they're young but the one at the reef was almost all white with a few black spots. Really cool.

Las Vegas - Day 3: Lake Mead (12/27 afternoon)

After leaving the dam we headed back to Lake Mead. Our first stop was at a small restaurant at one of the marinas for a quick lunch. There were tons of birds at the marina including a large flock of Ring-billed Gulls in the parking lot. After searching thru them all we were able to find two or three California Gulls. In the water there were dozens of Coot, Mallards, and Redhead Ducks. There were even these gigantic fish which appeared to be gulping air from the surface of the water. On the way out, we found a single Pipit searching for food in the cracks in the dock.

A bit down the road, we stopped at another boat launch. The water was pretty shallow but there the area was filled with activity. Killdeer and Semi-palmated Plovers foraged on the sand flats and swallows circled over the water. We even spotted a Great-blue Heron in the distance.

The lake was great. I wish we could have spent more time there.

Las Vegas - Day 3: Hoover Dam (12/27)

We got to the Hoover Dam just as it was opening (which was a good idea since it really got busy later in the day). We took a tour of the dam and then walked thru the museum a bit. The dam certainly is an engineering marvel. Its size was awe inspiring.

But there were also a lot of cool animals. We spotted another Red-tailed Hawk on the cliffs above the river. We also spotted a lone Pie-billed Grebe hundreds of feet below us. We were able to watch from above as it dove and swam thru the water. It certainly was a view you almost never see.

But the best were the White-tailed Antelope Squirrels. They were all over the rocks alongside the river. They were so cute that the gift shop at the dam sold them in little stuffed animal form.

Las Vegas - Day 3: Lake Mead (12/27 morning)

Wednesday we made the short trip out to explore the Lake Mead/Hoover Dam area. We never truly got off of Eastern time so it was pretty easy to get out to the park early. The weather wasn't on our side though as a light mist blanketed the lake for most of the morning.

We started at the boat launch close to the park entrance. It was so early that the area was pretty deserted. We drove down to the water and admired the view. The lake was certainly huge... even the tiny corner of it we were looking at. Apparently the whole Colorado River area has been in a drought for the past few years and the water in the lake was significantly down. You could even see the whitewash on the shore that designated the normal water level.

Surprisingly, there weren't many birds on the water here. We spied some Coot and a Common Merganser or two but that was it. So, I started back up to road. There were tons of sparrows in the bushes but in the low light they were hard to pinpoint. At a small picnic area near the road I spotted a Say's Phoebe hawking for insects. A few minutes later a small flock of Gambel's Quail came into view. The birds obviously didn't like to be out in the open so they scampered from bush to bush. Along with the quail were several White-crowned Sparrows. They were foraging at the edge of the brush and were actually buzzed by an American Kestrel looking for a kill. The Kestrel perched on a lightpole and surveyed the area for opportunities for a couple minutes before I scared him off.

But the most surprising thing of them morning was that a few plants were actually flowering at the end of December. I found a couple different flowering bushes (one with large yellow flowers and the other with small white ones) but I couldn't identify either.

After taking a short walk we left to head to the Hoover Dam. As we drove out of the park, we had one final sighting. A bird flew low across the road just in front of the car. It was just a quick glimpse but we decided that it was a Clark's Nutcracker.

Las Vegas - Day 2: Sunset Park, Las Vegas (12/26)

On Tuesday afternoon we took a trip over to Sunset Park, an urban green space at the edge of the airport. In addition to the traditional basketball courts and walking paths, the park has one giant pool that apparently has fish in it (we saw several locals fishing there).

But the water also attracts lots of ducks. And, since they are fed by the people who come to the park, they are really tame. This allowed us to get great looks at ducks that would normally keep their distance when found on the lakes back home. There were Mallards, Wigeon, and even a couple of Ring-neck Ducks. Amazingly there were dozens of Redheads. This is a duck that we only see one or two of in southern New England so it was a real treat to see them up close.

In addition to the wild birds, there was also several different types of domestic waterfowl. There were strange geese from Australia and a couple of common white geese. We even found the pair of Ross' Geese that the local we met at Corn Creek told us about.

It was just about dark as we started to leave the park so we didn't find many land birds. There was one Red-tailed Hawk perched in a tree near the pool. But it was really too dark to find anything else.

Las Vegas - Day 2: Desert National Wildlife Range (12/26)

Tuesday was our first real vacation day in Nevada and we got a early start. We had picked the Desert National Wildlife Range as our first destination primarily on the recommendation of a local, Jim Boone. We stumbled across Jim's web site while researching for our trip and it really was an invaluable resource. Jim has published several guides to the area (hiking, rock art, etc.) but we were especially interested in his suggestions for birding areas. We read thru Jim's material and picked several places that sounded good. And we weren't disappointed. Even if you're not planning a trip to the Las Vegas area any time soon, these pages are still a great read for anyone who's interested in nature.

One of the sites that Jim highly recommended was a place called Corn Creek. This area is a small portion of the Desert National Wildlife Range, a federal park which was set aside to protect habitat for the Desert Bighorn Sheep. While most of the park is definitely desert, Corn Creek is a natural oasis due to the springs that flow thru it. The water, and the plants that live off it, attract all sorts of wildlife. While winter is not necessarily the best time to visit the park, we still found it a great choice.

We got up early and were treated to a great sunrise over the city as we traveled out to the park. As we pulled off the main highway and onto the dirt access road, the sun was just peaking over the horizon. It was amazing to see the desert surrounded by mountains as far as you could see. The vegetation was sparse on the rocky ground but there were large Joshua Trees every so often.

Our first major sighting of the day came just before the park's visitor's center. A Ferruginous Hawk flew low over the ranch near Corn Creek. This is a raptor that I hadn't ever seen before and it took us a long time to properly identify it. Soon another raptor joined the first hawk. We think that it was probably a dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk. This bird was so different from the Red-tails that we have in New England I almost think of it as a separate species. While looking at the photos that I got of it, I thought that it may have been a Golden Eagle due to the sheen to the neck feathers. But I also got a nice shot of the bird landing on a tower and we think that it definitely looks like a Red-tail.

These birds were just the start to a great morning. We finally left them, parked over at the visitor's center, and started our hike through Corn Creek. It was a chilly desert morning but the area was still filled with activity. Several Desert Cottontails hopped along the trail browsing on the grasses and an unseen Pie-billed Grebe called from the reeds on a small pond. A Bewick's Wren and a Northern Mockingbird sang from the vegetation along the banks of the creek.

We walked along the 3/4 mile loop and spotted dozens of other birds. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet and several Dark-eyed "Oregon" Juncos foraged in the leaf litter under the cottonwood trees. We even spotted a Green Heron near the water's edge.

The trail continued down to the edge of the ranch. In the fields we spotted both Mountain and Western Bluebirds as well as White-crowned Sparrows and Pipits. The entire flock spooked as a Northern Harrier swooped down over them.

It was getting to be late morning when we turned back. The trail brought us through a tangle of vegetation and trees where we found several Crissal Thrashers, a pair of Phainopepla, and a Red-shafted Flicker.

Just as we were about to leave the park we came across some other visitors. One of them was a local and she gave us some great tips for other rarities that had been reported in the Las Vegas area. After sharing sightings for a couple of minutes we parted ways. Only a few seconds later, the young man ran up to us and motioned for us to follow him. They had found a Long-eared Owl in the bushes and we all got great looks at the bird.

At this point we finally decided to head back to town. But, on the way home we got one last reward. A Merlin was perched on a fence pole by the side of the road. We were able to inch the car far forward enough for me to get a great shot of it before it flew away. It was the perfect way to end the outing.

Las Vegas - Day 1: The Flamingo Casino (12/25)

So, this year my family decided to take a trip to Las Vegas during the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Vegas is definitely a place to see but there was a wealth of great stuff once you got outside the city limits.

We actually flew out on Christmas morning. With the three hour time zone difference we actually got to the city in the early afternoon. But, our stomachs said that it was dinner time so we went on a foraging trip thru the city. One of our stops was at The Flamingo where they actually have a small pond area with Flamingos and other exotic birds (Mandarin Ducks, etc.). We were also enticed by the Penguins that were supposed to be there. Unfortunately, they had been moved to a new home at the Dallas Zoo.

But, it wasn't a total loss since a lot of wild birds had taken up residence in the casino's bird habitat. There were Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and even a pair of Shovelers. The best part was that they were almost tame. Hooded Mergansers in the northeast are very skittish but these guys let you get within a couple feet without flinching. It was a good start to the week.

Wachusett Meadow (12/21)

Right before Christmas I spent around 3 hours hiking around Wachusett Meadow. I got there fairly early and checked the sightings list. Both Moose and Bobcat were listed so I got my hopes up about getting a good look or at least finding some fresh tracks.

I started up the hill and out towards Otter Pond. Well into the woods I started a raptor of some sort and it flew off to a new perch. I watched it land but couldn't find it in the dense tangle of bare tree limbs. As I crept forward a dead branch snapped under my foot and the raptor was off again. This continued for about 15 minutes before I gave up on ever finding the bird.

My first impression was that it was a Red-tailed Hawk (playing the odds). But it didn't behave like a Red Tail. In my experience, Red Tails tend to immediately gain altitude when spooked. They often circle the area where they are flushed but they don't tend to just make quick flights to a nearby perch. The one raptor that I have noted that behaves this way is a Barred Owl. But, that's only a guess based on the quick glimpse that I got of the bird.

Other than that, my hike was really quiet. I didn't find the Moose or the Bobcat and the only birds that were prevalent were Chickadees and Goldfinches.

Birds: Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker

Mammals: Red Squirrel