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.