Red Rock Audubon
Dedicated to the environmental stewardship of habitats in the Mojave desert in a time of climate change
MISSION STATEMENT
Red Rock Audubon’s mission is to protect and restore habitats for birds and other wildlife, promote sustainable practices, and engage communities in support of conservation efforts. Through education, advocacy, and outreach, we strive to inspire individuals to act as environmental stewards and to ensure equitable access to nature for all.
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OUR BLOG
By Alex Harper Monsoon season began in mid-June and will go until late September throughout the Mojave Desert. Monsoonal weather patterns are kicked off as warm, moist air is moved into the region by winds originating in the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. When moisture builds and the conditions are right, thunderstorms and thick cumulus clouds begin to move through southern Nevada. Occasionally, the clouds will release water in the form of precipitation, providing the living organisms with much-needed moisture and cooler temperatures. The pulses of moisture may stimulate insect activity and population growth. This in turn can increase bird activity. In wetter years, cicadas or grasshoppers can be abundant in the Las Vegas Valley. These large insects are important food sources for the many young birds in the area and can help them survive the most challenging parts of their lives: learning to find food without the help of their parents. You may see neighborhood mockingbirds and grackles feeding on grasshoppers, or roadrunners at larger parks chasing them with high levels of success. Whether or not the monsoons materialize in July, the month tends to be hot and on the slower side throughout the Valley for birds and birders. However, there are bright spots for those willing to brave the heat. Many shorebirds may already be migrating through the area. Shorebirds are some of the first migratory birds to return to the area during southbound migration; their numbers will continue to grow through August and into September. The first birds may be plains breeders such Long-billed Curlews, Willets, and Wilson’s Phalaropes, followed by shorebirds from the boreal forests and Arctic tundra. They are often made up of adult birds that have not bred successfully and have begun moving towards wintering areas, followed by successfully-breeding adults, and later the young birds born and fledged this summer. Look for shorebirds at Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, the Las Vegas Wash, and flooding lake beds. Another interesting phenomenon is the movement of some species of waterbirds from Mexico into areas of the desert southwest. In July and August, the Las Vegas area may be graced by unusually occurring wading birds: White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Little Blue Heron and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron are all species that could show up at wetlands. These are probably young birds born this summer that are dispersing, possibly following the Colorado River up from Mexico and into southern Nevada. It seems that at least one or two of these species will be turned up by birders during July and August. Birders can escape the heat by heading into the Spring Mountains. By July, many of the high elevation birds have raised young, and breeding activity has slowed. Although birds are less vocal and active, they are still present in these habitats. It won’t be until August that most migratory birds from the Mojave and Great Basin mountain ranges begin to move down into the lowlands, where the risk of encountering high heat and less food, cover and water negates the advantages of getting any head start on southbound movements. The exceptions are hummingbirds; Rufous and occasionally Calliope Hummingbirds will turn up starting in late July at higher elevations. These birds leapfrog across mountain ranges in search of the late summer blooms of penstemon, goldenrod, thistle, and more.
By Jackson Roth (age 11) Birding in the springtime offers chances to see birds doing a wide range of behaviors not done during other times of the year. This was one fun surprise we had while birding in late spring. I love Floyd Lamb. It has been the scene of some of my family’s greatest adventures, like hunting for Great Horned Owls (more about that in an earlier blog post) and seeing a South American Muscovy duck. Its variety of forest, grassland, and wetland habitats means there is a wide range of species in the area. But there’s one species in Floyd Lamb that always annoys us: Canada Geese. They’re squawking at you, they’re trying to bite your hand off, and you’re stepping in their feces. It’s terrible. But one time we went in the spring, and our opinion of Canada Geese went up…slightly, anyway. It was right after breeding season, and we saw some Canada Geese goslings. Covered in puffy, pale yellow feathers, they were adorable! There were usually three or four in a group, tiny balls of fluff, and as they ran around after their mothers, they furiously beat their tiny wings, hoping that even without flight feathers, they would still be able to soar into the air. We were surrounded with wonderful, waddling goslings. Seeing so many of them made me a little sad. They’re so cute now, but they will all grow up to be something that wants to bite me and poops all over the sidewalk.
By Alex Harper The big pulses of migratory birds have all but ended for the spring season by the beginning of June. The transient shorebirds, vireos, flycatchers, thrushes, warblers, tanagers, grosbeaks and buntings have pushed through the Mojave landscapes along their route to their summer breeding territories. Most of the birds that passed through in May have flown to suitable breeding habitat, found a mate, begun maintaining and defending territory, constructed a nest and started sitting on eggs by early June. In the spring, birds are fixated on getting to a territory and passing their genes successfully. This requires focus to get ahead of any competition. For birders in the Mojave Desert, June is the beginning of the summer. Those who dedicated to looking for straggling or wayward migratory birds should head to the migrant traps in the area. Migrant traps are any features in the landscape that look appealing to birds. In the desert, a migrant trap may be a small area with trees and water; golf courses, highway rest stops, and springs often qualify as traps because they “pull in birds”. Corn Creek Field Station at Desert National Wildlife Refuge or Floyd Lamb Park are traps that have the potential to attract late or wayward migratory birds. Unassuming highway towns like Primm or Cactus Springs can act as traps as well. In early June, one could be rewarded with a vagrant; Tropical Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, or an eastern warbler are all possibilities in June. Our local birds are deeply engaged in breeding activities. In the lower elevations and the Las Vegas Valley, adults may be feeding nestlings or attending to birds that have fledged the nest. Some birds may begin tending to a second clutch of young. Listen for nestlings begging for food from nests or for fledged young following their parents for handouts. By the end of the month and into July, some birds born this spring are already wandering around on their own, unattended by their parents. In the higher elevations where cooler temperatures may be lingering, birds are following a later schedule. This means that visitors to the Spring Mountains might be able to enjoy the frenzies of breeding activities of Violet-green Swallows, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, and songbirds while enjoying cooler weather and the shade of towering Ponderosa Pines. If possible, visit the trails of Fletcher Canyon, Deer Creek, Mary Jane Falls, or upper Lee Canyon on weekday mornings to beat the weekend crowds and take in the June dawn chorus. Those hanging around until nightfall may hear whistling Poorwills, Western Screech-Owl or the low hoots of Flammulated Owls. The Hualapai Mountains near Kingman, Arizona offer similar mountainous getaways along with chances for Zone-tailed Hawk, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager and Canyon Towhee, all of which are difficult to find on our side of the Colorado River. Otherwise, settle into a Mojave Desert summer. Treat June, July, and August as times to observe young birds or for studying familiar backyard birds. After a few weeks, shorebirds will be on their way southward; it is possible to see migratory shorebirds by late July and August. You may also find companions in insects, spiders, bats and lizards. Slow down and be open to the other animals and you will notice the diversity of pollinating insects and urban invertebrates of southern Nevada. These invertebrates provide food to the summer biomass of the bird populations. .
