July Birding Forecast

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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.

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By Skyler Peterson Universities should embrace mindful birding as a form of ecotherapy to support students living with PTSD. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an increasingly urgent mental health issue for college students. Traumatic events such as campus shootings, sexual assault, racial violence, and natural disasters leave lasting effects. A recent study found that the prevalence of PTSD in college students rose from 3.4% in 2017–2018 to 7.5% in 2021–2022 (Zhai, 2024). This increase demands attention from universities and the broader public. How PTSD Affects Students PTSD impacts nearly every aspect of a student’s life. It impairs academic performance and increases the risk of substance use. Many students withdraw socially, unable to engage fully with their peers or professors. For those who experience trauma on campus, the sense of safety and belonging, essential to learning, may be shattered. The place they must go to succeed becomes filled with constant triggers they must struggle to navigate. Mindful Birding as Ecotherapy One promising tool for promoting healing is ecotherapy: structured, nature-based activities that restore mental and physical well-being. A growing practice within this field is mindful birding, also known as “slow birding.” It combines birdwatching with mindfulness to help individuals ground themselves in the present moment and connect with the natural world around them. The guiding principles are simple but powerful: awareness of being in the moment with birds, intention to turn attention to birds and nature for self-care, being without judgment to allow an experience to be what it will, and an exploration of curiosity in openness to experiencing awe. According to the Mindful Birding Network, this intentional focus on nature can foster resilience, reduce stress, and nurture a sense of belonging in the world. Connecting Birding to PTSD For students coping with PTSD, mindful birding offers a grounding practice that is both accessible and flexible. It requires no prior experience and can be done anywhere, even while walking to class. A student feeling dysregulated might pause to listen to birdsong, notice the flight of a sparrow, or observe the seasonal rhythms on campus. These moments provide a break from intrusive thoughts, reconnecting the student with body, mind, and surroundings. This connection to nature can create a sense of safety and predictability, something many survivors of trauma desperately need. The cyclical patterns of bird life remind us that the world continues in order, even amid personal chaos. Measurable Examples During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro found that combining mindfulness with time in nature significantly reduced anxiety symptoms in students (Vitagliano, 2023). 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Participants of the study reported increased feelings of relaxation, release of tension, increased awareness, and aroused curiosity. (Simonienko, 2023) How Universities Can Act Universities are well-positioned to make mindful birding more accessible. Audubon on Campus, the collegiate branch of the National Audubon Society, already hosts birding events throughout the academic year. By partnering with campus mental health services and victim advocate programs, these initiatives could expand into intentional ecotherapy opportunities for students living with PTSD. Providing mindful birding workshops, guided walks, or even simple campus maps highlighting bird-rich areas could help students build grounding practices into their daily lives. The cost is minimal, but the potential benefits of greater resilience, stronger community connections, and improved well-being are immense. 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February Birding Forecast

January 25, 2026
By Alex Harper Neither in the depths of winter anymore and too early for the rush of spring, February is a month that may feel more stagnant than January or March. The increasing daylight triggers hormone production that may prepare some birds for breeding or migratory behavior. The behavior changes in birds may be obvious when observing some species, but not observable in others. There are indeed some birds on the move in February, and they are the harbingers of an incoming spring. For our local breeding birds, many will be engaging in territorial behavior or “tuning up” their songs. Residential birds at low elevations, such as in the Las Vegas area, will be most obvious. You’ll notice doves, hummingbirds and mockingbirds chasing each other around or displaying. You may even catch hummingbirds in the act of collecting nest materials; spider webs are amongst some of their favorite materials. The songs of House Finches may be heard on almost every city block in town. At local parks such as Sunset Park, the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, and Pittman Wash, you may hear the harsh song of the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, a rambling Crissal Thrasher, or the hurried and stuttering song of the Abert’s Towhee. Since these resident birds are nonmigratory and are already in the area that they will attempt to breed, they can begin breeding activities now. For many of the migratory species, they are on a different schedule. At our parks with water and our reservoirs, we could still see influxes of winter-driven waterfowl, especially in diving ducks like goldeneyes, Red-breasted and Common Mergansers. Cooler temperatures to the north or farther inland can freeze ponds over, which directly affects the ability for waterfowl to forage for food. Diving waterfowl are impacted by any freezes, and they’ll move around throughout February when necessary. February is another great gull-watching month. Virtually any species can show up at Lake Mead during February. Some migratory birds are on the way from south of the border. Fast-flying swallows are amongst the first to arrive, and they’ll trickle into wetlands such as Clark County Wetlands Park and the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Migratory Northern Rough-winged Swallows will join the small winter flocks at the bird preserve, as will Tree Swallows, followed by a few Barns and Violet-greens. Visit the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve towards the end of February, and you’ll notice the slow accumulation of swallows. Once the trees begin to produce new leaves again, insect and bird activity will escalate. From March to May, surges of spring-related activities such as singing, nest-building, and migration will be in full motion.

January Bird Forecast

December 27, 2025
by Alex Harper Cold, dense air blankets the valleys and basins of the lowlands, and snow may cover mountain slopes. The sun arcs low across the horizon, and the days are especially short. Just about all the deciduous trees have lost their leaves after a few windy December days. The loss of leaf cover forces some songbirds to forage lower to the ground or move around locally to find fuel and cover. Since insects may only be active during the warmest parts of the warmest of January days, you may notice Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers using ingenuity to find dormant or dead insects and spiders. In lots and natural areas, White-crowned Sparrows and House Finches feed on seeding quailbush. Many January days can be bone-chilling, but on calm and warmer days, signs of breeding activities will be noticeable in urban areas. You may hear the loud popping sounds of displaying Anna’s Hummingbirds, see Eurasian Collared-Doves “paragliding” between powerlines, or notice robins and mockingbirds tuning up their songs. This is in response to the gradual increase in daylight following the winter solstice in December; birds are so attuned to light that some resident species may get a jumpstart on establishing territories and attracting mates. Wetlands, parks with water, and golf courses can host high species of duck diversity. Along the Las Vegas Wash from the upper wash to Lake Las Vegas, open water attracts teals, Mallards, American Wigeons, pintails, Gadwalls, Ring-necked Ducks, and Lesser Scaups. Wigeons and Gadwalls are especially drawn to weirs, where they feed on algae growing on rocks. Northern Shovelers may be absent along the Wash, preferring the calmer waters of the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. American Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, and Redheads all may be found at city park ponds and lakes, where they have learned to take handouts. Geese move in between nighttime roosts around water for open grassy areas during the day. Geese are grazers, and you may see small groups of Snow Geese and the odd Cackling, Greater White-fronted, or Ross’s Geese among Canada Geese on soccer fields or golf course lawns. Lake Mead can attract grebes, loons, and diving ducks. Check the areas where the Las Vegas Wash meets the lake, which is currently near Government Wash and 33-Hole. Large enough fish for grebes, loons, and cormorants are attracted to this outwash, and it can be an excellent place to look for these and other waterbirds that eat medium-sized to large fish. Lake Mead is also attractive to gulls in January and late winter. Gulls are dynamic, intelligent, can be difficult to identify to a species-level, and are prone to wandering. For these reasons and more, birders often find looking for gulls an exciting challenge. Only a few species are expected on any given visit to Lake Mead, but the reservoir lures in just about any North American gull species. Gulls go where they are fed, and they roost in safe areas close to consistent feeding areas. 33-Hole, Government Wash, Boulder Beach and Hemenway Harbor are all tried-and-true locations to look for gulls. Scan through flocks of ubiquitous Ring-billed, California, and occasional Herring for Lesser Black-backed and Iceland Gulls. Eventually, you may see something completely unexpected. Overall, January can be used to see waterfowl move and court one another, as well as life cycles of wintering and resident birds. For some bird species, they are weeks or months away from migrating to their breeding grounds, which in some cases may be in Canada or Alaska. For our year-round neighborhood birds, they may be transitioning out of their winter behavior of wandering for food and beginning to set up territory. By February, we will welcome the vanguards of returning swallows.