This fall is the first semester for the brand new UNLV Audubon Student Conservation Chapter!  So far there are 32 members, and despite starting the club in a semester that has been quite different, with hurdles like social gathering restrictions, the chapter has found ways to engage the community. They meet every Thursday at 8 AM for weekly on-campus bird walks, where Andrea Wirth, Kristen Tovar, Doug Chang and Paul Rodriguez, have taught students how to identify birds.  ​One student, Alicia, said she identifies birds in her backyard now, in between virtual classes and studying.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) is home to 20 of Clark County’s regional eBird hotspots and 33 Hole Overlook is at the top of that list in popularity with 222 species reported and 730+ eBird checklists.  Lately, several rarities have been spotted there including: Mountain Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Franklin’s Gull, Red Phalarope, Sabine’s Gull, and likely others I missed.

Trash. That’s one thing that’s not rare at 33 Hole, however. ​