Thursday, December 12, 2013

Clark County Wetlands Park

Sixth and last day in Las Vegas, I visited the above park http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/wetlandspark
Great place with smaller ponds and great walking trails.  I was searching for the Greater Roadrunner to add to my collection and one never showed up.  I saw two the whole trip, but couldn't pull the trigger either time.  I guess I have another reason to come back.  Here are some more critters.

Covey of Gambel's Quail

 Gambel's Quail male

Ring-necked Duck

Audubon's Warbler - correction from Jim Boone, different subspecies from our more eastern Myrtle Warbler that is also part of the Yellow-rumped Warblers.  Yellow throat is the difference.

Albert's Towhee

 White-crowned Sparrow

Bewick's Wren

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Hemenway Park, Boulder City, Nevada - Desert Bighorn Sheep

The first afternoon that we were in Las Vegas, we went down to the park to see if the Desert Bighorn Sheep were there.  Here is some info on the park, http://www.birdandhike.com/Wildlife/Mamm/08Art/05_Bov/Ovis_can/Hemenway/_Ovi_hemen.htm  Jim Boone and his website are the best information for finding wildlife in the Las Vegas area.  He generously sent me emails with advice on where I could find my targets. There were about 20 in the park with one decent ram.  It was cold in the low 30s.  I shot about 100 images and we packed up to head to Hoover Dam.






About a 1/4 mile down the road I spotted 6 rams heading north toward a subdivision.  I quickly wheeled around and headed back past the park to the subdivision on the other side.  We found a dead end where we could look down on the wash below the park.  I quickly spotted the rams and they had turned for the park.  We quickly loaded up and headed back to the park.  By the time I got my camera out at the park, the six rams entered the field.  They singled out a ewe that giving off good chemical signals to the boys.  They hung with her the whole time until I left.