Birding Info for Las Vegas (US) 6th - 16th Nov 2007 (1 Viewer)

[Tanager]

Hello all,

I am going to be in Vegas from the 6th to the 12th of November and then somewhere nearby, either; Grand Canyon, Death Valley, or open to any other suggestions. I'll be able to bird in the morning around Vegas so if there are any birds/sites within a hour and a half drive of there that would be ideal.

So heres the wish list. Appologies for any howlers, either those that are common as muck or just plain fantasy, I just picked species by going through Sibley. Particularly interested in those highlighed as appaer to have smaller ranges.

Prairie Falcon
Gambels Quail
Inca Dove
Greater Roadrunner
Common Poorwill
White-throated Swift
Acorn Woodpecker
Gila Woodpecker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Gilded Flicker
Black Phobe
Mexican Jay
Pinyon Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Bridled Titmouse
Juniper Titmouse
Mountain Chickadee
Verdin
Bushtit
Pygmy Nuthatch
Canyon wren
Cactus Wren
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Curve-billed Thrasher
Crissal Thrasher
Le Conte's Thrasher
Phainopepla
Canyon Towhee
Alberts Towhee
Great Tailed Grackle
Cassin's Finch
Lesser Goldfinch

Getting Married on the 11th and leaving Vegas on the 13th - 16th, so any suggestion for somewhere nice to stay between the 13th and 16th would also be most helpful.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[Dave B Smith]

Mark,
While you're waiting for some specific replies, you might do a forum search for "vegas". You'll get lots of info and ideas from threads like this. Best of luck,

 

[jenns]

I have been to Zion National Park and Bryce canyon which are within a couple of hours from Vegas I believe. I was able to easily spot many birds species that were lifers for me such as mountain chickadee, pygmy nuthatch, common raven, steller's jay, american dipper, western bluebird, violet swallow and several hummingbird species. Clark's nutcracker was supposedly present in both places although I did not see any. I know these birds aren't specifically what you are looking for but I did enjoy seeing them and I very much enjoyed both parks

 

[Matt_RTH]

This is on my list next time I'm near sin city. Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. I think it was a "hot spot" in Birder's World once. http://www.birdersworld.com/brd/default.aspx?c=a&id=935

Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon all good but further than desired. Maybe that new Native American edge of the GC isn't too far from Vegas with that ung*dly arch that extends over the GC.

Might want to make the trip to Southern Cal or Nevada (edit - Arizona that is). Acorn Woody is very common around my area (OC). Disregarding season (check guides for that), of your list, these are what will be in So Cal (5 hrs away) that are reasonly easy to see. More likely with more experience.

Greater Roadrunner (will probably see one on the drive!)
White-throated Swift (not terribly common but I do see them)
Acorn Woodpecker
Black Phobe
Mountain Chickadee (Sequoia for that)
Bushtit (lots)
Cactus Wren
(California Thrasher - not on list)
Great Tailed Grackle
Lesser Goldfinch

 

[LindaD]

Matt: We were in Vegas in September. We visited the Red Rock Canyon just west of Vegas. A very beautiful area and the Willow Springs area there was full of birds. Got some good looks at Pinyon jays there as well as a few other species such as ash throated flycatchers. It's a very nice area to take a hike, especially in the morning.

Linda