Back at the Refuge

Desert National Wildlife Refuge, in Nevada, is where my birding life began, so how special for me to take my dear friends there for their first birding experience. Danyell and Ben accompanied me on my first visit back. Danyell already has a fondness of birds, and her husband, Ben, is an excellent photographer (check out his work here) so I figured he'd enjoy the challenge of bird photography.

Shortly after we arrived, we ran into Jeanne, whom led the Audubon walk at Mt Charleston the prior week. Jeanne graciously walked us over to the Cooper's Hawk nest where we watched the mom feeding her young, though nearly full-sized, fledglings. Still in the nest, but preparing for their first flight by flapping their wings and hopping around the nest, means it won't be long now.

Jeanne also pointed out a Black-chinned Hummingbird nest! At chest height and only a couple feet from the trail, it was a great view. We stood back from the nest but in a place we could see with our long lenses and binoculars, and held still. Soon the hummingbird returned to the nest and we were able to get a photo before moving on to let her relax. 

We were amused by a number of Desert Spiny Lizards running across the trails looking like little dinosaurs. 

A week later I went back with my friend, Susan, for her first birding experience. This time I came prepared with my scope. When we reached the orchard, I spotted a Blue Grosbeak. I quickly put the bird in the scope for Susan and received the usual shock and awe response when someone sees their first bird in a scope. We were able to watch him for a bit before his mate showed up, which gave Susan a great example of the sexual dimorphism of birds. We were able to see both nests thru the scope. 

Both days we managed to see a decent variety of birds, despite the 100+ heat and short walk. I still can't get over my friends seeing a Cooper's Hawk nest with young, plus a hummingbird on a nest on their very first birding walk! I've been birding regularly for 6 years now and this week is the first time I've seen a hummingbird nest at all! I hope it was as memorable for my friends as it was for me being with them for such a special experience.

My third and last visit was with my family. Sadly the kids hardly remember when this was our backyard. In 2015 we volunteered here for four months in exchange for a campsite on property. It was an amazing experience, but the kids were only four at the time. (This was our actual campsite, just a short walk to the visitor center and trails!)

Asher is really interested in rocks and fossils, so we drove him out to Fossil Ridge to explore. It's a bumpy drive on the gravel road and much farther than it appears from the visitor center, but it was fun.

Along this steep slope, you can find large nautilus fossils inside the ridge's rock.