Overview

Corn Creek is a tiny spot of green in a vast sea of Mojave Desert Scrub that attracts desert birds and migrant species like a magnet. Of all the places to go birding around Las Vegas, this is the best place for finding desert species, seasonal migrants, and unusual migrants -- this is where the birds show up. Corn Creek has water that brings in desert species and trees that attract migrants (fruit and cover), plus the area is small enough that you can work it over and follow birds from one side to the other.

View a map of Corn Creek.

Description

Corn Creek is a desert oasis located on the edge of a broad, flat valley at the foot of the Sheep Mountains. Several springs in the area provide water for Honey Mesquite, Cottonwood Trees, and wetland plant species. Two springs were used by late-1800s homesteaders, and these springs still water three ponds and the trees, grass, and orchards that remain.

To bird the area, walk the 0.75-mile loop trail that generally follows the perimeter of the area. This trail starts at the parking area, heads west along the south edge of the three ponds, then circles around the west end of the boneyard (the maintenance storage area), and comes back on the north side of the boneyard and ponds, passing the new pupfish habitat on the way. For a shorter 0.45-mile loop, stay on the dike circling around Pond 3 and rejoin the long loop on the north side of the pond. The short loop also passes the new pupfish habitat. If you take the short loop, be sure to check the trees along the east edge of the boneyard as you pass by.

There are no services at Corn Creek, so be sure you have enough gas to get there and back. Bring water and snacks. Picnicking is not allowed at Corn Creek, but there is a picnic area by a spring with cottonwood trees up the hill to the southeast (Table 1, Site 423). You can see the trees from the Corn Creek parking area, about a mile up the Mormon Well Road.

Location

Corn Creek is located northwest of Las Vegas on the Desert National Wildlife Range (a federal wildlife refuge), about 30 minutes northwest of downtown Las Vegas.

From Las Vegas, drive north on Highway 95 for about 30 minutes. Pass the turnoff to Mt. Charleston (a left turn to Kyle Canyon) and pass the turnoff to the Las Vegas Paiute Indian Reservation (the highway goes under an overpass). About 6 miles past the Paiute Reservation overpass, at about mile marker 101.5, the turnoff to Corn Creek (Site 350) is marked by a small refuge sign, a Corn Creek Road sign, and a well-graded, gravel road heading east across the desert. The turnoff used to be marked by an "artistic" collection of about 40 mailboxes, but now there are just a few "modern" cluster mailboxes. Corn Creek, located at Refuge Headquarters, is 3.8 miles from the highway (Site 106).

Hours

The Wildlife Range is always open, but Corn Creek is open sunrise to sunset.

Fees

None.

Birding Corn Creek

Corn Creek is a bird magnet. Everything eventually shows up here. During spring and summer, watch for Phainopepla, desert warblers, desert sparrows, thrashers, and hummingbirds; and during fall, watch for migrants and eastern warblers. This site is also good for falcons, accipitors, flycatchers, orioles, tanagers, grosbeaks, and buntings. Winter generally is quiet, but there is always something flitting about.

While driving on Corn Creek Road, be sure to check the saltbush flats for Horned Larks, desert sparrows, and Le Conte's Thrashers; and check the sky for swallows, hawks, and other soaring birds.

As you approach Corn Creek, you first arrive at the southwest corner of the horse pasture. Stop here and check the trees, power lines, and the radio tower for perching birds. Continue past the pasture and the maintenance area to the parking lot at the southeast corner (far side) of the area. There is a visitor contact station, an information kiosk, and restrooms by the parking area.

Before you start into the area, sign the visitor register so the Refuge will get credit for your visit (use a false name if you don't want the government to track your movements, but records of more visitors just might lead to more funding), then look around the parking area for Phainopepla in the Honey Mesquite, Gambel's Quail and Black-throated Sparrows among the shrubs, and hawks and swallows in the sky. This, the interface between the desert and the oasis, is a good place to watch for desert species (e.g., Greater Roadrunner, Mourning Dove, and House Finch) coming in for water.

From the parking area, enter the area on the trail to the left (behind the restrooms and visitor center). You will quickly arrive at the south edge of Pond 1. The trees here are good for warblers and other songbirds, but the open water is mostly surrounded with cattails. During warmer weather, watch for large Desert Spiny Lizards and pond turtles (red-eared sliders and softshell turtles). The "red ears" have dark-colored, dome-shaped shells and red ear patches. The softshells have flat, tan-colored shells and a funny pig-like snout. There are lots of bullfrogs and crayfish in the pond too. They tried to establish pupfish here, but I think they died out. Now there is a man-made pupfish refuge on the north edge of the trees between Ponds 1 and 2.

Be sure to look for birds the grass and on the wooden fence around the Big House. The grassy area adjacent to Pond 1 is good for sparrows and other ground birds, and the trees and fence posts provide perches for flycatchers. This area is where we most often see Lazuli Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, woodpeckers, and Lucy's Warblers.

The old orchard (between Ponds 1 and 2) provides habitat for songbirds, flycatchers, and woodpeckers. The shrubs at the west end of the orchard often hide something interesting (e.g., Brown Thrasher, White-crowned Sparrow). A trail runs along the north (right) side of the orchard parallel to a creek, and the shrubs and trees along the trail often are productive, as many birds seem to prefer drinking and bathing in the stream rather than the ponds. Watch for frogs and toads in the creek too.

From the trail just beyond the orchard, there is a brief view of the pasture. The sprinkler heads often are adorned by a dozen or more Western Kingbirds and an assortment of other flycatchers. This is also a good area to look for "unusual" species such as Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, White-Faced Ibis, Killdeer, and other shorebirds. Overflow from Pond 3 sometimes floods the edge of the pasture, providing foraging opportunities for sandpipers and Wilson's Snipe.

Following the trail, be sure to check the ground under the trees and shrubs on the south (left) side of the trail between the pasture overview and Pond 2. This is a good place to find Spotted Towhees and the Hooded Warbler that often shows up during migration. During spring, watch here for Long-eared Owls.

The trail then passes Ponds 2 and 3 (with a cutoff trail on the dike between the two ponds). These ponds are mostly overgrown with Southern Cattail, but the trees are good for all sorts of birds, including warblers; Hooded, Bullock's, and Scott's Orioles; flycatchers; Belted Kingfishers; Cedar Waxwings; and sparrows. Check the ground under the trees just south of the ponds. You also get a few elevated places along this part of the trail to scan the pasture for flycatchers and all sorts of perch-foraging and ground-foraging birds.

If you feel a little adventuresome, drop off the dike at the southwest corner of Pond 3 and walk around the perimeter of the maintenance yard (the boneyard). The trail between the pasture and the boneyard is overgrown, so watch your footing (and watch for snakes during warmer weather). Alternatively, you can walk down (and stay on) the road along the north side of the boneyard.

Around the boneyard, check the trees and shrubs along the fence for sparrows, finches, and thrashers, and tanagers, and check the pasture again. The sunflowers along the south side often are full of Lesser Goldfinches and sparrows. The radio-transmitter tower on the northwest corner of the boneyard often hides something interesting (e.g., falcons and hawks).

From the west end of boneyard, scan the Honey Mesquite and Cottonwood Trees to the north, then walk back up the road along the north side of the boneyard towards Ponds 3 and 2. The desert shrubs north of the ponds usually have interesting birds, so watch for Crissal Thrashers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Verdin, and other desert species.

Continuing on the trail or the old road, stop and visit the pupfish house. The Fish and Wildlife Service built a refuge habitat in 2005 where they keep a remnant population of the endangered Pahrump poolfish (Empetrichthys latos). Pupfish are having a hard time throughout the Southwestern U.S. deserts as springs, creeks, and ponds dry up from overuse and drought. Read the signs to learn of their plight.

Continuing east, the trees in the northeast corner of the area often are good for finding woodpeckers. Take a look at the railroad-tie building and the old chicken coop too. Imagine what it was like to live here some 100 years ago. Just past the buildings, turn left (east) and follow the trail that cuts up onto a little knob. This is a good place to get a bit of an overview and to get some elevation on the birds. Following the trail, it rejoins the road where the outflow creek from Pond 1 crosses the road. Follow the trail to the left (east) and circle around the north and east sides of Pond 1. There is a good view across Pond 1 from the north.

As you approach the parking area, there is a little bridge over a creek. Follow the creek upstream for about 100 yards to see the two springs that provide water for the area.

As you leave Corn Creek and drive back towards the main highway, check the saltbush flats for Horned Larks, desert sparrows, and Le Conte's Thrashers.

Specialties

Of all the places to go birding around Las Vegas, this is the best place for finding desert species, seasonal migrants, and unusual migrants -- this is where the birds show up. Watch for desert residents and seasonal migrants.

Corn Creek is a bird magnet. Everything eventually shows up here. During spring and summer, watch for Phainopepla, desert warblers, desert sparrows, thrashers, and hummingbirds; and during fall, watch for migrants and eastern warblers. This site is also good for falcons, accipitors, flycatchers, orioles, tanagers, grosbeaks, and buntings. Keep an open mind and look for unexpected species such as Zone-tailed Hawks and Hooded Warblers. Winter generally is quiet, but there is always something flitting about.

Watch for other wildlife too. During warmer weather, watch for large Desert Spiny Lizards in the trees, and watch for Side-blotched and Western Whiptail lizards on the ground. Watch for turtles (Red-eared Sliders and Spiny Softshell turtles) in the ponds. There are lots of Bullfrogs and crayfish in the ponds too. Black-tailed Jackrabbits, Desert Cottontail rabbits, Coyotes, White-tailed Antelope Squirrels, and several other species of rodents are common here too. Be sure to visit the pupfish refuge and learn of their plight.