Birding Around Las Vegas, Ash Meadows NWR, Crystal Spring

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Birding Around Crystal Spring
Birding Around Las Vegas, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Crystal Spring

Crystal Spring Boardwalk starts from the back porch (view S)	Description Crystal Spring is a clear, warm-water spring with a 25-foot-diameter spring pool and an outflow stream that runs through a fairly open, fairly flat country. The spring is surrounded by a few trees, lots of shrubs, and grapevines. The outflow stream runs along the boardwalk and through an open area with scattered screwbean mesquite thickets, various species of desert shrub, and a carpet of saltgrass. Bare areas are covered with a crust of salt, which almost looks like a blanket of snow. The Crystal Spring boardwalk runs from the Visitor Center to the spring, down along the outflow stream, and back to the Visitor Center. Please protect the vegetation by staying on the boardwalk while watching birds and dragonflies.
Departing the visitor center	Location Crystal Spring is located on the Ash Meadows National Wildlife, about 2 hours northwest of Las Vegas and about 0.3 miles east of the Refuge Office. From Las Vegas, drive out to the Ash Meadows Visitor Center (Table 1, Site 1588). The boardwalk starts from the back door of the Visitor Center.
The trail forks to form a loop at the shade pavilion	Hours The refuge is day-use only: open sunrise to sunset. Fees None.
	Specialties The Crystal Spring boardwalk runs along a stream and through mostly open country with Screwbean mesquite trees, cattails, bulrushes, and saltgrass. The open areas are good for finding flycatchers (e.g., Say's Phoebe and Western Kingbird), Northern Mockingbirds, Verdins, Crissal Thrashers, and Loggerhead Shrikes. The marshy areas along the stream and at the spring pool are good for Marsh Wrens, sparrows, blackbirds, warblers, and similar upland species. Be sure to watch the sky for swallows and soaring birds. The Crystal Spring area also is good for finding migrant species, but the species mix depends on the season, and during migration it depends on just who is moving through at the time. Review the refuge bird list for some ideas on what to expect during your visit. Be sure to watch the water for the small Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish, although there are also Sailfin Mollies (non-native aquarium fish) in the outflow stream.

Ash Meadows Sunray	Inside the shade pavilion
Inside the shade pavilion	Left fork to the spring
Approaching Crystal Spring	Crystal Spring overlook
Crystal Spring	Departing Crystal Spring overlook
The trail runs west along the outflow stream	Spur trail to the left
Spur trail to the left runs out to another overlook	Overlook at end of spur trail
The overlook provides a view into the outflow stream	Continuing on the boardwalk
Another overlook along the way	Outflow stream
Continuing on the boardwalk	The last overlook
Heading back towards the shade pavilion	Approaching the the shade pavilion
Departing the shade pavilion	Approaching the visitor center
Boardwalk during summer (August)	Surveying for dragonflies with USFWS permits
Surveying for dragonflies with USFWS permits	Surveying for dragonflies with USFWS permits
Western Pondhawk	Western Pondhawk