Description

The City of Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve (BVP) is becoming one of the best places in southern Nevada to watch birds. Desert species, waterbirds, wading birds, and shorebirds can be abundant here.

The BVP began as part of the city sewage treatment system, but with improvements in the treatment process, the BVP now uses reclaimed water and the odor is greatly reduced. Between the adjacent sewage treatment ponds and the BVP ponds, water in this otherwise parched land attracts birds of all kinds. Paved and dirt walkways run on dikes that divide the area into 13 brush-lined ponds that provide many vantage points for viewing birds.

Check the ponds for waterbirds, check the shrubs (mostly saltbush) and cattails for passerines, watch the shrubs outside the fence for sparrows, quail, and thrashers, and keep an eye on the sky for falcons, hawks, swallow, and swifts. The mesquite thickets and river bottom beyond the northern fence are in the Clark County Wetlands Park Nature Preserve, another birding area.

A good short walk is down to the bench on Pond 2, then over to Pond 9, and back. Starting from the Visitor Center, walk out the paved trail staying to the left. Stay to the right at the first trail junction and walk out the dike between Ponds 1 and 2 to a bench looking north over Pond 2. Follow the trail around to the right and walk east, past Pond 5, to Pond 9. The trail between Ponds 6 and 9 provides good views in both directions. The east end of Pond 9 is growing in nicely with cattails and reeds, and the west end has islands that birds use for sleeping, all of which makes for a good place to see ducks and shorebirds.

A good longer walk is the entire perimeter, perhaps wandering through the middle of the Preserve on the way back. Starting from the Visitor Center, walk out the paved trail staying to the left. Strolling between the ponds and the perimeter fence provides opportunity to see desert species in the shrub thickets and flats outside the fence and waterbirds on the ponds. Pond 4, a deep pond in the northwest corner of the Preserve, always seems to have lots of ducks. Following the perimeter around to the east will eventually bring you to Pond 9, a shallow pond in the southeast corner of the Preserve with reeds and loafing islands.

Be sure to chat with the Visitor Center staff to see where the action is and if any unusual species have been seen. Also be sure to pick up (or at least take a look at) the Preserve map. Out in the Preserve, strategically placed benches provide places to sit quietly and watch the ducks, and trash cans and outhouses around the Preserve provide for other needs. Remember, this is a sewage treatment facility, so stay out of the water.

NOTE: Because the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is part of an urban water treatment system, it is closed when the local National Terror Alert Status is orange or red. Consider calling 702-267-4180 to verify that the Preserve is open before you drive out.

Location

The Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is located on the southeast edge of the Las Vegas Valley, about 15 minutes from downtown. It is located on water treatment land.

Link to Area Map or Site Map.

From downtown, drive south on Highway 93 for 12 miles to Sunset Road. Exit the highway, turn left onto Sunset, and drive east for 1.8 miles (across Boulder Highway) to Mosier Street. Turn left onto Mosier and drive north to a T-intersection. Turn right (east) at the T-intersection; drive east for about 50 yards, and turn left (north) to the wastewater treatment plant main gate (Table 1, Site 897).

Hours

Open daily, 6 AM to 3 PM. Last call is 2:45 PM.

Fees

Free admission, but all visitors must sign in at the Visitor Center and sign a liability waver.

Specialties

During winter, this is a good place to see waterfowl and other waterbirds (e.g., grebes, wading birds, shorebirds, and gulls). During migration, a great variety of species may be found here, and the site is good for flycatchers (e.g., Kingbirds, Black Phoebe, and Say's Phoebe), swallows, swifts, and sparrows. This site also attracts desert species such as Gambel's Quail, Sage Sparrow, Crissal Thrasher, Verdin, and Black-chinned Hummingbird.

For More Information

For more information, call the Preserve (702-267-4180) or visit the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve website (note: if this link don't work, goggle "Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve").