This weekend I’m going to see this bird, an American avocet in breeding plumage, at the closest thing to birding heaven just outside Las Vegas.

Henderson Bird Preserve in Henderson, Nevada is a water treatment plant that’s beautifully laid out with natural vegetation, lots of water and good nesting habitat.  The City of Henderson intentionally made it a bird preserve 10 years ago.  It’s the third largest body of water in southern Nevada and the birds love it.  

Lots of birders visit it too.  That’s where I met Laurie Patterson who took this photo.  As we sat next to one of the ponds this avocet walked by us.  Yes, at the bird preserve they can come this close.

Almost all my Nevada life birds were found at Henderson.  The preserve is open 6:00am to 3:00pm so it’s best to come early.  After Henderson, I visit Red Rock Canyon or Corn Creek but the bird preserve is my first love.

There’s some mighty good birding in southern Nevada.