Spring is taking its good old time arriving in northern Nevada, and everything seems a bit behind schedule. I recently headed over to Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge to see how things were progressing. The birds at the refuge were not waiting – they were in full breeding mode, which means making a lot of racket. As a recordist, I live for cacophony!
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge covers more than 80,000 acres of a giant basin; the terminus for the Carson River which begins 130 miles away in the Sierra Nevada. It forms a vital corridor as well as breeding and wintering habitat for numerous waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as hawk, owls, coyotes, jackrabbits, and mule deer. In spite of the near constant roar of fighter jets from nearby Fallon Naval Air Station, it remains a great place for bird watching and recording (although it would be even better without the jet noise). An amazing oasis in the desert.
I visit Stillwater frequently, both to enjoy the natural surroundings and try to record it in all its seasons. By late April, things are really hopping. Stillwater is composed of numerous ponds and ditches that stretch over miles and miles. I find it fascinating that each pond is pretty unique in the composition of birds that hang out there. Stillwater Lake is the place to see great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, snowy egrets, white pelicans, western grebes and coots. In some of the shallower ponds further north you can find lots of shorebirds, including white-faced ibis, black-necked stilts, avocets, killdeer, short-billed dowitchers, and many more. I headed to the middle of the refuge and parked the car for the night to get some recordings. Right next to where I parked a Virginia rail was cackling. I had hoped it would quiet down after dark, but it went on and on until just before dawn. I’ve heard people complain about the incessant singing of whippoorwills, poorwills, and mockingbirds, but I’ll take any one of those over camping right next to a Virginia rail.
But the real cacophony began at dawn when the marsh wrens and blackbirds starting singing. Is it just me, or do marsh birds tend to have very harsh calls?
I’m hoping for a break in the weather, so I can get back out to Stillwater and see what’s happening. Here’s some photos from last June:
