Amargosa Valley Adventure

We have arrived at our Rhyolite camping site, for about 5 days.    Our first "Birding Adventure "  will be at our friends at The Knight Ranch, just down the road in Oasis Valley.  We had the pleasure of meeting them 4 or 5 years ago.

They have one fantastic ranch.  Birds all over their ranch , plus the Amargosa  River goes through their ranch.

Then on we go to Torrance Ranch Preserve, just down the road.

The Torrance Ranch Preserve was acquired by The Nature Conservancy in 1999 and is the Conservancy’s first restoration project in the Oasis Valley. The goal of restoration at this site is to re-create a functioning ecosystem in an area that had been affected by over 100 years of human activity.
The restoration approach developed at Torrance Ranch has been successful in attracting local and migratory birds and in supporting native amphibians, fishes and thriving native plant communities. The work being done here has become a model for how to create and sustain wetland habitats and is being implemented at additional sites in the Oasis Valley including the Parker Ranch, the Spicer property, Crystal Springs complex and others.  (info from goggle)

 This is the Amargosa Toad are voiceless except for a chip the males make.  They are very rare. This one is from our friends ranch.

 

The Northern Harrier are uncommon but are widespread.  Found over grass lands, marshes and farmlands.  They nest on the ground. This gray one a male.

Enjoy Kitfoxgal