"Pathways to Conservation" Applications Now Open!

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Are you eager to make a difference in local bird conservation, connect with like-minded people, and deepen your knowledge of the Mojave Desert’s birds and life zones? This fall, we have a program for you! 



Pathways to Conservation is our new volunteer and education program led by Alex Harper, our Education & Outreach Chair. This program is split into two cohorts: one for adults, and one for high school students interested in careers in biology and conservation.


Who Should Join?

People interested in volunteering for RRAS and supporting bird conservation should consider joining. After completing the course, you will have a wide breadth of knowledge in Mojave Desert life zones, priority bird species, threats and conservation, as well as laws that impact our birds and how our partnering agencies work. 


This course is designed to support go-getters and people who want to make a difference locally. A passion for birds and conservation is a must, as well as the ability to commit to the program and maintain a volunteer commitment to RRAS after the program ends. We are especially looking for people who are curious, committed, and communicative! 


Expect to Learn

Expect to get the background needed to get started at being an effective communicator about things that matter. To set you up, you will be introduced to the following and more:

  • The habitats of the Mojave Desert from riparian to alpine and everything in between
  • The bird families in Nevada, their roles in local ecosystems, and why they matter
  • The land managers and agencies that manage the land where Nevada’s birds live, how they operate, and how Red Rock Audubon members can work with them
  • The local and landscape scale threats to birds and their habitats, and what can be done
  • The history of Red Rock Audubon’s role in the community and what we can build from to meet the moment


How Will You Benefit?

The course is meant to give you the “needs to know”, and there are many ways to apply what you learn. How and where in your life you apply it is ultimately going to be what interests you the most, and so it should compliment your life and your other commitments. It's simple: we are successful and supported as an organization when we help you on your unique path. Here are a few ways that you’ll benefit:

  • You’ll gain skills to become an interpretative naturalist, outdoor educator, or wildlife biologist
  • You’ll gain the background to become a better communicator of complex ideas as an educator or advocate
  • You’ll be able to take an active role in teaching kids and teens about birds and habitats at interesting locations
  • You’ll have the clarity to feel sure about the best use of your time and focus to make an effective difference
  • You’ll meet land managers, biologists, and conservationists on the lands that they work on and about the land


What is Expected of You? 

The Pathways to Conservation begins in early September and ends in early December. To fully complete the program, you are required to attend the classes and field trips. The classes will be recorded. Each cohort will have:

  •  Ten evening weekday classes on Zoom on Tuesday nights
  • Five total field outings on weekends to learn more about local habitats, conservation priorities, and managing agencies, including:
  •   Mt Charleston
  •  Corn Creek at Desert National Wildlife Refuge
  • Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve
  • Avi Kwa Ame National Monument 


After completing this program, it is expected that you begin give back a certain amount of time to RRAS as a volunteer. This is because we need people to play an active role in moving us forward. Expect to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours in 2025. Adults will step into supported RRAS-sponsored roles, such as:

  • Becoming a volunteer park or field trip leader by spring 2025
  • Communicating regularly with an agency or park manager and reporting to the appropriate RRAS committee. 
  •  Participating in citizen science programs, such as Christmas Bird Counts, shorebird surveys, or Great Basin Bird Observatory’s citizen science initiatives
  • Teaching students at schools, community centers, or the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve
  • Providing education public presentations to partners and organizations curious about birds
  • Gathering information, preparing for, or engaging in discussions publicly or privately with policy-makers, park or land managers, and renewable energy developers
  • Assist in transportation or other logistics of youth program
  • Working in coalitions with our community partners
  • Joining the Board of Directors for an appropriate role


For high-schoolers, students will be expected to choose a local wetland or park (such as the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve) and do a habitat assessment and bird survey, as well as plan and execute a stewardship event and create a suggested management plan for the site. Students will learn how to do these steps through the program, and their final report will be delivered to the members of RRAS leadership. All of these skills make excellent resume boosters, and students will come away with professional connections to leaders in RRAS as well as our partnering agencies.

 

Class Times - Adults

Our ten adult classes are virtual on Tuesday nights, starting at 6:00 pm. Each course will be about 90 minutes. There are up to five field trips during the span of the virtual courses. They will be on Saturdays. To get the most benefit, you should aim to make most of the field trips.


Adult Virtual Meeting Times

September 10 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Mojave Desert Introduction

September 17 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Plant Communities Part One

October 1 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Plant Communities Part Two

October 8 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Nevada Birds Part One

October 15 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Nevada Birds Part Two

October 22 from 6:00-7:30 pm Laws and Regulations Protecting Birds

October 29 from 6:00-7:30 pm Threats to Birds in the Mojave and what You Can Do

November 12 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Threats to Birds in the City and What You Can Do

November 19 from 6:00-7:30 pm Communication of Complex Topics

December 3 from 6:00-7:30 Bringing it All Together


Adult In-Person Field Trip Dates 

Exact times to be determined, but generally dawn to lunch time. We will meet partners and do some birding! 

September 21 – Mount Charleston Life Zones and Intro to the Forest Service system

October 5 – Corn Creek Field Station and Intro to the National Wildlife Refuge system

October 19 – Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and Intro to the Bureau of Land Management

October 26 – Clark County Wetlands and Intro to Working with County Partners

November 9 – Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve and Intro to Working with City Partners

 

Class Times – High Schoolers

Our ten teen classes are virtual and will be on Thursday nights, starting at 6:00 pm. Each course will be about 90 minutes.

There are up to five field trips during the span of the virtual courses. They will be on Sundays. To get the most benefit, you should aim to make most of the field trips.


Virtual Meeting Times

September 12 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Mojave Desert Introduction

September 19 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Plant Communities Part One

September 26 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Plant Communities Part Two

October 3 from 6:00-7:30 pm – Get to Know Nevada Birds Part One

October 10 from 6:00-7:30 pm – Get to Know Nevada Birds Part Two

October 17 from 6:00-7:30 pm Protecting Birds

October 24 from 6:00-7:30 pm Threats to Birds in the Mojave and What You Can Do

November 14 from 6:00-7:30 pm - Threats to Birds in the City and What You Can Do

November 21 from 6:00-7:30 pm Communication of Complex Topics

December 5 from 6:00-7:30 Bringing it All Together


High School In-Person Field Trip Dates 

Exact times to be determined, but generally dawn to lunch time. We will meet partners and do some birding!

September 22 – Mount Charleston Life Zones and Intro to the Forest Service system

October 6 – Corn Creek Field Station and Intro to the National Wildlife Refuge system

October 20 – Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and Intro to the Bureau of Land Management

October 27 – Clark County Wetlands and Intro to Working with County Partners

November 10 – Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve and Intro to Working with City Partners

December 7 – Conservation Project at Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve

 

Ready? Fill Out Our Application


If you’re reading this and thinking, “that’s me!” then fill out the application to join the program today. Space is limited in each cohort, and applications close on September 1st. If you have additional questions, reach out to Alex Harper at alexharper@redrockaudubon.com


We will try to work with you if your transportation options are limited. We don’t want to turn anyone away because they can’t make it to in-person portions, but we need time to plan for it. If you would like for us to try to sponsor or support local and relevant travel, please let us know in the application.

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July Birding Forecast

June 29, 2026
By Alex Harper Monsoon season began in mid-June and will go until late September throughout the Mojave Desert. Monsoonal weather patterns are kicked off as warm, moist air is moved into the region by winds originating in the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. When moisture builds and the conditions are right, thunderstorms and thick cumulus clouds begin to move through southern Nevada. Occasionally, the clouds will release water in the form of precipitation, providing the living organisms with much-needed moisture and cooler temperatures. The pulses of moisture may stimulate insect activity and population growth. This in turn can increase bird activity. In wetter years, cicadas or grasshoppers can be abundant in the Las Vegas Valley. These large insects are important food sources for the many young birds in the area and can help them survive the most challenging parts of their lives: learning to find food without the help of their parents. You may see neighborhood mockingbirds and grackles feeding on grasshoppers, or roadrunners at larger parks chasing them with high levels of success. Whether or not the monsoons materialize in July, the month tends to be hot and on the slower side throughout the Valley for birds and birders. However, there are bright spots for those willing to brave the heat. Many shorebirds may already be migrating through the area. Shorebirds are some of the first migratory birds to return to the area during southbound migration; their numbers will continue to grow through August and into September. The first birds may be plains breeders such Long-billed Curlews, Willets, and Wilson’s Phalaropes, followed by shorebirds from the boreal forests and Arctic tundra. They are often made up of adult birds that have not bred successfully and have begun moving towards wintering areas, followed by successfully-breeding adults, and later the young birds born and fledged this summer. Look for shorebirds at Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, the Las Vegas Wash, and flooding lake beds. Another interesting phenomenon is the movement of some species of waterbirds from Mexico into areas of the desert southwest. In July and August, the Las Vegas area may be graced by unusually occurring wading birds: White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Little Blue Heron and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron are all species that could show up at wetlands. These are probably young birds born this summer that are dispersing, possibly following the Colorado River up from Mexico and into southern Nevada. It seems that at least one or two of these species will be turned up by birders during July and August.  Birders can escape the heat by heading into the Spring Mountains. By July, many of the high elevation birds have raised young, and breeding activity has slowed. Although birds are less vocal and active, they are still present in these habitats. It won’t be until August that most migratory birds from the Mojave and Great Basin mountain ranges begin to move down into the lowlands, where the risk of encountering high heat and less food, cover and water negates the advantages of getting any head start on southbound movements. The exceptions are hummingbirds; Rufous and occasionally Calliope Hummingbirds will turn up starting in late July at higher elevations. These birds leapfrog across mountain ranges in search of the late summer blooms of penstemon, goldenrod, thistle, and more.

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