On hillsides along the way to the Stillwater refuge, you can still see the bathtub ring left by ancient Lake Lahontan, the ice-age sea that covered much of northwestern Nevada long ago. It persists as an isolated maze of wetlands at the terminus of the Carson River.
The high-desert oasis is a designated Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve. Half of the Pacific Flyway’s Canvasback population stops here, Snowy Plovers are regular nesters, and Nevada’s largest number of Bald Eagles spends the winter.
I like the wide-open skies and the raised levee roads for spotting distant hawks and for watching deer and other desert wildlife. I stopped recently at flooded alfalfa fields along Stillwater Road to look at White-faced Ibis and Great Egrets. During spring visits, the Russian olives and tamarisks that line the irrigation canals are often dotted with migrant warblers. The wooden boardwalk at Foxtail Lake leads into cattails and bulrushes filled with Yellow-headed Blackbirds. And the floating platform at the lake’s edge is a great place to wait and watch for birds. I was treated to close-up views of Western Grebes, American White Pelicans, Black-crowned Night-Herons, and a Ruddy Duck showing off its mating dance. — Audrey Medina
Audrey Medina is a freelance travel writer. She also wrote about the Presidio in San Francisco, Hotspot Near You No. 180.
Directions
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge spans 80,000 acres of the Lahontan Valley Wetlands about 75 miles east of Reno. From Fallon, take Hwy. 50 east for 4.6 miles, and turn left onto Stillwater Rd. (Hwy. 116). Continue for 15 miles as the road winds north and east, following the signs to the refuge entrance.
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At a Glance
Click on the coordinates below to view location:
39°31’7.86″N 118°30’39.15″W
Habitat
Wetlands, open water, irrigated pastures, semi-desert grasslands.
Terrain
Flat, open. Good birding from car.
Birds
250 species. Year-round: American White Pelican, White-faced Ibis, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, Black Tern, Least Bittern. Spring and fall: Long-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin, Wilson’s Phalarope, Snowy Plover, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, Northern Pintail, Canvasback, Eared and Western Grebes, Tundra Swan, Snow Goose. Summer: Wilson’s Phalarope, Sora, Virginia Rail, Franklin’s Gull, Forster’s and Black Terns, American Bittern. Winter: Bald Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Shrike, Short-eared Owl.
When to go
Year-round. Shorebirds from late April to mid-May and July through September. Waterfowl arrive in late fall.
Amenities
Auto tour loops, hiking trails, boardwalks, observation decks, restrooms, boat launches, photo blinds, camping. Spring Wings Festival held each year; this year it’s on May 9. Refuge headquarters is in Fallon at 1020 New River Pkwy., Ste. 305; open 8-5 Monday-Friday. Information kiosk and maps available after business hours.
Access
National wildlife refuge. Open 24 hours. No fees. Roads are well marked.
Tips
Bring water, food, sunscreen, and a hat. Cell-phone service is sketchy. Dirt roads can be muddy when wet.
For more info
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, (775) 423-5128
Lahontan Audubon Society
Friends of Stillwater NWR
Sites nearby
Carson Lake Wetlands
Nine miles south of Fallon on Hwy. 95, turn east on Hwy. 120, and drive two miles to Greenhead Hunting Club sign. Shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors.
Harmon Reservoir
East of Fallon on Stuart Rd. Look for Black Tern, American Bittern, Sora, Virginia Rail, and warblers.