USA 2014 - Lyttle Ranch Nature Preserve

Lyttle Ranch is at the end of a long unmade road (and has a new bird shooting lodge next to it - extremely cynical!).  It's also very odd.  On arrival there is very little information, however you can pick up a preserve bird list which is somewhat helpful.

We bumped into someone just getting up, a writer apparently, who gave us vague directions, and so we set off to explore the preserve.

To start with the trail is between a river with some rich tress alongside and then to the right, the start of the Mojave desert, hence it's a popular spot for birds.  We saw numerous different species, including Bell's Vireo:

Black-chinned Hummingbird:

and one not on the preserve species list, a female Bufflehead:

As you progress along the trail, the desert gets closer and absent tree cover the temperature soars:

In the drier section but still alongside the river, Phainopepla:

We headed back to the car park adding Bullock's Oriole:

Western Kingbird, here taking water:

And a female Yellow Warbler emerging from the leaves:

Although a bit surreal it's a lovely spot and one I'd recommend if you ever find yourself in the far South-West of Utah.  Time then to head to Vegas ahead of our flight the following day.