To have a place to escape the city and become one with nature sitting right in ones own back yard (figuratively of course) is just magical. My first visit was when I brought my grandparents who were visiting from out of town. We walked in to the visitors center and were promptly greeted by the docents who asked if we were from the area. As a resident, I was asked to sign the guest registry for the three of us prior to walking into the bird viewing area. We were told a bit about the preserve and shown around the visitor center which is very educational amd informative. There are many taxidermied animals which can be found in the Las Vegas area. Some you can see living examples of as soon as you walk out to the ponds.
Out side there are a lot of trees and marsh plants lining the many trails which guide you through the acres of preserve and around the nine ponds. In February, we saw various ducks, Canada geese, and other miscellaneous water fowl. We didn't walk too far in. I mean, my grandparents are in their upper 70s. I'm not trying to kill them. But we did walk to a couple of the viewing platforms in the middle. When the weather cools down again in the fall I'd like to go back and explore a little more. There is so much to see and it is right there and free.