Ruby Lake

Ruby Lake NWR https://www.fws.gov/refuge/ruby_lake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Lake_National_Wildlife_Refuge The Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge encompasses wetland in Ruby Valley, just east of the Ruby Mountains and just south of Harrison Pass, Nnevada. It is 16 miles (26 km) long, up to 3 miles (4.8 km) in width, and lies at an elevation of 6,000 feet (1,800 m). Once the bed of a 200-foot (61 m) deep lake, it is now a network of spring-fed marshes and shallow ponds serving as a habitat for hundreds of species of native and migratory birds and mammals.



Ruby Lake NWR South Marsh Channel Marker Pole GPS Locations Coordinate system: NAD 1983 UTM Zone 11N Pole No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Latitude (Decimal Degrees) 40.138 40.135 40.133 40.132 40.131 40.126 40.125 40.121 40.120 40.112 40.111 40.109 40.105 40.103 40.101 40.100 40.098 40.096 40.093 40.092 40.091 40.091 40.088 40.087 40.086 40.086 40.085 Longitude (Decimal Degrees) -115.506 -115.504 -115.506 -115.505 -115.502 -115.494 -115.492 -115.489 -115.490 -115.489 -115.489 -115.492 -115.495 -115.498 -115.501 -115.500 -115.500 -115.497 -115.502 -115.505 -115.506 -115.507 -115.505 -115.504 -115.507 -115.508 -115.510 Easting 4444089 4443847 4443639 4443428 4443332 4442861 4442672 4442291 4442117 4441315 4441131 4440973 4440468 4440222 4440082 4439914 4439658 4439439 4439141 4438997 4438944 4438904 4438620 4438469 4438420 4438356 4438217 Northing 627301 627442 627255 627387 627626 628308 628509 628727 628682 628790 628750 628518 628316 628006 627783 627861 627850 628091 627717 627470 627350 627312 627442 627569 627278 627229 627009 This page is for information only and is not available for duplication. No warranty is made or implied by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of this information for individual or aggregate use with other data. 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife Checklist Thousands of acres of seasonal playa wetlands and semi-permanent bulrush marsh transition into wet and dry meadows then shrubsteppe as the elevation gradually increases. This diversity of habitats provides a haven for the wildlife living here. © Clair Kofoed Once covered by a 200-foot deep ancient lake, the “Ruby Marshes” now provide habitat for hundreds of species of birds and mammals. USFWS A Refuge for Migrating Birds and Other Wildlife Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1938 as “a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.” It encompasses nearly 40,000 acres at the south end of Ruby Valley. The refuge is 16 miles long and over 3 miles at its widest point. This land was once covered by a 200-foot deep, 300,000 acre lake; today about 17,000 acres of marsh and other wetlands remain on the refuge. The Habitat The refuge, at an elevation of 6,000 feet, centers on an extensive bulrush marsh interspersed with pockets of open water. Islands scattered throughout the marsh provide good nesting habitat for waterfowl and marsh birds. Playa and other ephemeral wetlands provide important habitat for migrating and nesting shorebirds. Over 200 springs flow into the marsh, the largest of which is Cave Creek Spring. Some of the spring flows are directed into a collection ditch along the marsh’s northwest border. Riparian habitat found along Cave Creek, the collection ditch, and springs is used by many song birds as well as large and small mammals. With slight increases in elevation, wet meadows graduate into dry meadows and shrub-steppe habitat. Sandhill cranes, long-billed curlews, and other wildlife depend on the availability of healthy wet meadows. Sagebrush associated species like pronghorn and greater sage-grouse use both shrubsteppe and meadows on the refuge to forage and raise their young. At the highest elevations of the refuge, rocky cliffs both provide nesting and perching habitat for raptors and other birds, bats, and small mammals. General Key Habitat Codes The following symbols are used to indicate in which habitats each wildlife species would most likely be found. It is important to remember that use of an area may depend on the season and an animal’s activity, especially for birds that are highly mobile. 1 - marsh, open water areas 2 - riparian areas 3 - meadows, grasslands 4 - shrub-steppe 5 - wooded areas 6 - rocky areas, cliffs, caves 7 - buildings, residential areas 8 - widespread Seasons Sp - Spring (March - May) S - Summer (June - August) F - Fall (September - November) W - Winter (December - February) Abundance (depending on season) a - abundant; a common species which is very numerous c - common; certain to be seen in suitable habitat u - uncommon; present, but not certain to be seen o - occasional; seen only a few times during a season r - rare; known to be present but not every year * - birds known to nest locally Aspen leaves © Joan Kenyon Pronghorn © C. Holden Birds at Ruby Lake Common Yellowthroat © Torvik Bird life can be seen throughout all of the habitat types, from the valley floor to the rocky cliffs. The following bird list includes 222 species which may be observed on the refuge. In addition, 31 species are listed as accidentals because they have only been observed a few times in the area. The refuge is a significant migratory bird area in Nevada and is located at the cross-roads of the Pacific and Central Flyways. In spring and fall, refuge wetlands provide an important feeding and resting stop for waterfowl and shorebirds. During summer, the marsh provides excellent habitat for nesting ducks and marsh birds including canvasbacks, redheads, white-faced ibis, great blue heron, black-crowned night-heron, American bittern, eared grebes, and many others. Greater sandhill cranes, black-necked stilts, and American avocets nest along the marsh’s edge. Ducks and songbird species nest throughout the meadows and riparian areas. In winter, the refuge provides critical habitat for trumpeter swans and a few other hardy waterfowl due to the presence of many springs and associated ice-free areas. Common names follow the 7th Edition of the AOU Checklist of North American Birds (1998) including revisions contained in all supplements up to and including the 57th (2016). Sandhill Crane © R. Bacon Common Name Habitat Sp S F W Loons  Common Loon 1 r r Grebes *Pied-billed Grebe  Horned Grebe *Eared Grebe  Western Grebe  Clark’s Grebe 1 1 1 1 1 c c o c c r r r r c o c u Pelicans  American White Pelican 1 o u u Cormorants *Double-crested Cormorant 1 u u u r Bitterns, Herons and Egrets *American Bittern *Great Blue Heron *Great Egret *Snowy Egret  Cattle Egret  Green Heron *Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 1, 2 1, 3 1, 3 3 1, 2 1, 2 c c u u u r c c c u u u r c c c u u r c c o Ibises and Spoonbills *White-faced Ibis