February Program

Laramie Audubon is hosting two programs tomorrow, Wednesday February 27th.

The first, an art exhibit by Beth Cochran, starts at 5PM at the Berry Center:

5:00 pm: "Furs and Feathers" photo exhibit, Beth Cochran
Photographs of specimens in the UW Vertebrate Collection
Wed., Feb. 27, 5-7pm, Berry Center

Join us for the kick-off event of UW Art student Beth Cochran's photo exhibit entitled "Furs and Feathers" on Wednesday, February 27, 5:00 – 7:00 pm in the Berry Center lobby. Beth will give a short presentation at 5:00, then be present to answer questions and provide information about her photos until 7:00. Free and open to the public.

The art exhibit is sponsored by UW Art Department http://www.uwyo.edu/art/, Biodiversity Institute http://www.uwyo.edu/biodiversity/, Vertebrate Collection http://www.uwyo.edu/biodiversity/vertebrate-museum/, and Laramie Audubon Society http://laramieaudubon.blogspot.com/.

6:30 pm: LAS Bird Chat and refreshments will be in conjunction with Beth Cochran’s photographs (Her exhibit reception begins at 5pm). You may still arrive at 6:30 or 7pm for Laramie Audubon program and will get a chance to see her photos.

7:00 pm: Sage-grouse as an umbrella species: is what’s good for the goose really good for the gander? – Jason Carlisle
Is Greater Sage-Grouse conservation beneficial for other inhabitants of the sagebrush steppe? The ecological concept known as the “umbrella species concept” holds promise as a means of streamlining the efforts of resource-strapped wildlife managers and extending conservation to oft-overlooked parts of the wildlife community such as non-game birds, small mammals, reptiles, and beyond. Simply stated, by focusing conservation efforts on a suitable umbrella species, managers hope to also benefit co-occurring wildlife with similar ecological requirements. Although the Greater Sage-Grouse has been informally adopted as the umbrella species of the iconic sagebrush steppe, this idea remains largely untested. Come learn how researchers from the WY Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit are setting out to test this idea using time-tested field methods and cutting-edge spatial analyses and how you can help.

Jason Carlisle, UW PhD student in Program in Ecology and Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

As usual, the talk will be held in the auditorium of the Berry Center, room 138.

Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages.  By counting birds in real-time, we can create a snapshot of winter bird populations!

This year, anyone visiting the GBBC website will be able to see bird observations pouring in from around the world and contribute their own tallies. Global participation will be made possible thanks to eBird, a real-time online checklist program that the Cornell Lab and Audubon are integrating into the GBBC for the first time this year. The GBBC is open to anyone of any skill level and welcomes bird observations from any location, including backyards, national parks, gardens, wetlands, and urban landscapes. The four-day count typically receives sightings from tens of thousands of people reporting more than 600 bird species in the United States and Canada alone.

The top 10 from 2012:
1)   Northern Cardinal
2)   Mourning Dove
3)   Dark-eyed Junco
4)   Downy Woodpecker
5)   American Crow
6)   House Finch
7)   American Goldfinch
8)   Blue Jay
9)   Black-capped Chickadee
10) Tufted Titmouse

When:
Friday, Feb 15 to Monday, Feb 18

What to do:
Count birds for as little as 15 minutes or as long as you wish.
Participate on one day to all four days.  Do what you want and can do!
Anyone can participate - from beginners to experts.

Where to report:
Report your sightings with others at birdcount.org.

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a joint partnership between Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, with Bird Studies Canada as its official Canadian partner.

Click here for more info from Audubon.

Laramie Conservation Expo

Laramie Audubon will be at the Conservation Expo tomorrow!

When: 9 am - 3 pm, Feb 9, 2013

What: The Laramie Conservation Expo promotes a responsible conservation ethic in the community by helping citizens learn about tools and methods to conserve water, energy and other resources. Participants can learn about such practices as composting, growing your own food, installing a wind turbine, purchasing a hybrid vehicle, water-efficient landscaping or building an energy-efficient home. More than 60 exhibitors, representing business, government, nonprofits and home practitioners, will give demonstrations and answer questions.

Vendors will display products to help with landscaping, green building, alternative energy, alternative transportation, recycling, local foods and environmental education. Government agencies and local nonprofits will explain their services. Experts will give presentations on smart energy choices, local foods and other topics.

Where: Albany County Fairgrounds Activity Center, 3520 US Highway 287, Laramie

Cost: Free and open to the public.

For more information, call (307) 721-0072 or visit www.lrcd.net or www.uwyo.edu/enr/upcoming-events.