Northern Goshawk

LAS member Jason Lillegraven shared the following image of a Northern Goshawk, which spent time yesterday in his backyard on the south side of Laramie. 

 Northern Goshawks typically hunt birds and small mammals, including crows, squirrels, and rabbits, both within the forest and along the forest edge. They often perch in trees while watching for prey; this Goshawk appears to be using the fence for that purpose!  The Audubon Guide to North American Birds (the source for the information provided above) has more photos and information regarding this fascinating predator.

If you have photos or information regarding birds of interest in the Laramie area, please feel free to share them with us!

Bird Count - Watch for These Birds!

Laramie had a successful Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, with a record number of birders braving the wind and cold or loyally watching their feeders.  Lists were compiled by our organizer, Shay Howlin, during a Zoom meeting, which, although fun, was no match for the potluck held during previous years.  

Pine Grosbeaks (photo courtesy of Chris Dewey)

The volunteers documented 39 species and almost 4,000 individuals.  In addition to the species counted on Saturday, a tally is kept of all species observed during Count Week.  Below is a short list of common species that we did not see.  If you have seen any of these birds within 7.5 miles of Laramie since last Wednesday (December 16th), or see one between now and Tuesday (December 22nd), please let Shay know (wolfhowlin@gmail.com); if you have seen other, less common species, feel free to let her know about those birds, too.  Please include information regarding the date and location.

American Kestrel
Merlin
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Shrike
Steller's Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Horned Lark

121st Annual Christmas Bird Count - Volunteers Needed

The Laramie Audubon Society will again take part in a 100-year-old Christmas tradition, the annual Christmas Bird Count. Volunteers are welcome to join in the count with the LAS chapter as it conducts the Albany County Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, December 19. This will be the 43rd count of the Albany County circle. Volunteers are needed to help count every bird present in the 15-mile diameter circle around Laramie on the day of the count. All levels of bird watchers, including feeder watchers, are welcome. 

The National Audubon Society has provided guidelines to run a COVID-19 safe and socially distanced CBC. All volunteers for the Albany County circle need to pre-register or attend one of two drop-in zoom calls to receive a route assignment. There will not be any in-person meetings prior to the count. Contact Shay Howlin (307-286-1972; wolfhowlin@gmail.com) for information and to register. 

 Volunteers are the backbone of the Christmas Bird Count and are encouraged to participate despite changes to the format. As usual, some teams will walk, while others will drive through their territory. All participants will be required to wear masks or social distance during the count. Carpooling is only permitted for existing family or social pod groups. 

 Virtual compiling will take place at 6 pm on the day of the count. Electronic submission of data forms will be encouraged to facilitate the compiling event. Please contact Shay Howlin if you would like to be assigned a route early, would like forms for feeder watching, or have any questions.  Click here to download the data form. (the link will take you to MediaFire, the company that hosts LAS's document downloads; Media Fire will prompt you to click a blue button near the upper right corner of the screen.)

Female Red-flanked Bluetail, Laramie, November 2019
(photo courtesy of Laurel Armstrong)

Rosy-finch Volunteer Opportunity

Some of us Laramie Auduboners are enthusiastic Rosy-finch observers. So we were excited to see this community science opportunity from our friends at the Wild Utah Project. Their message is quoted below.

If you've been seeing rosy-finches in your area (or even if you haven't but you're still in the range), here is a cool project to get involved with: The Black Rosy-finch Study is seeking Feeder Count Volunteers for our winter 2020-2021 season! Rosy-finches are one of the least-studied birds in North America, and we are trying to fill data gaps for these colorful birds with the help of community scientists. Volunteers will conduct 20-minute bird feeder counts for Rosy-finches once every three weeks throughout the winter and early spring (December – April). You can choose to do surveys at publicly accessible bird feeder locations, or at your own bird feeders in your backyard.

We will hold a live zoom training session on Thursday, November 19th from 7pm-8pm, and will have a recorded online training available for those who are unable to attend the live session. To learn more and sign up, visit https://wildutahproject.org/rosy-finch

Halloween Greenbelt Field Trip (Saturday, Oct. 31), 8 a.m.

The weather forecast for Saturday (Halloween!) looks good and the City has plowed the Greenbelt, where the Laramie Audubon Society will hold our final Fall field trip of 2020.  We will start from the Optimist Park parking lot (West Garfield Street) at 8 a.m.  If you are late, head south on the path, as we will probably start out in that direction. 

The Greenbelt is a flat, paved, accessible pathway and therefore should be suitable for all birders, including families with young children and those who prefer walking on relatively uniform surfaces.  

Numerous species of ducks have been sighted along the Greenbelt in the past few days, including Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, and American Widgeon.  Other reported species include Greater Yellowlegs, Wilson's Snipe, Pied-billed Grebe, various sparrows (Lincoln's, White-crowned, White-throated, and Song), and many others. 

We expect to spend several hours birding, but attendees are free to leave at any time. Please remember to bring plenty of warm clothing, binoculars/scope (if available), sun protection, water, snacks, etc. And your friends are always welcome, too!

Covid-19 Considerations: Attendees at events (including field trips) are required to wear masks and to remain mindful of social distancing.  We will not be organizing carpools for the foreseeable future. PLEASE REGISTER BY EMAILING US AT Laramie.Audubon@gmail.com (this is to allow for contact tracing if necessary and to provide us with time to plan in the case of a potential huge turnout)!

Membership Reminder: LAS memberships expired on September 30th. If you haven't already, please take a moment to renew your membership either via the link to the right or via U.S. Mail (or, if you are receiving this post via email, using this link: http://laramieaudubon.blogspot.com/p/membership.html). Thank you for your ongoing support!

Song Sparrow photographed at the Greenbelt by Laramie Audubon member Laurel Armstrong.

Greenbelt Field Trip on Saturday (Oct. 17)

The Laramie Audubon Society plans to meet for a field trip along the Laramie River Greenbelt on Saturday morning (October 17th) at 8 a.m. The Greenbelt is a flat, paved, accessible pathway and therefore should be suitable for all birders, including families with young children. We will meet near the Optimist Park (West Garfield Street) parking lot. If you are late, you may be able to find us by heading south on the Greenbelt. Recently observed birds at this location include Greater Yellowlegs, Hermit Thrush, Spotted Towhee, and a Merlin, as well as numerous more common species. We expect to spend several hours birding, but attendees are free to leave at any time. Please remember to bring plenty of warm clothing, binoculars/scope (if available), sun protection, water, snacks, etc. And your friends are always welcome, too!

Covid-19 Considerations: Attendees at events (including field trips) are required to wear masks and to remain mindful of social distancing. We will not be organizing carpools for the foreseeable future. PLEASE REGISTER BY EMAILING US AT Laramie.Audubon@gmail.com (this is to allow for contact tracing if necessary and to provide us with time to plan in the case of a potential huge turnout)!

Membership Reminder: LAS memberships expired on September 30th. If you haven't already, please take a moment to renew your membership either via the link to the right or via U.S. Mail (or, if you are receiving this post via email, using this link: http://laramieaudubon.blogspot.com/p/membership.html). Thank you for your ongoing support!

A highlight of last Saturday's field trip to Hutton Lakes NWR was a flock of more than 50 Sandhill Cranes observed initially on a sage covered hillside and later circling overhead. (Photo courtesy of LAS Member Laurel Armstrong).

Bird Double-Header Tomorrow (Saturday, 10/10)

Saturday morning (October 10th), we'll meet at Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge at 8 a.m. for a few hours of birding. Please bring your binoculars if you have them! Directions are provided below.

Saturday afternoon, we will host our October "Evening Program" featuring Martin Grenier (Ducks Unlimited Manager of Conservation Programs in Wyoming and Colorado). Martin will fill us in on the wetlands enhancement project completed at Laramie's Monolith Ranch. We will meet at the ranch and walk in approximately one-quarter mile along a fairly flat two-track road to the restored site. After Martin's presentation there will be the option to spend a little time birding along the edge of the wetlands, so bring binoculars if you have them! Please note that this area is closed to public access - the Laramie Audubon Society and Ducks Unlimited received permission to visit for this event only. Directions will be emailed to those who register for the event.

If you plan to attend either event, please register by sending an email to laramie.audubon@gmail.com and indicating which event(s) you plan to attend.

COVID-19 Considerations: Attendees are required to wear masks for the duration of each trip/event and to practice social distancing. We are not arranging carpools for the foreseeable future.

Directions to Hutton Lake NWR: Head south from Laramie on 3rd Street/ US-287, turn right onto County Road 22 (as if entering the cement plant), then turn left onto Sand Creek Road (parallel to railroad tracks - many people have missed this turn and mistakenly entered the cement plant parking lot). Stay on Sand Creek Road for about 8 miles, then turn right at the National Wildlife Refuge sign. Meet at the parking area just inside the fence, adjacent to the Refuge's information board. If you are early or late, look for us near the observation deck at the far end of the Refuge.

(Photo of a juvenile Wilson's Phalarope courtesy of LAS member Liz Young)

Wednesday Night Program (9/30)

The Laramie Audubon Society is doing things a little differently this Fall. Our September evening program will be Wednesday evening (9/30) at 6:30 p.m. in the Washington Park Bandshell. Our theme for the evening is Our Best Birding Stories. Join local celebrities, including our own Tim Banks, former LAS President, for an outdoor evening of sharing stories about past birding adventures. If you feel so inspired, perhaps you’ll share as well.

Please wear your mask and be prepared to physically distance. Feel free to bring your own food and/or beverage and remember to bring plenty of warm clothing. You may want a blanket or cushion for sitting on the metal park benches.

Laramie Audubon: CANCELLED - Greenhill Cemetery (Sept. 26)

Laramie Audubon: CANCELLED - Greenhill Cemetery (Sept. 26): Sorry everyone, but due to the smoke being at unhealthy levels this morning, we've decided to cancel today's cemetery trip.

CANCELLED - Greenhill Cemetery (Sept. 26)

Sorry everyone, but due to the smoke being at unhealthy levels this morning, we've decided to cancel today's cemetery trip.

Field Trip - Saturday, September 12th

We will meet at Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday morning (Sept. 12th). Although the lakes have been shrinking through the summer, there are still some ducks and shorebirds being reported via eBird.

Please pre-register by emailing us at laramie.audubon@gmail.com and bring/wear your mask as well as the usual water, sun protection, snacks, and birding supplies. New policy: LAS will only share spotting scopes that are equipped with camera viewers; we are currently uncertain whether we will have any such scopes at this field trip.

Directions to Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge: If coming from Laramie, head south on 3rd Street/ US-287, turn right onto County Road 22 (toward the cement plant), then turn left onto Sand Creek Road (parallel to railroad tracks - many people have missed this turn and mistakenly entered the cement plant parking lot). Stay on Sand Creek Road for about 8 miles, then turn right at the National Wildlife Refuge sign. Meet at the parking area just inside the fence, adjacent to the Refuge's information board.

(Photo of American Avocets courtesy of LAS member Liz Young)

Fall Event Schedule

Please see the Events page of this blog for Laramie Audubon's Fall 2020 schedule.  In consideration of Covid-19, we've made some changes to our typical protocols.  Please be sure to wear a mask and be mindful regarding social distancing at all LAS events.  Due to potential risks associated with carpools, our Fall schedule focuses on birding spots within or close to Laramie.  In addition, we are REQUIRING people to pre-register for field trips by emailing us at laramie.audubon@gmail.com so that we can plan for the anticipated group size.  Depending on the group sizes at our initial trips, we may set size limits for the later trips.  

The Fall field trip schedule kicks off at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning (September 5th) at Greenhill Cemetery's south gate near the corner of Willet and 19th Streets.  

All In-Person Events Cancelled Through June 30, 2020

Consistent with the policy of the National Audubon Society, we are cancelling all in-person events through June 30th.  We hope that you are able to get out on your own to bird this Spring and encourage you to participate in on-line birding education and citizen science.  Now is a great time to begin (or continue) eBirding (https://ebird.org/home). 

From time to time we will be posting additional resources here or on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Laramie-Audubon-Society-281490288527648/.  If you have a preference regarding platforms (i.e., this site vs. Facebook), please let us know by leaving a comment.  Looking forward to running into you at a local hotspot or during a fall migration field trip! 

Recent Local Highlights:

• Peregrine Falcon (Laramie River Greenbelt)
• Virginia Rail (Spring Creek Pond [i.e., small beaver pond east of LaPrele Park, adjacent to the cul-de-sac)
• American Pipet (LaPrele Park)
• Common Loon (Lake Hattie)
• return of the Yellow-rumped Warblers!

Events Cancelled through April 30

Consistent with the actions of the National Audubon Society, the Laramie Audubon Society chapter is cancelling all in-person events through the end of April.  Please stay tuned - we are in the process of developing "virtual" birding events to keep us interacting together as a group while still protecting our community from the spread of COVID-19.  If you have ideas regarding virtual events, we encourage you to communicate them either via a "comment" on this blog or by email (laramie.audubon@gmail.com).  

Evening Program Cancelled (March 25th)

Due to precautions associated with the coronavirus, coupled with the University of Wyoming closures, the Laramie Audubon Society has decided to cancel the evening program that was planned for next Wednesday evening.  One of our members suggested that we might enjoy the following video regarding bees (the topic of the cancelled program), in lieu of the in-person talk:

http://www.rustypatched.com/

And here are some additional videos from other Audubon Rockies chapters:

Inside Birding:  Size & Shape  10 min.Chickadees & Climate 2 min.Eagle, Falcon, Owl - Birds of Prey  23 min.Nutcrackers, White Bark Pine and Climate Change 12 min.   

Owling Trip - Saturday. March 7th

On Saturday evening's trip to the Snowy Range, we will target species that have been found in the vicinity over the past several years, such as Boreal Owls. Expect to hike or snowshoe for 2 - 3 miles.  We will depart at 6 pm from Coal Creek Coffee downtown (110 E. Grand Avenue).  Please bring plenty of warm clothes, footwear suitable for snow, and your own water, snacks, and binoculars. 

4th Annual Bird Hop a Bird Watching and Social Treat.

Twenty birders assembled at Coal Creek Coffee downtown Laramie on Saturday to carpool to Centennial and Albany for a relaxed bird watching Leap Day morning. The largest draw yet for the LAS 4th Annual Bird Hop, the day did not disappoint.

First stop was Centennial, where about half the group wandered into the backyard of the Bear Bottom Grill & Bar and along the tiny back streets of town, while the other half crossed the street to the area around the Library. We viewed Steller's Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, Magpies and a couple Downy Woodpeckers. And the feeders at the Bear Bottom and across the road offered up a feast for a plethora of rosy finches!

The carpool then moved along Dinwiddie Road to Albany Lodge. Along the way were spotted a Rough-legged Hawk and a Raven. Unfortunately the feeders were not out and stocked this year, and there were no birds to be seen around the Lodge, but all enjoyed a hearty breakfast and good company before heading back to Laramie.

Magpie peeking through from nest

Gray-crowned Rosy finch

The group at breakfast

4th Annual Bird Hop Field Trip: Saturday, February 29th

Brown-capped Rosy Finch

This trip will feature relaxing feeder-watching in Centennial and Albany.  We'll wander throughout those two communities and then bird watch from the windows of the Albany Lodge while enjoying a no-host breakfast and good company. 

The group will meet in Laramie at Coal Creek Coffee Downtown (110 E. Grand Avenue) at 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning and then carpool/caravan to Centennial.  Birds that have been seen in Centennial in February (based on historic eBird data) include Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Brown-capped and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches, and both Mountain and Black-capped Chickadees.  

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Also, please remember that tomorrow (Wednesday) night is our February evening program, featuring Grant Frost and Andrea Orabona (both Wyoming Game and Fish Biologists) presenting information regarding Burrowing Owls, Long-billed Curlews, black-footed ferrets, and other species of interest: 6:30 pm for refreshments and bird chat in the UW Berry Center street-level foyer; 7 pm for the presentation in the adjacent, street-level auditorium.

February Evening Program - Burrowing Owls, Curlews, and More!

Burrowing Owl (photo courtesy of Grant Frost)

Join us for our next evening program: Wednesday, February 26th in the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center.  The Berry Center is located at the corner of 10th and Lewis Streets on the University of Wyoming campus.  The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments and Bird Chat in the street-level lobby.  At 7:00 p.m. we will migrate into the adjacent auditorium for the talk. 

Grant Frost, a Wyoming Game and Fish Department wildlife biologist stationed in Cheyenne, will give a presentation on some of the species that the department is surveying or studying that are of great interest, including long-billed curlews, burrowing owls, black-footed ferrets, and others that he has helped studied throughout the state. 

Joining Grant will be Andrea Orabona, WGFD's statewide nongame bird biologist from the Lander office, to talk about an ongoing study radio tracking Wyoming's burrowing owl migration and wintering areas.  Andrea collaborates with Courtney Conway (University of Idaho) and with research partners in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.  The burrowing owl is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Wyoming.  Andrea will discuss the need for this project, its objective, methods, and results.

Due to on-going construction on campus there is no longer a parking lot in the immediate vicinity of the building, so budget a little time for finding on-street parking in the surrounding area. 

3rd Annual Art Show - Call for Artists

The Laramie Audubon Society (LAS) will sponsor our 3rd annual art show from April 3-May 1, 2020 at the University of Wyoming Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center. LAS would like to extend an invitation to artists to submit 1-2 works based on your own experiences and interactions with the natural world.  

All natural history subjects are welcome and all forms of media accepted.  LAS anticipates this show to be a celebration of nature interpreted by new as well as veteran artists.  There will be a reception at the show on Wednesday, April 22 from 5:30-7:00 pm.  Come and enjoy refreshments and meet many of the exhibiting artists.

Artists may drop off works on Friday, April 3 from 2:00-6:00 pm.  Please have your work ready to hang, including a reliable wire or hook on the back of your two-dimensional piece.  LAS will hang two-dimensional work and install three-dimensional work.  Artists are responsible for any technology needed to show work.  There may be limits on what is feasible, so if you have needs including electricity, please contact Samantha at laramie.audubon@gmail.com. 

Artists may sell their work through direct contact by buyer to the Laramie Audubon Society.  The University of Wyoming does not conduct any sale of art shown at the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center.  Artists are responsible for any state and federal taxes.  If you do sell your art, a donation of 10% of the sale will go to the Laramie Audubon Society. 

LAS welcomes both novice and experienced artists to participate.  Please share this announcement with other artists and art lovers! 

This year we are requesting that artists submit a registration form by Tuesday, March 21st - this will facilitate organizing the show and will make drop-off more efficient for both artists and LAS.  The form may be submitted via email or may be mailed.  If submitted electronically, we will require a signature when you drop off your work.  We've enjoyed the variety of local art at the two previous shows and are excited to be able to host a show again this year.

Registration form:  open link; then click the green "download" button near the upper-right corner
LAS email address:  laramie.audubon@gmail.com
LAS mailing address:  P.O. Box 878, Laramie, WY  82073
Contact for additional information: Samantha: laramie.audubon@gmail.com

Winter Tracking Trip Summary

The winter 2020 snow track outing with Gary Beavais occurred on February 1 in the Medicine Bow Forest along Sand Lake Road.  With great weather five people accompanied Gary to learn about animal tracks and the winter behavior these animals.  A Red Breasted Nuthatch and a Mountain Chickadee were spotted, as were the tracks of a Dusky Grouse.  Mammal tracks observed were rabbit, mouse, squirrel, fox/coyote, moose, and many weasel tracks. A great day was had by all participants.

Photos: Winter snow trackers, Mouse tracks, Dusky Grouse track with wing print during takeoff

Small Grants Program

In keeping with our mission, Laramie Audubon Society offers small grants for conservation, scholarship, and outreach.  Conservation grants include conservation and restoration projects as well as scientific re- search.  Scholarship grants include attendance at conferences, workshops, or summer camps.  Outreach grants support projects that increase knowledge and appreciation for birds, other wildlife, and habitats.  There are no geographic restrictions for projects, although we focus on funding projects around Wyoming and western North America. 

Grants will generally be awarded for no more than $500 and are awarded bi-annually.  Deadlines are March 31 for summer/fall grants and October 31 for winter/spring grants.  Notifications will be sent out within 4 to 6 weeks.  See laramieaudubon.blogspot.com/p/small-grants-program.html for full details on grant application requirements and stipulations of the grant. 

Saturday (Feb. 1): Winter Tracking Trip

Winter Tracking Trip.  Each year Dr. Gary Beauvais generously leads this trip - typically we snowshoe and/or ski on or near the Chimney Park trails looking for tracks in the snow and other signs of birds and mammals.  A Medicine Bow National Forest parking permit or $5 day pass is required for parking at Chimney Park.  Winter gear is mandatory! 

Please bring your own snowshoes or cross-country skis, snacks, water, sun protection, warm clothes, etc.  We'll meet at Coal Creek (downtown) at 8 a.m. and carpool to Chimney Park (or other location depending on snow conditions).  The weather looks fairly mild, so the roads *should* be okay.

Rail Tie Wind Project (Presentation Wednesday 1/29, 7 pm)

Representatives from ConnectGEN reached out and offered to speak at a LAS meeting regarding the Rail Tie wind project planned for southern Albany County (south of Laramie on US Highway 287 near Tie Siding).  They will provide general information regarding the project as well as more specific information regarding measures being taken to minimize and mitigate project impacts. 

Laramie Audubon Society evening programs are held in the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center auditorium (Room 138) (unless otherwise noted).  The Berry Center is located on the University of Wyoming campus at 10th and Lewis Streets. Note that there is no longer a parking lot across the street from the building - parking is available on the surrounding streets. Bird chats with refreshments begin at 6:30 p.m. and the programs begin at 7:00 p.m.

Spring Field Trips and Evening Programs

Northern Pygmy-Owl (Photo courtesy of Cody Porter)

This Spring, the Laramie Audubon Society has a great variety of trips planned - chances to look for owls, mammal tracks, Greater Sage-Grouse, migrating waterfowl, and eastern song birds at the westernmost edge of their migratory range.  Our series of evening programs kicks off on January 29th.  For details regarding the trips and evening programs, fly over to the "events" tab of the blog: https://laramieaudubon.blogspot.com/p/events.html.