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.  

*******************************************************************************
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.