November Evening Program (Classroom Building) - Swift Foxes and SE Wyoming Amphibians

This month we will be meeting in a different location: Room 310 of the Classroom Building!  Bird Chat and Refreshments will begin at 6:30 pm, with the presentations, described below, at 7 pm.

Speaker: Kelsie Buxbaum

Project Title: Ecology of a Sensitive Species, Yet Expanding Population: Examining the Conservation Success of Swift Fox in Wyoming

Description: Kelsie Buxbaum is a master's student in the Haub School of Environment & Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming. Her presentation will overview her plans to study westward expansion of the Swift fox, a federally listed sensitive species. The three year study will analyze two areas of known habitation, one within the previously defined short grass prairie ecosystem and the other in the expanded shrubland ecosystem. She will compare diet, prey availability, use of space and movement, survival, and reproductive success between these two areas.

 

Speaker: Mel Torres

Project Title: Near, Far, Wherever You Are: Comparing Species Niche, Connectivity, and Disease on Rarity Type

Description: Mel Torres, a PhD candidate in the department of Ecosystem Science and Management, studies amphibian species in southern Wyoming and Northern Colorado. Mel will tell us about her research testing if the rarity of various amphibian species predicts their ecological niche and the connectivity among populations. this work will also examine the impact of a fungal pathogen on the ecological niche and the population connectivity of these species.

 

Curt Gowdy Trip Report

 Birders could not have asked for better weather in Curt Gowdy State Park the morning of November 12, 2022.  The day started with clear blue skies and still air.  The first bird sighting was a beautiful blue Steller’s Jay.  Followed by chipmunk and white-tailed deer sightings.  Eerie echoes from the cracking ice drown out the familiar Mountain Chickadee calls.  As Canadian geese soared above the ponderosa pines an occasional honk was heard.  A dozen Tundra Swans with a single Cackling Goose were floating in the reservoir.  

As our group of birders went around the water, closer to the dam, quite a few Buffleheads were seen.  The white color on the males was so striking and the females close behind.  A Grebe would emerge from the water and then dive back down in pursuit of food.  Gulls hovered and joined the ducks on the water.  Goldeneyes, Mallards, and Common Mergansers were among other ducks spotted. Other unidentified ducks flew in formation overhead.  In the trees were Steller's Jays, Hairy Woodpeckers, American Crows, and Ravens (or Cravens - as our birders joked).  Magpies sat on top of the tallest tree branches and Song Sparrows hopped through willow on the shore.  As our full morning of bird watching was coming to a close, a raptor swooped over the many water fowl and disappeared over a hill.  The wind was picking up and the gentle sounds of nature blessing our group of birders.  It was a rewarding field trip with unseasonably warm weather.

(Thanks to Savannah for the the trip report and photo).

Elections!

The Laramie Audubon Society election for board members will take place next week (beginning November 14, 2022, with voting open for seven days).  In order to vote, you must be a current member (i.e., membership received since August 2022).  

We will provide biographies of all who are running as part of the election materials.  If you are interested in serving on our Board of Directors, please send a brief biography - explaining why you are interested - to us at laramie.audubon@gmail.com so that we can include your name and bio on the ballot.  We encourage participation by people of any background who have interest in birds and time to devote to the organization.

Field Trip - Curt Gowdy State Park - Saturday, November 12

 With hopes for calm winds, we'll drive over to Curt Gowdy State Park on Saturday morning!  We'll meet in the Visitors' Center parking lot at 8 a.m. and bird on along the smooth (concrete) nature trail that starts from that location.  Depending on our success in that upland area and the interests of the group, we may drive down to the lake shore and/or the Aspen Trailhead.  

Based on eBird reports, a variety of diving ducks and other water birds have been sighted in the park in the past week, including Redheads, Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeons, Canada Geese, Pacific Loon, and Horned, Eared, and Western Grebes.  

Please dress in layers and bring plenty of warm clothes, snacks, water, sun protection, and your birding supplies.  New birders are always welcome - if we are contacted in advance, we may be able bring an extra pair or two of binoculars to lend.  Note that there is a fee (or annual pass) required to enter the park.  There are indoor bathrooms at the Visitors' Center, which should be open when we arrive.  If enough people express interest in carpooling, we may make plans for a rendezvous spot in Laramie.