Kids and Families New Year Kick Off

By popular demand, Laramie Audubon Society will expand its Kids and Families programs in 2024, beginning with a Saturday morning walk on the Greenbelt on January 6. The theme is using all 5 senses to discover winter. Meet at Optimist Park, at the shelter nearest the parking lot off Garfield, next to the Greenbelt. We will walk on this path along the river using all our senses to discover secrets of Winter while learning why it’s so cold this time of year. All participants will get QR code for a video “Seasons in the Sun” to watch at home. Bundle up! We are planning an indoor activity also for President's Day Weekend, in collaboration with Wyoming State Parks. Keep your eyes peeled, enjoy the holidays, and we hope to see you on the Greenbelt on Saturday, January 6!

Christmas Bird Count - Saturday, December 16

 This year's CBC will begin at 8 a.m. and will be followed by an evening potluck.  Volunteers are needed to join our effort to count every bird in a 15-mile diameter circle around Laramie.  This will be the 46th count of the Albany County circle.   All levels of bird watchers, including feeder watchers, are welcome.  Although this international event was named the Christmas Bird Count more than 100 years ago, the event is secular, with Christmas denoting the season of the annual count.  Information regarding this international event is available on the website of the National Audubon Society:   https://www.audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count.  

Volunteers are the backbone of the Christmas Bird Count!  Some teams walk, while others drive through the territory.  Volunteers should wear warm, layered clothing and boots, and bring water, snacks and binoculars (if available).  Feeder watchers are also welcome.  The event typically concludes with a evening potluck where the results are tallied - potluck information will be provided to participants when they register. 

Volunteers must register to receive a route assignment.  Check-in will be conducted at 7:30 a.m. at Coal Creek Coffee (downtown location) on the morning of the Count.  Contact Shay (307-286-1972; wolfhowlin@gmail.com) for information or to pre-register. 

The CBC occurs around the world on various dates in late December/early January.  The 2023 count of the Laramie Circle will be held on December 16.

Kids and Families Flock to Wings in Winter

Laramie Audubon Society and Wyoming State Parks teamed up to bring "Wings in Winter" to the Albany County Public Library from 9 to 11am on Saturday, November 18. Nearly 40 kids and their parents and grandparents came out to enjoy a morning of crafts, snacks and learning and talking about birds. Families enjoyed roaming from station to station to make pine cone winter bird feeders, bird house and bird craft ornaments, color nature pages and eat snacks and try rose hips tea. They learned that birds eat rose hips in winter, and why it's important for birds and other wild animals to eat good hearty foods like the nutrient-packed birdseed and shortening used to make pine cone bird feeders. All enjoyed making their own ornaments, too. Some glued colorful feathers, felt, pipe cleaners and googly eyes onto pine cones. One participant even put a Santa hat on her bird! Another made a crossbill, and those gathered around enjoyed looking at a photo of a crossbill to compare. Wow! Same beak! Some stuck holiday-themed and animal- even dinosaurs!- stickers onto tiny birdhouses to hang on their Christmas trees or elsewhere in the home. And many enjoyed making both, then taking a break to relax with coloring pages from "Hidden Feathers" and other nature-inspired coloring books. LAS and WSP look forward to teaming up again to bring more Kids and Families activities to Laramie after the holidays. Keep an eye out on our website Events page, on the Laramie Audubon Society and Wyoming State Parks Facebook pages, at school and at the public library for upcoming events in 2024.

Wings in Winter - Arts, Crafts, and Activities (Indoors)

 We've teamed up with the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources to present a morning of free family fun at the Albany County Public Library (310 S. 8th Street in Laramie).  Join us on Saturday, November 18 from 9 to 11 a.m. for arts, crafts, and activities to help you and your family care for local birds throughout the winter.

124th Annual Christmas Bird Count - Albany County Date Announced!

The Albany County Christmas Bird Count will be conducted on Saturday, December 16, beginning at 8 a.m.  Volunteers are needed to join our effort to count every bird in a 15-mile diameter circle around Laramie.  

This will be the 46th count of the Albany County circle.   All levels of bird watchers, including feeder watchers, are welcome.  Although this international event was named the Christmas Bird Count more than 100 years ago, the event is secular, with Christmas denoting the season of the annual count.  Information regarding this international event is available on the National Audubon Society website: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count.  

Volunteers are the backbone of the Christmas Bird Count!  Some teams walk, while others drive through the territory.  Volunteers should wear warm, layered clothing and boots, and bring water, snacks and binoculars (if available).  Feeder watchers are also welcome.  The event typically concludes with a evening potluck where the results are tallied - potluck information will be provided to participants when they register. 

Volunteers for the Albany County circle must register to receive a route assignment.  Check-in will be conducted at Coal Creek Coffee (downtown location) on the morning of the Count.  Contact Shay (307-286-1972; wolfhowlin@gmail.com) for information, to pre-register, or to get Zoom call-in information. 

2023 Election

 The Laramie Audubon Society election for board members will take place later this month (beginning November 15, 2023, with voting open for seven days).  In order to vote, you must be a current member (i.e., membership received since August 2023).  

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.

Spooky Finale to our Scavenger Hunt Series

Twenty kids and adults met at Washington Park on Saturday morning, October 21, to enjoy the final Laramie Audubon Society Kids & Families Nature Scavenger Hunt of the season The weather was cool and sunny, and the park was decked in yellow cottonwood leaves as families searched for nature items including rocks, grass, animals and both flying and singing birds. Although cloudless at 9am, as time went on, participants were able to mark off clouds as a few faint cirrus clouds developed overhead. Other nature sightings were chickadees, squirrels, crows, and even a butterfly! All kids received a birdhouse ornament and chose a sheet of Halloween stickers for decorating. Some took theirs home, while others stayed at the bandshell to decorate their ornaments together and compare- spooky! Our next Kids & Families event will be indoors at holiday time, co-hosted with Wyoming State Parks. Stay tuned for details on this event, which will feature discussion of how to help birds and wildlife in winter, along with arts and crafts activities for making holiday for family, friends and even the birds!

Upcoming Nature Scavenger Hunts!

 Join Laramie Audubon Society this Saturday for our final Kids and Families Scavenger Hunt of the season- spooky! We will meet at 9am at the Bandshell in the SE corner of Washington Park and look up, down and all around for nature items and will take home a Haunted Birdhouse ornament kit to make at home. 

And stay tuned for an indoor activity near holidays, co-hosted with Wyoming State Parks. We will get ready to care for birds and other wildlife in winter and will make nature-themed holiday gifts to give family and friends. Details coming soon!

Wyoming Hereford Ranch Trip Report

Eastern Phoebe, photographed
at Wyoming Hereford Ranch
by LAS Member P. Dougherty

(October 7, 2023)

Although Saturday morning started out cold, the Laramie Audubon Society birders who made the trip to Cheyenne's Wyoming Hereford Ranch were rewarded with brilliant fall colors, a calm sunny day, fellowship, and abundant birds including four warbler species, five sparrow species, four thrushes, and numerous other birds, including an Eastern Phoebe (photo) for a total of 36 species.   

All community members and visitors are welcome on our free trips - please check the trip schedule on our Events page and consider joining us on a future outing!

Next Scavenger Hunt - Saturday, September 30 (9 a.m.)

Meet us at Optimist Park** for our September scavenger hunt!  This event is organized to be fun for families with children - but all ages are welcome!  This month's activity is an autumn leaf collage.  Check out the pictures (below) from our past events.    

**Shelter near the northeast corner of the park (corner of West Custer and Spruce Streets).  

August Kids & Families Scavenger Hunt takes place under cloudless skies.

On Saturday, August 26, about 20 kids and families came out to Undine Park to participate in the third Kids & Families Scavenger Hunt of the summer. The morning was sunny, with not a cloud in the sky- resulting in a challenge to those wishing to circle the cloud on their BINGO card. Other difficult finds included a spider web, a cricket and binoculars. One motivated grandma who lives near the park ran home to grab a pair. Pollinators observed either with the eyes or ears included bees and a hummingbird. All participants chose flowers from a local greenhouse garden after returning the crayons used to check off rocks, trees, leaves, animals and other items on their cards. As they chose their boquets they learned a little about the uses of echinacea, bee balm, yarrow and chamomile by people and pollinators. There are two more hunts scheduled for this year: September in Optimist Park and October's Spooky Finale at Washington Park. See the LAS events calendar for details, and keep your eyes peeled for announcements on Facebook closer to the dates, as well as at your local school, which will receive the full calendar of Fall events being hosted by Laramie Audubon Society.

Fall Schedule of Trips and Evening Programs

Check out our schedule of Fall 2023 field trips and evening programs by clicking on the "Events" tab!  We hope to see our old friends as well as some new faces this fall.  The trips and programs are all free and open to the public and novice birders are encouraged to attend!  Participants range from children through retirees and often include students studying ecology, wildlife biology, etc.  Birding in a group is a great way to get to meet others from the Laramie community and to learn more about the local birds.  If you have suggestions regarding future trips or programs, please let us know (laramie.audubon@gmail.com).

Killdeer on Laramie River Greenbelt (photo courtesy of LAS member Laurel Armstrong)

LaPrele Park Scavenger Hunt reveals artistic talent!

Several families came out for the second in our series of Summer and Fall Kids and Families Scavenger Hunts in parks around Laramie. Saturday, July 23, was warm and sunny, and featured a search for plants and animals around LaPrele Park, where a fishing derby also drew a crowd to Huck Finn Pond. Young people and their parents were able to find all the items on the scavenger hunt list- except a duck- or get at least one BINGO. (Most opted to keep on searching until they were able to get at least two BINGOS on their card.) Thoughtful discussion included whether humans count as animals, why no ducks were to be found (perhaps because so many human animals were hanging around the pond), and where to find nests besides in trees- like underneath a bridge! Kids received a sun catcher kit to paint after finishing the scavenger hunt, and all chose to remain at the park to complete their masterpieces to take home. As the last of the group was packing up to leave, one young participant even spotted a hummingbird! Our next Kids and Families Nature Scavenger Hunt will take place on Saturday, August 26, at Undine Park, with a side trip to a local greenhouse to pick flower bouquets. We will also hold hunts in September and October. Stay tuned!

Next Monthly Scavenger Hunt - Saturday, July 15

Participants at the June 2023 scavenger hunt (photo courtesy of Lisa Cox)

We'll meet at 9 a.m. Saturday morning in LaPrele Park for the next in our series of free, nature-themed scavenger hunts.  Please join us!  And tell your friends, family, and neighbors, as these events are designed to get children thinking about the plants and animals that they see in our community.  Each participant can take home a prize or craft kit (depending on the event). 

Schedule for the remainder of the summer/fall (all events at 9 a.m.)

July 15 - LaPrele Park – Activity: sun catcher take-home kit

August 26 - Undine Park with side trip to local greenhouse for bouquet picking

September 30 - Optimist Park – Activity: autumn leaf collage take-home kit

October 21 - Washington Park Spooky Finale – Activity: haunted bird house ornament take-home kit 

Monthly Scavenger Hunts!

Disappointed that you missed the June scavenger hunt?  Not to worry - mark your calendar and join us another time.  Here's the schedule for the rest of the year (all take place on Saturday mornings at 9 a.m.): 

July 15 - LaPrele Park with sun catcher take-home kit

August 26 - Undine Park with side trip to local greenhouse for prize activity bouquet picking

September 30 - Optimist Park with autumn leaf collage take-home kit

October 21 - Washington Park Spooky Finale with haunted bird house ornament take-home kit

First LAS Kids and Families Scavenger Hunt of Season at LaBonte Park

LAS hosted the first in a series of five nature scavenger hunts for kids and families on Saturday, June 10, at LaBonte Park. About 20 people came out, including a dozen kids. to scour the park for birds, nests, pollinators, plants and more. While robins and bees were elusive, and nests were challenging to spot in the trees, families enjoyed treats including deer tracks in the mud and a nest building activity to take home or construct right at the park. Our next scavenger hunt will take place at LaPrele Park on July 15. We will meet at 9am and will take home a sun catcher prize activity. You can find the list of events here on our website and at the Albany County Public Library. We will post reminders on Facebook and other media, and will provide fliers at locations around town and with the school district as the series continues into Octoner.

Nature Scavenger Hunts - Monthly Beginning Saturday, June 10th

Monthly beginning June 10 - Nature Scavenger hunts .  A nature-themed fun event for children and their families!  The June event will be held in LaBonte Park, beginning at the park shelter adjacent to the parking area at the corner of 9th and Sully Streets at 9 a.m. We will walk around the park on our scavenger hunt for birds, plants and more, then kids can take home a nest building prize activity. 

Gardening for Birds - Wednesday, May 31, 7 pm

 Wednesday, May 31, 7 pm - Landscaping for Birds.  Barb Gorges, former president of the Cheyenne-High Plains Audubon Society and certified Master Gardener will be speaking about the Audubon Rockies Habitat Hero program at the May meeting of the Laramie Audubon Society. Barb is the author of two books, Cheyenne Birds by the Month and Cheyenne Garden Gossip.  She also writes monthly birding and gardening columns for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.  This free program – a few days before the Laramie Garden Club plant sale (https://www.laramiegardenclub.org/events.html#/) – will provide attendees with information regarding how to make local yards friendly to birds, butterflies, bats, and bees.  

Our meeting are typically held in the University of Wyoming Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center, located at the corner of 10th and Lewis Streets.  Refreshments and informal "bird chat" start at 6:30 p.m. in the street-level atrium and the program begins at 7 p.m. in the adjacent auditorium.

Saturday, May 5th - Wyoming Hereford Ranch Trip

We'll meet in Cheyenne and bird this Important Bird Area that includes riparian areas, meadows, and drier uplands.   Plan to arrive at 8 a.m. at WHR, approximately 1 hour from Laramie:  From I-80, take Exit 367 (Campstool Road) and travel south approximately 1 mile to the entrance, which will be on the left.  Follow the driveway for approximately 0.25 miles and park opposite the red barn. 

Sybille Canyon Trip - SATURDAY, APRIL 22

We inadvertently listed the wrong date for this weekend's trip in the newsletter and when initially publishing the schedule on this website.  We are traveling to the Tom Thorn/Beth Williams WHMA on SATURDAY, APRIL 22.  Hopefully the weather is a little warmer and drier than forecast.  We'll meet downtown at 8 a.m. at First Street Plaza (corner of 1st and Grand, immediately west of Coal Creek Coffee) before heading north.  The length of the trip will depend on the weather, the birds, and how we are feeling.  It could be a great day for birding!  

Saturday, April 15 - Laramie Hotspots Field Trip

Tired of driving?  So are we!  This weekend, we'll stick to birding hotspots within the City of Laramie, beginning at Greenhill Cemetery.  From there, the trip will visit one or more additional popular local birding locales, such as Spring Creek, LaBonte Park, or the Greenbelt.  

Meeting Location:  Main gate of Greenhill Cemetery (parking to the north on 15th Street and to the west on Bradley Street or Lewis Street (Lewis is currently closed to vehicles between 14th and 15th Streets, but the sidewalk is open).  

Meeting Time: 8 a.m.   

CANCELLED - Greater Sage-Grouse Lek Trip

A few weeks ago, I wrote: "Each year the Laramie Audubon Society schedules a trip to visit the Greater Sage-Grouse lek north of Laramie.  The lek is on private property and is accessed via an unimproved two track road.  Many years, weather/range conditions prevent access to the site (snow drifts, mud, etc.).  What will happen this year?"  

Well, we now (Tuesday, April, 4th) have the answer to that question.  The lek will not be accessible this year.  Tune in again next year.  

If you are itching to see some lekking grouse, you could participate in the Cheyenne-High Plains Audubon Society's April 15th trip to a Sharp-tailed Grouse lek near Hillsdale:  https://cheyenneaudubon.org/  

With snow falling today, we are not optimistic.  However, a spate of warm, sunny, windy weather could dry the roads out in time for the trip.  So pencil it in on your calendar: Saturday, April 8th, departing from the Eppson Center (1560 N. 3rd Street) at 5:30 a.m.  Check this website on Friday April 7th to find out whether we are going!!   

We will be taking precautions to avoid disturbing the grouse as they strut upon their stage, including parking at a distance from the lek and quietly viewing the birds using binoculars or (hopefully!) a spotting scope from the parking area.  This trip requires no walking.  Dogs are not allowed on this trip.

Evening Program - Wednesday, March 22: Songbird Habitat and Beavers in Greater Yellowstone

Our March 22nd evening program features two UW graduate students who are recipients of Laramie Audubon Society Small Grants:  Katie Davis (Beaver, Diversity and Connectivity Relationships in Greater Yellowstone) and Emily Shertzer (Carry-Over Effects of Human-Induced Habitat Change in Migratory Songbirds).  The "Grants" page of our website provides more information regarding Katie's and Emily's research as well as the LAS Small Grants Program: https://laramieaudubon.blogspot.com/p/small-grants-program.html

The presentations will begin at 7 pm, but please arrive early for refreshments and Bird Chat from 6:30 to 7 pm.  This event (and most of our evening programs) will take place in the street-level auditorium of the UW Berry Center, located at the corner of 10th and Lewis Streets.  Please allow plenty of time to find parking!

Field Trip - Laramie Plains Lakes (Saturday, March 25)

Join us on Saturday for a driving tour of the lakes in the Laramie Valley with a focus on migrating waterfowl.  Bundle up, because the time along the lake shores will likely be quite chilly.  This trip will involve minimal walking within the dirt/gravel parking lots at the various lakes.  We typically visit a selection of the following, depending on ice conditions: Blakes' Pond, Gelatt Lake, Meeboer Lake, Twin Buttes Reservoir, and Lake Hattie.  

We'll meet at 1st Street Plaza (corner of 1st Street and Grand Avenue) at 8 a.m. and caravan from there, with participants arranging informal carpool groups if there is sufficient interest.  We typically spend about 3 hours on this trip, but attendees are free to leave sooner (or stay longer) if they have their own transportation. 

Bird Hop Trip Report

 On Saturday, February 25, a group of 10 descended on the streets of Centennial, WY, to peek in on feeders around town, in the first LAS Bird Hop since 2020. Several of the feeders that had been active in the past were unused this winter, but those at the Bear Bottom Grill were full and fluttering with activity. 

Despite the absence of Rosy Finch, the group observed 16 species total, most predominantly Steller's Jay, which vied with the Bear Bottom's resident gray squirrel for a feeder. The others were Clark's Nutcracker, Black-capped and Mountain Chickadee, Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch and Sparrow, American Crow and Raven, Oregon and Slate-Colored Junco, Pine Grosbeak, Black-billed Magpie and a single White-breasted Nuthatch. 

After wandering the streets, the group convened for an early lunch at The Bear Bottom, where they enjoyed more feeder watching and good conversation. Shout out to Bear Bottom for excellent hospitality at opening time on a Saturday!

Steller's Jay, Photo Lisa Cox

Centennial "Bird Hop" - Saturday, February 25

 The Laramie Audubon Society is excited to resume one of our pre-Covid winter traditions next weekend (Saturday 2/25): the Winter Bird Hop!  We will meet in downtown Laramie (in First Street Plaza at the corner of 1st & Grand Ave) at 9 a.m. and then caravan/carpool approximately 30 miles west to Centennial, where we will wander the protected aspen groves in the downtown area.  Many Centennial residents put out birdfeeders in the winter, sometimes attracting species that are less common in Laramie, such as Rosy-Finches, Common Redpolls, Pine Grosbeak, and Evening Grosbeaks.  

When the group is ready for a break, we'll warm up at the Bear Bottom Bar and Grill with (no-host) coffee, hot chocolate, lunch, etc.  The cafe has large plate glass windows and several bird feeders, so we will continue "bird watching" while we enjoy our beverages/food.

Evening Program - Birds at the Museum of Vertebrates - Wednesday, February 22nd, 7 pm

Dr. Elizabeth Wommack will provide a tour of the University of Wyoming's Museum of Vertebrates (UWYMV), with an emphasis on birds! She will share specimens of species that frequent Albany County, providing attendees a close look at plumage in various seasons. The UWYMV is located in the Berry Center (corner of 10th and Lewis Streets) adjacent to the street-level auditorium where LAS typically meets. More information regarding the Museum is available on their website: https://uwymv.wyomingbiodiversity.org/index.php 

Join us at 6:30 pm for snacks and informal bird chat or arrive at 7 pm for the tour/presentation. Remember to leave plenty of time for parking as onstreet parking is now a couple of blocks away.