- Monthly evening programs (January to May and September to November)
- Nature education and enjoyment opportunities for Kids & Families
- Birding and natural history field trips
- Habitat Hero meetings, tabling events, and garden tours
- Community science projects
Evening Programs
All Wednesday evening programs are held at the Trinity Lutheran Church (downstairs), 107 S. 7th Street, Laramie. Social time beginning at 6:30 pm, program at 7:00 pm.
February 25 – Population Dynamics of the Pacific Marten in National Forest of Wyoming. Lane Jeakle, graduate student in University of Wyoming's Department of Zoology & Physiology will provide an overview of the natural history of martens and results of his research on harvest and population dynamics of these elusive mammals in Wyoming.
March 27 – Wildlife Photography Travels and Techniques. Skilled nature photographer Liz Young splits her time between Laramie and Canada. She will share stories and tips from her travels to Patagonia, as well as closer to home.
April 22 – The Mysterious and Vital World of Microfungi. Dr Dorothy Tuthill, former Associate Director and K-12 Co-ordinator at the University of Wyoming's Biodiversity Institute, will share her enthusiasm for role microfungi play in our world.
May 27 – Celebrating Nature Through Birds. Join Daly Edmunds, Policy and Outreach Director for Audubon Rockies, as she leads us on a journey through time – from the days of such abundance that passenger pigeons darkened the sky to canaries serving as sentinels in the mines that built our cities. As we get more disconnected from nature, this event will bring to light how birds can inspire and bring together communities.
Kids & Families Programs
February 21 - Winter Stories. Drop by Trinity Lutheran Church Gruver Room, from 10 am to noon. This is an indoor and outdoor event, with story telling, dream catcher crafts and coloring pages inside and a Hearts in Nature hunt outside. Snacks and hot cocoa will be served.
April 25 – Earth Day Returns! LaPrele Park. Meet 9:00 am at the picnic shelter at 22nd Street and Spring Creek Drive. Nature bingo, cloud clay sculpting, seed planting in recycled pots, and snacks.
June 6 – Summer is Hatching! LaBonte Park. Meet 9:00 am at the picnic shelter on North 9th Street (between Baker and Sully Streets). Discover aquatic insects, make a nature journal, and craft a bird nest. Snacks and drinks provided.
Field Trips
Everyone is welcome on field trips, regardless of experience level or available equipment. Birding in a group is a great way to learn the local birds! We try to include information on strenuous/accessibility of the trips. Please contact us (laramie.audubon@gmail.com) if you have ideas regarding Birdability (i.e., making birding more accessible for all).
Please bring the following items on field trips: binoculars (if you have them), an extra layer (perhaps two or three), sun protection, and water/snacks. Sturdy, closed-toed shoes are recommended. Most trips will last for two to three hours, but some may extend to one-half day. We try to carpool to reduce the number of vehicles on trips.
March 7 - Bird Hop in Centennial. A winter favorite, join us for the annual Bird Hop to Centennial! We will walk the streets of Centennial to look for rosy finches, woodpeckers, chickadees, juncos, Stellar’s Jays, Clark’s Nutcrackers and more. Wewill have an early lunch at the Bear Bottom, where we can watch the feeders from the comfort of our seats. Caravan from First Street Plaza (corner of 1st Street and Grand Avenue) to Centennial, first to the USFS Centennial Snowy Range Visitor Center above town to see who is haunting the feeders, then back into town to wander the protected aspen groves within the downtown area and up onto the hills. We will then retreat indoors to the Bear Bottom Cafe for a NO HOST coffee or early lunch. Meet at the Visitor Center above Centennial at 9:30 or carpoolers meet at First Street Plaza at 8:45 am. This is a family friendly event.(Lisa Cox)
April 4 – Greater Sage Grouse Lek. We will caravan to a lek north of Laramie to watch and listen as the male grouse boom and strut. This event is on private property only accessible during special events authorized by the landowner. We will depart from the parking lot on the east side of the Eppson Center (1560 N. 3rd Street) at 5:30 am sharp! (Ben Baumgartner, Jan Hart)
April 25 — Seniors Greenbelt Birding with Audubon Rockies. In partnership with Audubon Rockies and AARP Wyoming Birding Initiative for Seniors, Laramie Audubon Society invites Laramie area members to wander the greenbelt on a leisurely and educational birding trip with Laramie area seniors meeting at Optimist Park at 11 am. Jennifer of AARP Wyoming requests registration at . (Lisa Cox)
May 9 – Bosler Wetland and Tom Thorne/Beth Williams WHMA. We'll drive to the Habitat Management Area in Sybille Canyon to bird at this intersection of sage brush and cottonwoods, with stop along the Laramie River. Meet at 1st Street Plaza at 8 am. (George Jones)
May 17 - Wyoming Hereford Ranch. We will head east to Cheyenne to search for fall-migrant birds in the riparian areas of the Wyoming Hereford Ranch (WHR), one of Wyoming’s Important Bird Areas. The Ranch is a great place to find uncommon warblers and other songbirds during spring migration. Afterward, we will make a quick stop to search for waterbirds at WHR Reservoir #1. Walking will be easy on flat terrain. Meet promptly at 7:00 am in the northwest corner of the parking lot of the City of Laramie Parks and Recreation Center (Garfield and South Boulder Streets) to carpool to the WHR. Plan on returning to Laramie between 12 and 1 pm. Alternatively, you can meet us at the WHR at 8:00 am. To get to WHR from I-80, head east from Laramie, take Exit 367 (Campstool Road), travel south approximately 1 mile to the entrance (on the left), follow the driveway for ¼ mile, and park opposite the red barn. (Brad Andres)
May 23 - Greenhill Cemetery. Join us to search for migrant flycatchers, warblers, and sparrows at Greenhill Cemetery. Meet at the 15th Street entrance at 7:30 am. Plan on about a 1.5-hour walk. (Brad Andres)
May 30 - Dawn Chorus at Happy Jack. Join us for the dawn chrous of our returning breeding songbirds. We will test our ability to identify singing migrant and breeding birds walking around the Happy Jack trailhead area. Meet promptly at 6:00 am at the northwest corner of the parking lot of the City of Laramie Parks and Recreation Center (Garfield and South Boulder Streets) to carpool to Happy Jack trailhead. (Don Jones)
Habitat Hero
April 13 — Habitat Hero Garden Certification Levels. Amanda Martinez, Audubon Rockies, will discuss the criteria for meeting the Habitat Hero certification levels of Bronze, Silver, and Gold. 6:00 pm at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 107 S. 7th St. Laramie.
May 20 — Windmill Hill Nursery After-hours Tour. Please join us at Windmill Hill Nursery for an after-hours tour of nursery plants for our Habitat Hero gardens. This tour is something new, and we are excited to partner with Windmill Hill for this event. Janet Wragge, long time Windmill Hill employee (now former), will lead the tour and plant conversations. This is a great opportunity to roam the nursery with a knowledgeable gardener, share experiences and stories about our favorite (and maybe not-so-favorite) plants. A great advantage is that all of these plants have been selected because they can grow in Laramie. Bring your wallet - you will be able to shop. We will serve light refreshments; feel free to bring a contribution if you like. From 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Windmill Hill Nursery, 4109 Fort Sanders Road, Laramie. Please RSVP to laramie.audubon@gmail.com if you plan on attending.
June 17 - Garden Tour: Janet Wragge, 1714 West Hill Road, Laramie, 5:00 pm.
July 15 - Garden Tour: Lorna Woolsey/Perry Baptista, 617 East Clark Street, Laramie, 5:00 pm.
August 13 - Garden Tour: Rebecca Evans, 631 Roger Canyon Road, Laramie, 5:00 pm.
