Saturday (4/20) BirdingTrip - Red Buttes

Meet at 8 a.m. at the University of Wyoming Red Buttes Lab (on the east side of US 287, 8.3 miles south of WYDOT). We will survey for migrant songbirds in both riparian corridors and short-grass prairie wetlands. Serving as a migratory stop over point for spring migrants, the Red Buttes research site (which is not typically open to the public) provides habitat for grassland, wetland, and riparian corridor birds. Hiking boots or shoes with good traction are a must. We will probably get a little muddy, but it will all be for the birds!

We need bird photos!  This Clark's Nutcracker was photographed
on a LAS trip to Centennial (photo credit: LAS member Lisa Cox).

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.

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.

123rd 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 Laramie Audubon Society chapter of the National Audubon Society as it conducts the Albany County Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, December 17. This will be the 45th count of the Albany County circle. Volunteers are needed to help count every bird observed in the 15-mile diameter circle around Laramie on the day of the count. 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, it is is a secular program, with Christmas indicating the season of the annual count. 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 pre-register. National Audubon Society guidelines for COVID-19 include an option for participants to choose to mask at any time. Additionally, people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.

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 you have them. Feeder watchers are also welcome.

Volunteers are invited to a chili supper where results will be compiled beginning at 4 pm the home of Shay Howlin. Potluck items welcome, but not required. Please contact Shay Howlin if you would like to be assigned a route early, would like forms for feeder watching, or have any questions (307-286-1972; wolfhowlin@gmail.com).

Additional Information - Drop-in zoom calls to assign routes on:

Wednesday December 14th from 2:00 to 3:00 pm

Wednesday December 14th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm

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.

122nd Annual Christmas Bird Count - December 18

The Laramie Audubon Society will again take part in a 100+year-old tradition: the annual "Christmas Bird Count."  Volunteers are welcome to join in the count with the LAS chapter as it conducts the Albany County CBC on Saturday, December 18. This will be the 44th count of the Albany County circle and the 122nd national event.  Volunteers are needed to help count every bird present in the 15-mile diameter circle around Laramie on the day of the count. All types of bird watchers, including feeder watchers, are welcome. 

The Albany County CBC will again be modified to provide for social distancing. All volunteers for the Albany County circle must pre-register or attend one of two drop-in Zoom calls to receive a route assignment. There will be no in-person meetings prior to the count. Contact Shay Howlin (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 continued changes to the format this year due to public health (Covid-19) considerations. As usual, some teams will walk, while others will drive through their territory.  Per national Audubon CBC rules, masks will be required when social distancing is not possible in the field.  In addition, we will not facilitate carpools, in order to limit carpools to existing familial or social pod groups.  If you will be traveling over the holidays and would like to participate in the CBC in the region that you are visiting, look for event dates and locations here: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count.

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 if you would like to be assigned a route early, would like forms for feeder watching, or have any questions.   

We hope to be able to resume the traditional event format (complete with Shay's famous chili supper) next year!  (*Area code 307)

Volunteer Opportunity - Nest Box Monitoring

The Laramie Audubon Society (LAS), is seeking a group of volunteers to monitor nest boxes at the Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge located southwest of Laramie. We will be looking to form at least three crews to monitor a group of the boxes once weekly from mid-May through mid- to late July.  The weekly time commitment to check a group of 12 to 16 nest boxes is about an hour or so depending on the rate of walking. Last year, we conducted the nest box checks on Sunday, mid-morning and followed the CDC Covid-19 safety guidelines to social distance.  We do not expect a weekly commitment of each volunteer, however we would prefer that volunteers rotate with other members in their crew in an effort to share observations and data between crew members. All new volunteers would be trained by returning volunteers. 

In past years, the nest boxes were primarily used by tree swallows. Data for each nest box will be collected on forms to include: the date, nest status and condition (if nesting material is present, and if an obvious nest central cup is present, if the nest is damaged or gone); number of eggs, number of live or dead hatchlings and fledglings; adult bird activity and behavior; and status of the young (if nestlings are naked and pink, date when presence of wing feathers emerged, and when body feathers completely cover the skin), and dates when the young have fledged. 

The data collected will be entered into Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch database. NestWatch is a nationwide monitoring program developed by Cornell to track status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds, including when nesting occurs, number of eggs laid, how many eggs hatch, and how many hatchlings survive.  Their database is intended to be used to study the current condition of breeding bird populations and how they may be changing over tine as a result of climate change, habitat degradation and loss, expansion of urban areas, and the introduction of non-native plants and animals.  This being said, as a volunteer and community scientist, you will be contributing to the collection of additional data and aid in the future conservation of bird species.  It would be ideal if one person from each of the three monitoring crews would enter the data into the online database.  Again, training will be provided.

LAS thanks all 2020 volunteers and future 2021 volunteers!  Please contact Jan Hart, LAS via email at janhart22@hotmail.com if you are interested in helping with the 2021 nest box monitoring efforts.  Please respond by April 20 if interested so that training and crews' weekly schedules can be arranged.  Also, feel free to contact Jan with any questions at (307) 760-9693 as well.

Flock of Sandhill Cranes observed flying over Hutton Lake NWR by 2020 LAS/NestBox volunteers.
(Photo courtesy of Laurel Armstrong)

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

Christmas Bird Count: Sunday, December 15

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 Sunday, December 15.  This will be the 42nd 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. Novices are welcome, and will be paired with more experienced bird watchers.

Volunteers can call ahead (307-286-1972) or meet at Coal Creek Coffee (110 E. Grand) at 7:30 am on the day of the count to get data forms and team assignments. Some teams walk, while others drive through the territory. Volunteers will reconvene at The Grounds Internet and Coffee Lounge (171 N. 3^rd St.) at 12:00 pm to drop off morning reports and regroup for those continuing in the afternoon.

Volunteers should wear warm, layered clothing and boots, and bring water, snacks and binoculars if you have them. Feeder watchers are also welcome.  Volunteers are invited to a chili supper where results will be compiled beginning at 4 pm the home of Shay Howlin. Potluck items welcome, but not required.  Please contact Shay Howlin if you would like to be assigned a route early, would like forms for feeder watching, or have any questions (307-286-1972; wolfhowlin@gmail.com).

The National Audubon Society, which coordinates the program, states that "the data collected by observers over the past century allow Audubon researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent's bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years." (https://www.audubon.org/conservation/history-christmas-bird-count).  According to Wikipedia, the CBC is the old citizen science project in existence!

VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO TAKE PART IN THE 119th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

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 Sunday, December 16.  This will be the 41st 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. Novices are welcome, and will be paired with more experienced bird watchers.

Volunteers can call ahead (307-286-1972) or meet at Coal Creek Coffee (110 E. Grand) at 7:30 am on the day of the count to get data forms and team assignments. Some teams walk, while others drive through the territory. Volunteers will reconvene at The Grounds Internet and Coffee Lounge (171 N. 3^rd St.) at 12:00 pm to drop off morning reports and regroup for those continuing in the afternoon.

Volunteers should wear warm, layered clothing and boots, and bring water, snacks and binoculars if you have them. Feeder watchers are also welcome.  Volunteers are invited to a chili supper where results will be compiled beginning at 4 pm the home of Shay Howlin. Potluck items welcome, but not required.  Please contact Shay Howlin if you would like to be assigned a route early, would like forms for feeder watching, or have any questions (307-286-1972; wolfhowlin@gmail.com).

If you miss this event (or can't get enough birding in December!) considering heading to Cheyenne for the Cheyenne High Plains Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count on December 29th! 

Opportunity to Attract Kestrels and Aid in Kestrel Research

This post is by Brian Waitkus, I'm just putting it up. - Libby

Elizabeth Wommack, Staff Curator and Collections Manager of the University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates, has been studying American Kestrels in California for many years.  The researchers in California continuing this study have decided to replace their existing kestrel nest boxes with larger boxes to also, possibly, attract owls. Beth’s collaborator, Jeff Wilcox, just shipped her a set of her old kestrel nest boxes. The result of this change has made kestrel nest boxes available to Wyoming residents.

Beth would love to get them up around the local area, with land owners who wouldn't mind someone visiting with a ladder to service, check on them and to allow Beth to band the chicks and possibly the adults.  The boxes need to be placed in some open habitat, with short grass, shrub or prairie. Beth had them in a wide variety of areas though (high mountain meadows, oak woodlands, agricultural fields), but generally not urban, within the boundaries of most of Laramie proper.  Boxes placed in the center of town might be a greater attractant to House Sparrows and squirrels. Presently boxes have attracted Kestrels in West Laramie along Riverside Drive and outside of Laramie. 

In California, this design worked well with placing the boxes from 6ft to 9ft off the ground. Beth put them higher up when they might be disturbed by animals (like humans). Generally a north or eastern facing pole, structure, or tree was where they were attached with screws.

If you or anyone you know might like a box please contact Beth at ewommack@uwyo.edu.

Call for board members

Dear Laramie Audubon members & friends,

As you are probably aware, Laramie Audubon is dependent on the financial support of its members and on the interest of members and friends in our programs, field trips, and other activities. What you may not be as familiar with is the behind-the-scenes work that is done by volunteer board members to keep the organization operational. Board members serve two-year terms, which typically begin in November. This fall we have room for several new board members.

Anyone who is a member of Laramie Audubon, interested in our mission, and willing to donate time to the organization may be a board member. Board members are expected to attend board meetings (approximately three per year) and at least some of our programs. Otherwise, involvement is quite flexible. We generally take a divide and conquer approach!

Three of our board members are retiring this fall and one is on sabbatical, so we are looking for at least four new board members. We have specific vacancies which need to be filled:
1) Membership coordinator – manage database of members, send renewal reminders, coordinate with treasurer
2) Publicity chair – advertise events to our email list, ensure that events are advertised in the Boomerang, compile event descriptions for the newsletter/blog
3) Newsletter co-chair – work with newsletter editor to compile newsletter four times a year, write articles for newsletter or solicit articles from others

We are also looking for folks who are interested in being “odds-and-ends” board members, willing to fill in as needed for various activities: to arrange speakers, lead field trips, contribute articles to our newsletter or blog, or spearhead an outreach program in the community. If you would like become a board member to add a new facet or outreach project to Laramie Audubon, that’s an option as well--we are happy to hear your ideas!

If you are interested in becoming a board member for Laramie Audubon, please let us know at laramie.audubon@gmail.com. Provide a description of relevant experience or interests, explain what you would bring to the board, and note if you would like to fill a position listed above. We will distribute your description to LAS members so that they can be informed when they vote on board members in November. If you have questions before committing to be a candidate, please feel free to direct your concerns our way. If you join the board, your first commitment would likely be a board meeting in December; however, if you would like to get involved sooner we can bring folks aboard as interim members.

Libby Megna
LAS Secretary

Resighting Brown-capped Rosy-Finches

The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is asking folks to report banded Brown-capped Rosy-Finches. The finches may be banded with only a silver USFWS with identification number, or may have additional color bands. Please see the flyer here for details on the banding project, the types of bands that may be on the Rosy-Finches, and how to report banded birds.

Adopt a Catchment!

How do you feel about mountains, ponds, or amphibians? If you like any of those things, check out this great citizen science opportunity by the Rocky Mountain Amphibian Project. Adopt a catchment and survey it for frog, toad, and salamander species this summer. This project is in conjunction with Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, the Biodiversity Institute, and Wyoming Game and Fish.

Click the image below to download the poster.

Nest monitoring at Hutton - Volunteers needed

Laramie Audubon will be monitoring Tree Swallow nest boxes at Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge this summer, and we are looking for volunteers to help! We'll be monitoring from mid-May to early July.

If this sounds like fun and you want to learn more, please join us for an info session Thursday, April 27. We will meet in room 217 of the Berry Center at 6 pm.

Contact Lindsey Sanders with any questions.

Click the image below to download the flyer.

Volunteers needed for Mountain Plover and Sharp-tailed Grouse research

If you're interested in volunteering on avian research in Wyoming this spring/summer, check out these two opportunities through the University of Wyoming:

Volunteer Opportunity--Mountain Plover
Researchers at the University of Wyoming are looking for volunteers to help re-sight banded Mountain Plovers in Thunder Basin National Grassland. Volunteers will get a tour of field sites with a visit to an active nest (and a hatching event if the timing is right!) and potentially a banding demonstration, along with an overview of the ecology of Thunder Basin. Songbird and raptor diversity in the area is high (check out eBird sightings!), and both burrowing owls and swift foxes were regular sightings on colonies last year, so there are also lots of great opportunities for wildlife photography. Click the image below to download the flyer. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Courtney Duchardt for more details: cduchard@uwyo.edu

Volunteer Opportunity--Columbia Sharp-tailed Grouse
Researchers at the University of Wyoming are looking volunteers to help identify locations of new leks in the Baggs area this spring (April - May). The ideal search time is between twilight and an hour after sunrise, so volunteers would need to stay at field housing provided outside of Baggs. Volunteers who can commit to 3-4 days are preferred, especially if you are also interested in helping with grouse trapping efforts. In general, volunteers should be responsible and preferably have some field experience. You will also need to provide your own transportation to Baggs and while lek searching, preferably in a truck and/or an ATV as the roads can be rough. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Aaron Pratt for more details: aaroncpratt@yahoo.com

Golden Eagle Rescuers Needed

The Teton Raptor Center is looking for volunteers who are willing to transport injured Golden Eagles, and potentially other raptors, to licensed rehabilitation centers so that they can receive the care they need. Please see the details below from Carrie Ann Adams, and feel free to share the flyer with others who you think may be interested! Click the image for a downloadable PDF flyer.

If you would like to help, call 307-203-2551 or email raptors@tetonraptorcenter.org.

---

Carrie Ann Adams, Program Associate at Teton Raptor Center: "Thank you for your dedication to avian conservation and for providing opportunities for people to learn about birds. At Teton Raptor Center in Jackson Hole, we share your commitment to involving the public in avian conservation, with a special focus in birds of prey. Our mission is to advance raptor conservation through education, research, and rehabilitation. One of our newest initiatives is the Golden Eagle Rescue Network, and we are looking for volunteer Raptor Rescuers.

We have a new opportunity for bird lovers throughout Wyoming to help rescue injured and orphaned eagles. Through a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant, we are coordinating a network of volunteer drivers, WGFD officers, pilots, veterinarians, and rehabbers to transport injured eagles in Wyoming to licensed rehabilitation centers. Wyoming currently has three raptor rehab centers: Ironside Bird Rescue in Cody, Teton Raptor Center in Jackson, and Wind River Raptors in Lander. Raptors injured near Laramie can also receive care at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program in Fort Collins, Colorado.

We hope that members of the Laramie Audubon Society, or other avian aficionados in your area, will be interested in becoming Raptor Rescuers. Volunteering typically involves transporting injured birds in kennels from a WGFD office to a rehabilitation center. There is no minimum time commitment, and rescuers can choose to participate on a case-by-case basis. While the network is initially intended for Golden Eagles, there will be opportunities to help other injured raptors as well."