A Not So Silent Spring

I came across this article from Conservation Magazine yesterday, albeit a couple years old, but it's very interesting. The article is about birds incorporating human noises into their vocal repertoire.

A male European blackbird was terrorizing the neighborhood. For several months, he started singing at around 5 a.m. each day, but this was no ordinary song. The bird imitated the sounds of ambulance sirens and car alarms at a jarringly life-like volume. It even produced cell-phone ring tones that went unanswered for hours.

The tale of the annoying blackbird in Somerset, U.K., was not unique. Hans Slabbekoorn, an assistant professor of behavioral biology at Leiden University in The Netherlands, had heard similar stories—but he was skeptical that such bizarre reports could be true. So he started asking people to send him recordings of the off-kilter blackbirds. Sure enough, what he got back was pitch-perfect imitations of urban noises, including not just sirens and car alarms but even the distinctive sound of a golf cart backing up—mimicked by blackbirds living near a golf course.

While the sounds seemed artificial, the reason birds were making them was surprisingly natural....continued here.

The Laramie CBC results are in!

Gray-crowned Rosy-finch by Shawn Billerman

Laramie's Christmas Bird Count was held December 15, 2012 with 38 participants working in 15 teams. There were 50 species and 4851 individuals observed. The weather was the best we've had in years: overcast with scant wind.  Highlights included crossbills, rosy-finches, redpolls, and a few lingering blackbirds.






Canada Goose    1
Gadwall    1
Mallard    123
Green-winged Teal    4
Common Goldeneye    4
Bald Eagle    5
Northern Harrier    3
Red-tailed Hawk    1
Ferruginous Hawk    3
Rough-legged Hawk    16
Golden Eagle    3
American Kestrel    1
Merlin    4
falcon sp.    2
Wilson's Snipe    20
Rock Pigeon    1059
Eurasian Collared-Dove    231
Mourning Dove    16
Great Horned Owl    1
Downy Woodpecker    2
Hairy Woodpecker    2
Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker    15
Northern Shrike    2
Steller's Jay    2
Blue Jay    1
Clark's Nutcracker    1
Black-billed Magpie    28
American Crow    570
Common Raven    298
Horned Lark    2
Black-capped Chickadee    21
Mountain Chickadee    174
Red-breasted Nuthatch    59
White-breasted Nuthatch    4
Brown Creeper    4
Townsend's Solitaire    11
American Robin    497
American Tree Sparrow    28
Song Sparrow    1
White-crowned Sparrow    1
sparrow sp.    30
Dark-eyed Junco    3
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco    15
Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco    3
Snow Bunting    5
Red-winged Blackbird    4
Brewer's Blackbird    2
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch    132
House Finch    112
Red Crossbill    65
White-winged Crossbill    1
crossbill sp.    42
Common Redpoll    2
Evening Grosbeak    2
House Sparrow    1212

Specimens, Bald Ibis, and Razorbills

Northern Bald Ibis or Waldrapp
(Wikimedia Commons)

In my morning perusal of The New York Times, I came across this 2011 series on collecting. I thought it might interest others and it relates to our December public talk.

At the same time, my fiance was reading his Swiss newspaper and came across a story on a Northern Bald Ibis that took a wrong turn in migration this year and ended up in Spain. The Northern Bald Ibis, or Waldrapp, is a critically endangered species that, unlike other ibis species, prefers to nest on cliffs in arid regions. For more on this interesting species, check out the website here (click on the British flag for the English version).

And that story reminded me of a recent article I read on the eBird site on an invasion of Razorbills in Florida this winter. There must be something wrong when a pelagic seabird from the north shows up in numbers in tropical waters. You can read about the Razorbill invasion here.

Julie Hart, LAS Secretary

Welcome New Board Members!

At the last public meeting held Nov 28, Laramie Audubon members unanimously elected three new board members and approved the renewal of existing board members up for re-election. The three new board members are:

Vicki Henry: long-time Laramie Audubon member and past board member and officer
James Maley: curator of the Vertebrate Museum at the University of Wyoming
Anika Mahoney: graduate student in Zoology at the University of Wyoming

Please welcome our new board members!

Is this 'Bird Armageddon'?

Since 1966 UK bird population has decline by 44 million which amounts to just under a million birds a year (over 45 years), which is dismal November news indeed.

Yesterday (November 19th) the RSPB published their most extensive survey of the UK’s bird populations over the last 4 decades (including data from 2011); ‘The state of the UK’s birds 2012’. SUKB2012, as it is also known, is a collaborative affair between NGO’s and the UK’s governmental nature conservation agencies: RSPB, BTO, WWT, NE, NIEA, SNH and JNCC. The report uses a mix of indicators to assess the populations of wild birds, seabirds and wintering birds throughout the UK and overseas territories. All species are given a conservation status (red, amber or green) in accordance with the criteria set out in the BTO’s document Birds of Conservation 3, 2009.

View the full story on the British Ecological Society blog here.

UW Collections Manager, Talk & Tour, Nov 28

Dr. James Maley to talk about rails and give a tour of the University’s vertebrate collections: We have all heard of splitters vs. lumpers when it comes to dealing with bird species, but how do scientists determine whether two species really should be lumped together as a single species or whether a single species should be divided into two or more? Dr. James Maley, Collections Manager for the University of Wyoming’s Museum of Vertebrates, will touch on this issue as he discusses his Ph.D. research on the very similar Clapper and King rails during the November public meeting. James used morphology (the study of the form and structure of organisms), genetics, and ecological adaptations to salt vs freshwater marshes to better understand what differentiates Clapper and King Rails--in essence what defines them as species. He also used specimens housed in museums throughout the United States to understand the genetic diversity of the Clapper/King Rail complex, often using scrapings of toe pads from specimens when tissue samples were not available. After his talk, James will provide a tour of the collections at the University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates to highlight the importance and utility of bird specimens for avian research and conservation.

We will also be holding a public vote: At this meeting, our members will vote for three new Board Members (Anika Mahoney, James Maley, Vicki Henry), President (Sophie Osborn), Vice President (Brian Waitkus), and Secretary (Julie Hart) at the meeting before the program.  If you are unable to attend, please email your vote to laramie.audubon@gmail.com.  Thanks for your support!

When & Where: Wednesday, Nov. 28, 6:30pm Bird Chat & Refreshments, 7:00pm Short Business Meeting & Program, UW Berry Center, corner of 10th & Lewis Streets.

LAS Raptor Trip – November 10, 2012

Despite threats of snow and wind and cold, eight stalwart Laramie Auduboners ventured out to look for raptors in the Laramie area on November 10. We were lucky with the weather as well as with the birds. The snow stopped, the wind died down, and we were treated to looks at a variety of raptors, as well as many other birds and mammals.

Raptors

Bald Eagle – 4 (All juveniles or subadults)

Golden Eagle – 9

Northern Harrier – 2

Red-tailed Hawk – 1

Ferruginous Hawk – 6 (including one that caught a rodent after we inadvertently flushed it)

Rough-legged Hawk – 11 (mainly adult females; no adult males).

American Kestrel – 1 (a male with a vole)

Great Horned Owl – 1

Non-raptors

Eared Grebe

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Shoveler

Canvasback

Redhead

Lesser Scaup

Bufflehead

American Coot

Black-billed Magpie

Common Raven

Black-capped Chickadee

Western Meadowlark

We had a great look at a pronghorn herd that bunched together and ran when an adult Golden Eagle flew toward it. We also saw another large herd of running pronghorns. Other mammals included a small group of mule deer, a white-tailed deer, and a little red fox poking its head over a nearby hill. Thanks to all who participated!

Laramie Christmas Bird Count to be Dec 15th

VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO TAKE PART IN THE 113th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT. The Laramie Audubon Society will again take part 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 15. This will be the 36th 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. 3rd 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 [AT] gmail [dot] com).

Matt Hethcoat to speak on the effects of natural gas development on songbirds.

Research has shown that energy development in sagebrush habitats can have negative effects on songbirds. It is unclear, however, why the abundance of certain songbirds declines in areas of intensive development. Is it because disturbance and habitat fragmentation reduce the availability of food for these birds or is it because of an increase in generalist predators that are associated with human presence and prey on nests? Matt Hethcoat’s research tackles the second hypothesis and focuses on the effects of natural gas development on the predation rates of sagebrush-obligate songbird nests. He is working to identify what drives the predation patterns on songbird nests in sagebrush habitats affected by energy development. He also hopes to develop some strategies to reduce the impacts of energy development on songbirds. Come and find out more about energy development and songbirds on October 31, 2011. Refreshments start at 6:30 pm and the talk will begin at 7:00 pm in the Berry Center (10th & Lewis) Auditorium.

October Program

Laramie Audubon Society Program
Wednesday, October 31 (yes, it’s Halloween night)
UW Berry Center, 10th & Lewis Streets, entrance faces north
(free parking along 10th St, south side of Lewis and in UW lot—free after 5pm)

6:30 pm Bird Chat & Refreshments in the lobby
7:00pm  Program begins in the auditorium

Effects of natural gas development on predation rates of sagebrush-obligate songbird nests by Matt Hethcoat. Matt is an M.S. student in the Coop Unit. Originally from western New York, Matt received his B.S. from Humboldt State University in Wildlife biology. Since graduating from Humboldt Matt has worked on research projects around the world, including critically endangered Macaws in Bolivia, endangered Loggerhead Shrikes in California, Fairy-Wrens in Australia, and a montane bird community in Borneo.  These experiences have focused Matt's interests in conservation research and questions pertaining to the reconciliation of wildlife conservation and human livelihoods. Broadly, his other interests include avian ecology, ecological and evolutionary traps, life history evolution, predator-prey interactions, sexual selection, and signalling theory.  Matt's research focuses on the effects of natural gas development on predation rates of sagebrush-obligate songbird nests. We are working to identify specific mechanisms that are driving predation patterns and hope to offer clear strategies for mitigating the impacts to songbirds breeding in habitats affected by energy development activities.

LAS Picnic Saturday, Sept 8

Members and Friends are invited to our Laramie Audubon Society Picnic on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, 4pm - ? at 468 Boulder Ridge Rd., west of Tie Siding.

Come one; come all.  Please RSVP by Sept. 5 to Vicki at 307-760-9518 so we will know how much food to bring. LAS will provide meat, veggie patties and buns and we ask you to bring sides to share and your own beverages. Alcoholic beverages are OK.

Vicki got a grant from the Wyoming Business Council/State Energy Office for a photovoltaic electric system at the cabin.  Come check out the solar electric system, eat some burgers, take a little hike and enjoy the great outdoors (or indoors!). There is no running water or refrigeration so you’ll need to bring your beverages and coolers. There is plenty of room for camping (35 acres) if you choose to stay overnight, especially if you’ve had a little too much to drink.

Directions:
From Laramie, take 287 south to Tie Siding (18 miles). Turn right (west) onto County Road 31/Cherokee Park Rd. It’s dirt from here to the cabin. Go 3 miles and turn right onto County Road 319/Boulder Ridge Rd. Go about 4.5 miles to the driveway (2-track) on the left (Saw Dust Trail is on the right). Go down the driveway, past the unfinished cabin, and to the 2-story cabin. Friendly dogs are welcome, too. Phone reception is spotty but is fairly strong in the cabin so call if you need directions. It takes about 40 minutes to get there from Laramie.

Doug Keinath to Speak on the Exposure of Animals to Development in Wyoming

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department classifies 156 species in Wyoming as “Species of Greatest Conservation Need.” But how do we begin to prioritize which are most in need of  limited conservation and research funds and protective efforts? Sometimes triage is necessary and those most exposed to development are most in need of our help. Doug Keinath, a Ph.D. student at the University of Wyoming and Lead Vertebrate Zoologist for the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database has developed tools to take the guesswork out of this task. By looking at species’ distributions and numbers, the various threats that they face, and the intensity of those threats, Doug has developed models to determine which species are most exposed to development in Wyoming. Is the Wyoming pocket gopher more exposed or the Greater Sage-Grouse? The spotted bat or the swift fox? Come and find out as Laramie Audubon kicks off its fall speakers program on September 26, 2012.