Liar! Liar! African bird trickery

This is an interesting story right up there with brood-parasitizing cowbirds (dumping their eggs in the nests of other birds) and kleptoparasitizing gulls (bullying other gulls so they can steal food from them).

Liar! Liar! African bird uses elaborate ruse to steal food by Will Dunham, Reuters

Audubon Program Wednesday, 6:30pm, Sage Spirit Project Update by Dave Showalter

Audubon Program Wednesday, April 30, 2014

 

UW Berry Biodiversity Center

10th Street & Lewis Street (free parking after 5pm)

 

6:30 pm Bird Chat & Refreshments in Lobby

7:00 pm Program begins in Auditorium

 

Free and open to all public

 

Sage Spirit Project by Dave Showalter. Dave Showalter is a conservation photographer who is finishing a book and multi-media project—the Sage Spirit Project—that features our imperiled sagebrush ecosystem. Dave is not unique in his belief that the “sagebrush is the beating heart of the Intermountain West” but he does have a remarkable ability to capture its beauty and highlight the diversity of species that call this habitat home. He also has photographed the industrial development in this region and has worked to draw attention to these threats and foster protection for this ecosystem. Come and see spectacular photographs and support this important work to highlight and protect the sagebrush ecosystem.

Field Trip Arapaho NWR, Walden CO, May 3, 7:30am

When: Saturday, May 3, 2014

Where: Meet at Coal Creek Coffee, downtown Laramie, at 7:30am to caffeinate and carpool to Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge near Walden, Colorado.

Saturday is predicted to be a beautiful spring day while we travel to the refuge and other lakes near Walden CO, about 1.5 hours from Laramie.  Trip could take longer with many stops along the way.  We will look for waterfowl migrants and residents, shorebirds, raptors, birds in the short-grass and long-grass prairie, sagebrush ecosystem birds, riparian birds, and large mammals such as moose, deer and elk.  Sophie Osborn and Vicki Henry will co-lead this trip which is scheduled to last many hours but anyone may leave early if they have their own vehicle.

Swainson's Hawk - Albany Co., WY

Be sure to gas up ahead of time.  Bring plenty of snacks, a lunch possibly, and water.  Don't forget your binoculars and spotting scope if you have one.

Last year we were able to see the Western Grebes in their unusual mating ritual displays.  We hope to see them again this year.

Western Grebe - Albany Co., WY

Call 307-760-9518 or 307-742-6138 for more information.

Note: all photos in this post are © Shawn Billerman

Trip Report - Laramie Plains Lakes, April 19

Eighteen people joined the Laramie Audubon field trip to the Laramie Plains Lakes and Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge. It was a great day, filled with many fantastic birds. Spring migration is in full swing around Laramie: songbirds, including various sparrows, Marsh Wrens, and Say's Phoebes, are arriving, and various shorebirds are also moving through Wyoming. The trip had many highlights, including several large flocks of Franklin's Gulls flying low across the prairie, many Common Loons on Lake Hattie, many grebes (Horned, Eared, and Western) on Lake Hattie and Hutton Lake, as well as American Avocets and a Willet at Hutton Lake. Additional new migrants included a pair of Blue-winged Teals at Meeboer Lake, several Tree Swallows, and a growing number of Great-tailed Grackles in the marshes around Gelatt Lake.

American Avocet - Hutton Lake NWR, Albany Co., WY - May 2013

Eared Grebe - Travis Co., TX - March 2014

Blue-winged Teal - Hidalgo Co., TX - March 2014

After the official trip ended, several of us continued birding through the afternoon. We birded the prairie north of Laramie, where we found many McCown's Longspurs and the first Chestnut-collared Longspurs of the year.

McCown's Longspur - Albany Co., WY - April 2014

Chestnut-collared Longspur - Albany Co., WY - April 2014

Chestnut-collared Longspur - Albany Co., WY - April 2014

Note: all photos in this post are © Shawn Billerman

Plains Lakes Field Trip: Sat., April 19, 8am

April 19: Plains Lakes/Woods Landing - Shawn Billerman will lead a second Plains Lakes trips in search of the many interesting species that pass through Laramie this time of year. We will also go to Woods Landing, time permitting. In particular, we will be looking for early spring migrants, including longspurs (McCown's and Chestnut-collared), shorebirds (yellowlegs, dowitchers, avocets, etc), raptors, and waterfowl. Other interesting birds we may find include various species of gull (including such local rarities as Lesser Black-backed Gull), grebes (Horned, Eared, and Western), and loons.

Meet at Coal Creek Coffee, downtown Laramie, at 8am to caffeinate and carpool. Dress for the worst weather. Bring binoculars, field guide(s), spotting scope if you have one, snacks and water. Gas up ahead of time. This trip will last several hours driving from one lake to the next, but anyone may return home at any time if you are in your own vehicle. Call Vicki Henry 307-760-9518 for more information.

McCown's Longspur - Twin Buttes Reservoir, Albany Co.

Greater Yellowlegs - Hutton Lake NWR, Albany Co.

Note: all photos in this post are © Shawn Billerman

Sage Grouse Field Trip Sat., Apr. 5, 5:10 a.m., Eppson Senior Center parking lot

Please join Laramie Audubon Society to visit a Sage Grouse lek north of Laramie.  Watch the Sage Grouse strut their stuff in their annual mating display.

 

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Meet at 5:10am to caravan, carpool

Eppson Senior Center parking lot (northwest corner of 3rd St and Curtis St)

We will leave the parking lot at 5:20 am sharp to be at the lek before sunrise.  Be sure to gas up ahead of time.  Call 307-760-9518 if you plan to attend or if you have questions.

 

It takes about 45 minutes to get to the lek and we will be traveling on rutted dirt roads so a 4WD and/or high clearance vehicle is a must.  If you do not have one and wish to attend, you may ride with someone who has the appropriate vehicle.

 

Bring very warm clothes and gloves, snacks and water, hot beverage optional. It will most likely be very windy and cold.  Don't forget your binoculars and spotting scope if you have one.

 

We will be back in Laramie by 8:00am.  So you'll have the rest of the day to do what you want.

--
Vicki Henry

Laramie Audubon Society

307-760-9518
 

Plains Lakes Field Trip Sat., Mar. 29 8am Coal Creek Coffee

Sage Grouse Lek Trip rescheduled to Sat., April 5th

Tropical Birds Night--Wednesday, March 26

FREE PROGRAM. All public welcome.

Laramie Audubon Society’s Tropical Birds Night. Come and chase away any lingering winter blues with an evening focused on tropical birds and birding. Sophie Osborn will introduce us to the tropics, tropical diversity, and some iconic tropical bird families. Then several Audubon members will share photos and travel stories from their tropical journeys.

Wednesday, March 26
UW Berry Biodiversity Center, Corner of 10th and Lewis St
6:30pm Bird Chat & Refreshments in lobby
7:00pm Program begins in auditorium

Narrow-billed Tody (Todus angustirostris) by Julie Hart

Sage Grouse Lek Trek, Saturday, March 29, 5:00 a.m.

It's nearly April and the Sage Grouse are strutting their stuff.  Weather permitting and if the roads are passable, Laramie Audubon Society will be heading out to the lek north of town on Saturday morning, March 29.  We will most likely have to walk about a mile in to the lek and a mile back out.  It will be cold in the early morning with a cold wind blowing.  So dress plenty warmly, wear your walking boots and be prepared to carry in your scope.

Meet at 5:00am at the Eppson Senior Center parking lot, Curtis St. & 3rd St.  We will carpool to the grouse display ground at 5:10 SHARP.  Please call Vicki at 307-760-9518 if you plan on attending and for weather/road updates. 

If the road is impassable from snow/mud/rain/pooling, the trip will be rescheduled to Sat., April 5, same time, same place.  Road update will be available on Thursday evening at 8pm (March 27).  Please call to see if the trip has been postponed. 

It is about a 35-minute drive to the lek so gas up ahead of time.  You will probably need 4WD and/or a high clearance vehicle.  Bring snacks, water, hot beverage, spotting scope if you have one, and binoculars.  You can take photos but we will not get any closer to the lek than about 1/4 mile so as not to disturb the mating rituals.

We are usually back in Laramie by 7:30am or 8:00 am, just in time for the Plains Lakes Tour by Libby Megna. 

Please call 307-760-9518 for more information or if you have any questions.

Vicki Henry

Spring Migration Under Way

Despite the recent cold weather and snow, spring migration is already under way around Laramie. Some warm weather created open water patches on many of the local lakes and ponds, and ducks have already started filling them. Redhead (Aythya americana) appear to be one of the most abundant ducks arriving back, but many other species are also showing up, including Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), American Wigeon (Anas americana), Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), and Canvasback (Aythya valisineria), among others.

Redhead - Lake Hattie, Albany Co.

In addition to the returning waterfowl, gulls, dominated by California Gulls (Larus californicus), are also showing up on many of the lakes in the area. Some early songbird migrants are also returning, most notably Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) at many marshes, and Cassin's Finches (Haemorhous cassinii) in the foothills. In addition to new arrivals, many resident species are also showing clear signs of spring, as many can be heard singing loudly across town, setting up territories and attempting to attract mates.

California Gull - Albany Co.

Cassin's Finch - Albany Co.

Get out and enjoy these early migrants, and get ready for the arrival of many more in the coming weeks and months as spring migration continues to march onward.

Note: all photos in this post are © Shawn Billerman

New family of Passerines

Spotted Wren-Babbler (Elachura formosa)

A unique family of birds containing just one species has been discovered by researchers.

Scientists investigating families within the Passerida group of perching birds identified 10 separate branches in their tree of life.

The analysis also revealed that the spotted wren-babbler sat on its own branch and was not related to either wrens or wren-babblers.

Experts recommend the distinctive bird should now be referred to as Elachura.

Read more at BBC Nature.