Bird Hop sees a bumper year for Rosy Finches!

A small group of 7 gathered in Centennial on Saturday morning, March 2, for the Laramie Audubon Society annual Bird Hop. The weather was unseasonably warm, with weak sunshine and a growing wind. The event, now a tradition, began several years ago as an opportunity for LAS members and friends to trek to Centennial to look for rosy finches. This year was the year to see the birds en masse around the streets and yards of the little town, and at the feeders in the backyard of the Bear Bottom Grill, where the group concluded their trip with lunch and conversation while keeping their eyes on the feeders at the windows. Birds observed this year, in addition to Grey-capped Rosy Finches, were Black-capped and Mountain Chickadee, Stellar's Jay, Red-winged Blackbird, Clark's Nutcracker, Hairy and Downy Woodpecker, House Sparrow, Magpie, Raven and Junco. Special thanks to Centennial resident Tony Hoch, who opened his home for observing rosy finches, and the Bear Bottom for keeping the feeders full and providing a relaxing atmosphere for bird watching over lunch.

Kids and families enjoy winter stories on a cold Saturday morning.

Laramie Audubon Society's February Kids and Families Program, "Hibernation and Winter Stories" was well attended on Saturday morning the 17th at Albany County Public Library. Kids enjoyed coloring pages while talking about how animals, including people, handle the winter weather by hibernating, heading south in migration, or "storing up food before winter" and "putting on our boots and mittens." During the hourlong event, families listened to four winter stories, including how Raven stole Crow's potlatch (DYK Crow had a beautiful voice until he sang it away to just a caw?), how Owl got wisdom- and a short neck and big eyes and ears- and how Coyote tricked a horrible Monster and helped Buffalo escape captivity and return to the Plains. After story time, all kids got a dream catcher and beads to put together and take home. Special thanks to returning kids and families, and a warm welcome to all the new faces! Our next Kids and Families event will be held again at the ACPL Multipurpose Room on Saturday, March 9, at 10am. Wyoming State Parks will join us for garden planning to benefit wildlife and crafts. All kids and families will bring home a pollinator plant seedling and barrel garden seeds to plant on their own.

Evening Program: eBird - Leverage Your Birding Observations for Science

 Wedneday, February 28, 7 p.m.

Have you heard the buzz about eBird, but aren't sure how to get started?  Or are you a long-time eBirder looking to maximize your use of the app?  Or are you curious how scientists use the crowd-sourced data collected via eBird to further the goals of bird conservation and research?  Don Jones - long-time Laramie birder, eBird rare bird reviewer, and current University of Wyoming graduate student - will join us to explain how to get the most out of eBird and how your observations contribute to answering bird-related research questions!

Laramie Audubon Society evening programs are currently held in the University of Wyoming's Berry Biodiversity Center's auditorium, located on the street level of the building (corner of 10th and Lewis Streets).  Arrive early to find parking and partake in light refreshments (6:30 - 7 pm) in the lobby. 

Kids and Families Event on Saturday

 

February 17 - Hibernation and Winter Stories

10-11 am at Albany County Public Library Multipurpose Room

Do you know what 3 ways animals - including humans - deal with Winter? We will find out, with a focus on hibernation and storytelling. Which animals in Wyoming are true hibernators, and what does everyone else do when it gets cold? Feel free to bring a story handed down in your family, and bring home a dreamcatcher of your own!

Craft from a prior Laramie Audubon Society
"Kids and Families" event
(photo courtesy of LAS board member Lisa Cox)

Complete Christmas Bird Count Tables for Albany County 2023

Kids and Families Bundle Up and Use Their Senses!

Eleven kids and 11 adults bundled up and braved near-zero temps on Saturday morning, January 6, at Optimist Park, for a 5 Senses Winter Walk along the Laramie Greenbelt, beginning at Optimist Park. One family drove in from Curt Gowdy area, and another all the way from Casper! The day began with an easy find with both ears and eyes: Crows! After meeting at the picnic shelter, where we reviewed our 5 senses and talked about why winter is a cold time of year here, the group departed on a tracking adventure, with a light dusting of fresh snow and no wind making conditions perfect, and stopped along the way to taste spruce needles- which were discovered to taste like they smell! The first tracks encountered were tiny hoofprints. A few minutes later from the bridge an observant participant pointed out two deer in a field across the river, in the vicinity the tracks had been spotted. The group also saw rabbits and squirrels, along with their tracks, and learned how to tell the two apart. Other animals the kids thought would be fun to see included raccoon, beaver, otter, chickadee, monkey and panda bear. The last two were dropped from the list of possibilities- until we remembered sometimes raccoons are called trash pandas, which made the yound boy who sought pandas very happy! Questions raised during and after the walk included, "Is it OK to touch bird feathers and bones if you find them in the wild?"- prompting a brief talk about migration and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act- "Why are there no magpies in Laramie?"-and discussion of the differences in bird species found around the Curt Gowdy and Cheyenne areas vs. Laramie- and "Is that a wasp nest- or what kind of bird?" (It looked like a Bullock's Oriole nest in a cottonwood tree along the path to this trip leader.) All kids left with a link to a cool YouTube video called Seasons in the Sun, which they can watch at home to learn more about the tilt of the earth and how seasons come about. Our next Kids and Families event will be indoors in February. Please check the Events calendar here on our website and on our social feeds for future events, and remember that Laramie Audubon Society members receive email notice of upcoming events!

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.