Monthly Scavenger Hunts!

Disappointed that you missed the June scavenger hunt?  Not to worry - mark your calendar and join us another time.  Here's the schedule for the rest of the year (all take place on Saturday mornings at 9 a.m.): 

July 15 - LaPrele Park with sun catcher take-home kit

August 26 - Undine Park with side trip to local greenhouse for prize activity bouquet picking

September 30 - Optimist Park with autumn leaf collage take-home kit

October 21 - Washington Park Spooky Finale with haunted bird house ornament take-home kit

First LAS Kids and Families Scavenger Hunt of Season at LaBonte Park

LAS hosted the first in a series of five nature scavenger hunts for kids and families on Saturday, June 10, at LaBonte Park. About 20 people came out, including a dozen kids. to scour the park for birds, nests, pollinators, plants and more. While robins and bees were elusive, and nests were challenging to spot in the trees, families enjoyed treats including deer tracks in the mud and a nest building activity to take home or construct right at the park. Our next scavenger hunt will take place at LaPrele Park on July 15. We will meet at 9am and will take home a sun catcher prize activity. You can find the list of events here on our website and at the Albany County Public Library. We will post reminders on Facebook and other media, and will provide fliers at locations around town and with the school district as the series continues into Octoner.

Nature Scavenger Hunts - Monthly Beginning Saturday, June 10th

Monthly beginning June 10 - Nature Scavenger hunts .  A nature-themed fun event for children and their families!  The June event will be held in LaBonte Park, beginning at the park shelter adjacent to the parking area at the corner of 9th and Sully Streets at 9 a.m. We will walk around the park on our scavenger hunt for birds, plants and more, then kids can take home a nest building prize activity. 

Gardening for Birds - Wednesday, May 31, 7 pm

 Wednesday, May 31, 7 pm - Landscaping for Birds.  Barb Gorges, former president of the Cheyenne-High Plains Audubon Society and certified Master Gardener will be speaking about the Audubon Rockies Habitat Hero program at the May meeting of the Laramie Audubon Society. Barb is the author of two books, Cheyenne Birds by the Month and Cheyenne Garden Gossip.  She also writes monthly birding and gardening columns for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.  This free program – a few days before the Laramie Garden Club plant sale (https://www.laramiegardenclub.org/events.html#/) – will provide attendees with information regarding how to make local yards friendly to birds, butterflies, bats, and bees.  

Our meeting are typically held in the University of Wyoming Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center, located at the corner of 10th and Lewis Streets.  Refreshments and informal "bird chat" start at 6:30 p.m. in the street-level atrium and the program begins at 7 p.m. in the adjacent auditorium.

Saturday, May 5th - Wyoming Hereford Ranch Trip

We'll meet in Cheyenne and bird this Important Bird Area that includes riparian areas, meadows, and drier uplands.   Plan to arrive at 8 a.m. at WHR, approximately 1 hour from Laramie:  From I-80, take Exit 367 (Campstool Road) and travel south approximately 1 mile to the entrance, which will be on the left.  Follow the driveway for approximately 0.25 miles and park opposite the red barn. 

Sybille Canyon Trip - SATURDAY, APRIL 22

We inadvertently listed the wrong date for this weekend's trip in the newsletter and when initially publishing the schedule on this website.  We are traveling to the Tom Thorn/Beth Williams WHMA on SATURDAY, APRIL 22.  Hopefully the weather is a little warmer and drier than forecast.  We'll meet downtown at 8 a.m. at First Street Plaza (corner of 1st and Grand, immediately west of Coal Creek Coffee) before heading north.  The length of the trip will depend on the weather, the birds, and how we are feeling.  It could be a great day for birding!  

Saturday, April 15 - Laramie Hotspots Field Trip

Tired of driving?  So are we!  This weekend, we'll stick to birding hotspots within the City of Laramie, beginning at Greenhill Cemetery.  From there, the trip will visit one or more additional popular local birding locales, such as Spring Creek, LaBonte Park, or the Greenbelt.  

Meeting Location:  Main gate of Greenhill Cemetery (parking to the north on 15th Street and to the west on Bradley Street or Lewis Street (Lewis is currently closed to vehicles between 14th and 15th Streets, but the sidewalk is open).  

Meeting Time: 8 a.m.   

CANCELLED - Greater Sage-Grouse Lek Trip

A few weeks ago, I wrote: "Each year the Laramie Audubon Society schedules a trip to visit the Greater Sage-Grouse lek north of Laramie.  The lek is on private property and is accessed via an unimproved two track road.  Many years, weather/range conditions prevent access to the site (snow drifts, mud, etc.).  What will happen this year?"  

Well, we now (Tuesday, April, 4th) have the answer to that question.  The lek will not be accessible this year.  Tune in again next year.  

If you are itching to see some lekking grouse, you could participate in the Cheyenne-High Plains Audubon Society's April 15th trip to a Sharp-tailed Grouse lek near Hillsdale:  https://cheyenneaudubon.org/  

With snow falling today, we are not optimistic.  However, a spate of warm, sunny, windy weather could dry the roads out in time for the trip.  So pencil it in on your calendar: Saturday, April 8th, departing from the Eppson Center (1560 N. 3rd Street) at 5:30 a.m.  Check this website on Friday April 7th to find out whether we are going!!   

We will be taking precautions to avoid disturbing the grouse as they strut upon their stage, including parking at a distance from the lek and quietly viewing the birds using binoculars or (hopefully!) a spotting scope from the parking area.  This trip requires no walking.  Dogs are not allowed on this trip.

Evening Program - Wednesday, March 22: Songbird Habitat and Beavers in Greater Yellowstone

Our March 22nd evening program features two UW graduate students who are recipients of Laramie Audubon Society Small Grants:  Katie Davis (Beaver, Diversity and Connectivity Relationships in Greater Yellowstone) and Emily Shertzer (Carry-Over Effects of Human-Induced Habitat Change in Migratory Songbirds).  The "Grants" page of our website provides more information regarding Katie's and Emily's research as well as the LAS Small Grants Program: https://laramieaudubon.blogspot.com/p/small-grants-program.html

The presentations will begin at 7 pm, but please arrive early for refreshments and Bird Chat from 6:30 to 7 pm.  This event (and most of our evening programs) will take place in the street-level auditorium of the UW Berry Center, located at the corner of 10th and Lewis Streets.  Please allow plenty of time to find parking!

Field Trip - Laramie Plains Lakes (Saturday, March 25)

Join us on Saturday for a driving tour of the lakes in the Laramie Valley with a focus on migrating waterfowl.  Bundle up, because the time along the lake shores will likely be quite chilly.  This trip will involve minimal walking within the dirt/gravel parking lots at the various lakes.  We typically visit a selection of the following, depending on ice conditions: Blakes' Pond, Gelatt Lake, Meeboer Lake, Twin Buttes Reservoir, and Lake Hattie.  

We'll meet at 1st Street Plaza (corner of 1st Street and Grand Avenue) at 8 a.m. and caravan from there, with participants arranging informal carpool groups if there is sufficient interest.  We typically spend about 3 hours on this trip, but attendees are free to leave sooner (or stay longer) if they have their own transportation. 

Bird Hop Trip Report

 On Saturday, February 25, a group of 10 descended on the streets of Centennial, WY, to peek in on feeders around town, in the first LAS Bird Hop since 2020. Several of the feeders that had been active in the past were unused this winter, but those at the Bear Bottom Grill were full and fluttering with activity. 

Despite the absence of Rosy Finch, the group observed 16 species total, most predominantly Steller's Jay, which vied with the Bear Bottom's resident gray squirrel for a feeder. The others were Clark's Nutcracker, Black-capped and Mountain Chickadee, Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch and Sparrow, American Crow and Raven, Oregon and Slate-Colored Junco, Pine Grosbeak, Black-billed Magpie and a single White-breasted Nuthatch. 

After wandering the streets, the group convened for an early lunch at The Bear Bottom, where they enjoyed more feeder watching and good conversation. Shout out to Bear Bottom for excellent hospitality at opening time on a Saturday!

Steller's Jay, Photo Lisa Cox

Centennial "Bird Hop" - Saturday, February 25

 The Laramie Audubon Society is excited to resume one of our pre-Covid winter traditions next weekend (Saturday 2/25): the Winter Bird Hop!  We will meet in downtown Laramie (in First Street Plaza at the corner of 1st & Grand Ave) at 9 a.m. and then caravan/carpool approximately 30 miles west to Centennial, where we will wander the protected aspen groves in the downtown area.  Many Centennial residents put out birdfeeders in the winter, sometimes attracting species that are less common in Laramie, such as Rosy-Finches, Common Redpolls, Pine Grosbeak, and Evening Grosbeaks.  

When the group is ready for a break, we'll warm up at the Bear Bottom Bar and Grill with (no-host) coffee, hot chocolate, lunch, etc.  The cafe has large plate glass windows and several bird feeders, so we will continue "bird watching" while we enjoy our beverages/food.