Audubon's Conservation Ranching Program

Living in a state where cattle are three times more abundant than people, we understand the importance of cattle ranching to the “Cowboy State”. However, did you know that National Audubon has a Conservation Ranching Program? The purpose of the program is to “bend the curve” of declining grassland bird populations in partnership with farmers and ranchers. Obligate grassland birds have declined by 43% over the last 50 years, and most grassland birds inhabit privately owned land.Audubon works with farmers and ranchers to implement regenerative grazing and habitat management practices that restore the structure and diversity of grasslands that birds need to survive, while strengthening the productivity and resilience of grass-based agricultural operations. Landowners voluntarily enroll in the program. and when they meet requirements centering on habitat management, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, they earn the Audubon Bird-Friendly Land certification. Grassland birds that benefit from the program include Long-billed Curlew, Thick-billed Longspur, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Lark Bunting, all Wyoming Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

Nationwide, about 150 ranches and nearly 4.5 million acres have earned status as Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Land. Within the Audubon Rockies region (Wyoming, Utah, Colorado) there are 13 Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly ranches, totaling 545,000 acres. Each year an Audubon Rockies team monitors bird populations on certified ranches to ensure ranches meet the bird-friendly requirements. In April 2026, National Audubon was awarded $4 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, through the Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative, to expand bird-friendly ranching practices across the Central Grasslands, which includes eastern Wyoming. In the next three years, Audubon will enroll 32 new ranches, and another 500,000 acres, into the Conservation Ranching Program.

Here in Laramie, we have the opportunity to support the Conservation Ranching program and a Wyoming Audubon-certified ranch. Big Hollow Food Coop (119 South 1st Street) carries Sagebrush Beef, which is Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly, natural, 100% grass-fed, and free-range. The Bird-Friendly seal is posted on the freezer door. Beef is also available through the ranch’s website, with deliveries made to Laramie in April, November, and December (check with the ranch for details). The cattle are raised on the Reed Ranch, located in east central Wyoming. The Reed Ranch is a charter member of the Thunder Basin Grasslands Prairie Ecosystem Association and is committed to conservation and sustainability — doing the best for their environment while balancing the survival needs of the ranch. More information on Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Program can be found here.

Field Trip Report: Laramie Plains Lakes, August 16, 2026

We had a beautiful, windless morning searching for shorebirds on Laramie Plains lakes. Starting at Blake’s Pond, we were welcomed by Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, American Avocets, and several Wilson’s Snipe and Killdeer. Western Wood-Pewees were heard in the nearby cottonwoods, and a Northern Yellow Warbler gave us a quick view perching on a fence wire. Swallows were still common, and we were able to pick out Bank, Tree, and Barn. On the return trip, two White-faced Ibis were observed foraging in the pond. On to Gelatt Lake, which had a fair number of shorebirds and good species diversity, including Baird’s, Least, Semipalmated, Western and Stilt Sandpipers. We also added Willets and Wilson’s Phalaropes for the morning and were treated to brief glimpses of Soras. The shorebirds were frequently flushed by a hunting Northern Harrier. Twin Buttes Lake was our last stop. Although shorebirds were scarce, we added a few waterbirds including Great Blue Heron, Eared Grebe, and American Coot. Several Bald Eagles were on patrol for prairie dogs, and we got great views of the local Swift Fox family. We got quick looks at young Lark Buntings and Vesper Sparrows before heading back to Laramie. Overall, we observed 52 species during the morning excursion, including 12 shorebird species. A list of the bird species seen is provided here. Participant and Stilt Sandpiper photos by Heather Johnson.

Field Trip Report: Wyoming Hereford Ranch, 17 May 2026

As we drove east from Laramie, the weather signaled that perhaps we were misguided for taking a field trip to Wyoming Hereford Ranch (WHR). However, we were immediately rewarded with numerous warblers, Swainson’s Thrushes, and Gray Catbirds on our arrival. As we made our way along Crow Creek, we were able to get looks at an American Redstart, a young male Summer Tanager, and lots of singing Northern Yellow Warblers. We searched for and found the previously reported Tennessee Warbler. After landbirds at the Ranch, we found some good waterbirds at WHR Reservoir #1, including Red-necked Phalaropes. Our final stop was to view the Black-crowned Night Heron colony, busy with nest-building, at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. We ended the day with 74 species, which included eight warbler species. Phalarope photo by Tim Bowman. Tennessee Warbler by Ben Cvengros/ Audubon Photography Awards.

Small Grants: Spring 2026 Awards Announced

Laramie Audubon Spring 2026 Small Grants program was a great success with a totalof seven grant proposals being submitted. Our grants committee selected one research and one out research proposal for our present round of funding. Collin M. Porter was the recipient of the 2026 Spring Laramie Audubon research grant. Collin is a Ph.D. Student in the Department of Zoology & Physiology, Program in Ecology and Evolution, at the University of Wyoming. His research topic is “Migration, seasonal movement, and climate adaptation of Intermountain West Graycrowned Rosy-Finches (Leucosticte tephrocotis tephrocotis)”. Collin states “Alpine ecosystems are sensitive to the effects of climate change and habitat loss, which threaten biodiversity and ecological stability. Warming temperatures and disturbances to mountaintop snowpack pose a particular challenge for high-elevation species. In response to climate warming, upward range shifts are predicted for many alpine bird species”. As the rosy-finch is the highest elevation nesting songbird with little known about its “migratory patterns and site fidelity among breeding and wintering populations”. “Uncovering the precise movement trajectories and elevational shifts undertaken by alpine breeders throughout the full annual cycle is critical for assessing how populations will respond to predicted climate change effects when paired with genomic divergence among distinct populations.” Collin will trap 42 individuals from three distinct wintering populations and after taking genomic samples from each bird a transmitter will be attached to track the birds during his multiyear research. He expects “data will reveal distinct migratory routes and stopover sites for each wintering population and link breeding and wintering sites. Specifically, we predict that populations will exhibit ‘chain migration associated with latitude, wherein the southernmost wintering populations (e.g., in the Sandia Mountains of NM) will migrate to the southernmost portion of the breeding range (e.g., the Northern Rocky Mountains of southern Canada) while more northern wintering populations (e.g., in the Bighorn Mountains of WY) will migrate to northern breeding sites (e.g., the Brooks Range of Alaska”. In addition, numerous other topics will be studied including elevational shift due to climate change.

The 2026 Spring Laramie Audubon outreach grant recipient was submitted by Michelle Weschler. The grant titled “Junior Entomologist Program: Understanding and challenging perceptions of insects to foster environmental stewardship in children”. Michelle is an Assistant Research Scientist, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database (WYNDD), University of Wyoming. The grant will continue the work of Nina Crawford, PhD student at the University of Wyoming, who is working at Jewel Cave east of New Castle, Wyoming, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Crawford has been studying how environmental and anthropogenic influences affect insect pollinators in the area of the Black Hills. The study also looks at how local bird populations interact with the insect populations. The outreach grant will help fund a workbook for the Junior Entomologist program that will “prompt participants to consider their perception of insects, teach them about various insects and their ‘jobs’ in the environment, and reinforce learning by asking them to draw an insect and answer questions about what they learned.” The booklet will accompany displays of pinned insects that can be found in the Black Hills ecosystems and a fact sheet about the insects on display. “With consent from participants, the drawings will then be incorporated into an art exhibition taking place within the Berry Biodiversity Center on the University of Wyoming campus this fall focused on invertebrate conservation.”

The Laramie Audubon Small Grants committee has previously awarded up to four grants per year divided between two (spring and fall) grant submission periods. As Laramie Audubon has added additional projects or opportunities to our members and the greater public, the limited funds of our organization have been under strain. Our Board of Directors has decided to reduce the number of grants dispersed by half. The Small Grants committee has awarded two grants during our Spring award period, and we will not be accepting grant additional grant submittals for the remainder of 2026.

Kids & Families Program: Saturday, April 25, 2026

Earth Day Returns!

LaPrele Park. Meet 9:00 am at the picnic shelter at 22nd Street and Spring Creek Drive. Nature bingo, cloud clay sculpting, seed planting in recycled pots, and snacks. Photo by Brad Andres.

Evening Program: Wednesday, April 22, 2026

The Mysterious and Vital World of Microfungi

Dr Dorothy Tuthill, former Associate Director and K-12 Coordinator at the University of Wyoming's Biodiversity Institute, will share her enthusiasm for role microfungi play in our world. The program will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 107 South 7th St., Laramie. Social time and refreshments at 6:30 pm, program at 7:00 pm.

Field Trip Report: Spring Birding with Seniors on the Go

 A hardy group of 6 came out to Curt Gowdy State Park this morning for our quarterly birding hike with Eppson Center for Seniors Seniors on the Go. Despite bitter wind and snow, we hiked the Shoreline Trail to Granite Point and back, observing American crows, robins, Canada geese, mallard ducks, northern flickers, magpies, several pair of killdeer and a pair of common mergansers, along with spring flowers dusted in snow. Our next birding trek with SOTG will take place July 17.

Field Trip: Saturday, April 4, 2026

Greater Sage-Grouse Lek

We will caravan to a lek north of Laramie to watch and listen as the male grouse boom and strut. This event is on private property only accessible during special events authorized by the landowner. We will depart from the parking lot on the east side of the Eppson Center (1560 N. 3rd Street) at 5:30 am sharp! Greater Sage-Grouse photo by Evan Barrientos, Audubon Rockies.

Evening Program: Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Wildlife Photography Travels and Techniques

Liz Young will talk about her international travels and offer some pointers on wildlife photography techniques. Liz has been fortunate to travel with renowned photographers to Uganda, Ecuador, the Great Bear Rain Forest, Katmai National Park, the Vancouver Island archipelago, Patagonia, and recently Botswana. On these trips, she learned valuable techniques for wildlife photography. The program will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 107 South 7th St., Laramie. Social time and refreshments at 6:30 pm, program at 7:00 pm. Pumas photo by Liz Young.

Field Trip Report: Centennial Bird Hop

Thanks to the 20 adventurers who braved the wind to travel to Centennial for our annual Bird Hop today! Special thanks to Emily at the USFS visitor station, who made sure the feeders there were full, and Darren at the Bear Bottom, who took care of our urge for snacks after bird watching and shared stories of the backyard birds there. We welcomed 16 adults, including 4 students in the new Bird Watchers at UWyo club and 4 kids, and observed:

Black-billed Magpie
Stellar's Jay
Hairy Woodpecker
Mountain and Black-capped Chickadee
Slate-colored, Oregon and Pink-sided Juncos
Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches
Red-winged Blackbird
Clark's Nutcracker
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
European starling
Common Raven

Sadly, this has been a tough year for rosy finches in our area, likely because it has been so dry, but other birds that have been spied around Centennial recently include mountain bluebird and grackle, both early, as are catkins on the aspens.

Field Trip: Saturday, March 7, 2026

Centennial Bird Hop

A winter favorite, join us for the annual Bird Hop to Centennial! We will walk the streets of Centennial to look for rosy finches, woodpeckers, chickadees, juncos, Stellar’s Jays, Clark’s Nutcrackers and more. Wewill have an early lunch at the Bear Bottom, where we can watch the feeders from the comfort of our seats. Caravan from First Street Plaza (corner of 1st Street and Grand Avenue) to Centennial, first to the USFS Centennial Snowy Range Visitor Center above town to see who is haunting the feeders, then back into town to wander the protected aspen groves within the downtown area and up onto the hills. We will then retreat indoors to the Bear Bottom Cafe for a NO HOST coffee or early lunch. Meet at the Visitor Center above Centennial at 9:30 or carpoolers meet at First Street Plaza at 8:45 am. This is a family friendly event. Photo by Heather Johnson.

Evening Program - Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Population Dynamics of the Pacific Marten in National Forests of Wyoming

Lane Jeakle, graduate student in the University of Wyoming’s Department of Zoology & Physiology, will provide an overview of the natural history of the Pacific marten and results of his research on harvest and population dynamics of this elusive mammal in Wyoming. The program will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 107 South 7th St., Laramie. Social time and refreshments at 6:30 pm, program at 7:00 pm. Photo by the Wolf Education and Research Center.