Trip Report - Curt Gowdy State Park

Last Saturday, three Laramie Audubon Society members traveled to Curt Gowdy State Park, where we were joined by two Nebraskans visiting southeastern Wyoming for the weekend.  The Visitors' Center parking lot was teeming with Cub Scouts and other visitors taking advantage of National Public Lands Day (free park admission), but after we had ventured a few yards onto Kate's Trail the crowds of people gave way to mixed grasslands and pines teeming with birds -- Mountain Bluebirds, Mountain Chickadees, American Goldfinches, Lesser Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Clark's Nutcrackers, Ravens, Chipping Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and more, with Red Crossbills, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Pygmy Nuthatches calling from deeper in the trees.  Such fun to be joined by visitors and to see everyone out enjoying the state park!   

Thanks to WYOBIRD for Hosting LAS at Their Banding Station!

On Sunday, September 21, a group of ten Laramie Audubon Society members visited the WYOBIRD banding station along the Laramie River.  

This was an opportunity to see a variety of species up close and to learn about the importance of this patch of habitat to passerines migrating through the area.  We watched while the WYOBIRD students and staff carefully extracted the birds from the nets within the cottonwood/willow riparian habitat and learned about the series of measurements that they make on each bird: sex, wing length, body condition (fat), age, weight, etc. 

Seeing each bird fly away to continue the journey south is a reminder of how amazing these tiny creatures are and how important each stopover point is to their journey!  

To learn more about WYOBIRD's activities and opportunities for students to become involved in this organization, visit their website:  https://www.tarwaterlab.com/staff-positions 

Wednesday Evening Program - "Notes from a Naturalist" (September 24th)

Seth Rankins, current PhD student in University of Wyoming's Department of Zoology and Physiology (Monteith Shop), will be sharing natural history-related stories regarding the species and ecosystems he has studied in the past decade as a wildlife professional. Come learn about which mammal exhibits female dispersal, which is common in birds but rare in mammals, the nesting ecology of Stellar’s eiders, the social dynamics of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, and much more.

Our monthly evening programs convene at 6:30 p.m. for light refreshments and BirdChat, followed by the speaker at 7 p.m.  We now meet downstairs in the Trinity Lutheran Church (107 S. 7th Street), which is located 1.5 blocks west of campus.  There is plentiful, well-lit on-street parking and ADA access to the lower level. 

Big Horn Sheep in the Sierra Nevada
(photo curtesy of Laramie Audubon Society member S. Rankins)

Sunday Morning Field Trip - Bird Banding Station (Sept. 21st)

 UPDATE - As of Thursday morning (9/18), the trip is full.  WYOBIRD has invited the Laramie Audubon Society to visit their migration monitoring bird banding station on the outskirts of Laramie this Sunday morning (September 21) at 7 a.m.  This approximately 2-hour trip will be a chance to see birds in the hand and to learn about the group's research into how songbirds utilize the riparian habitat along the Laramie River.  Attendees should be comfortable walking approximately a quarter-mile on a flat but somewhat uneven trail.    

Due to the nature of the event, we are limiting attendance to 10 people.  Please register by sending an email to laramie.audubon@gmail.com - we will follow up to the first 10 registrants with instructions on how to reach the meeting place. 

Erik Schoenborn - master bander, Laramie Audubon Society board member,
WYOBIRD member, and current University of Wyoming graduate
student in the Chalfoun Lab - will be leading this trip!

Note: this event replaces the previously announced Sept. 20th trip.

Wyoming Hereford Ranch Birding Trip Report – 13 September 2025

On Saturday, 13 September 2025, seven of us ventured east of Cheyenne to spend the morning birding the Wyoming Hereford Ranch and Reservoir#1 and to look for Mississippi Kite family that nested in Lakeview Cemetery. We started at the Ranch and searched for migrant songbirds. Almost immediately, we found the previously reported Cassin’s Vireo and were afforded great looks. Wilson’s Warblers seemed to be everywhere, and numerous American Goldfinches were overhead. We found a Rock Wren on a small outcrop and picked out two Orange-crowned Warblers amidst all the Wilson’s. We got good looks at Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos and a brief look at a flyover Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Moving on to Reservoir #1, most of the waterbirds were distant with some glare. We were able to pick out some Lesser Yellowlegs, Franklin’s Gulls, Western Grebes, and Ruddy Ducks. A single winter-plumaged American Avocet rested among a flock of molting dabbling ducks. Lastly, we headed into Cheyenne where we located the mottled fledgling Mississippi Kite and got glimpses of the sleeker adult. By noon, we had tallied 58 species for the trip. Cassin’s Vireo and Wilson’s Warbler photos by Heather Johnson.

  

 

 

Trip Report - Rock Creek Canyon

Last Saturday (9/6), six Laramie birders visited Rock Creek Canyon. It was a picture-perfect day and all enjoyed our hike along Rock Creek, searching for American Dippers and watching a variety of forest birds. Most of the group turned around after a couple of hours, but the subset of that continued up canyon completed the trip with the following list: 

• 

  American Dipper, Rock Creek Canyon, 9/6/2025
  Photo courtesy of LAS member S. Rankins

  Dark-eyed Junco 
  
• Mountain Chickadee 
• Red-breasted Nuthatch 
• American Robin 
• Stellar's Jay 
• Clark's Nutcracker 
• MacGillivray's Warbler
• Swainson's Thrush 
• Northern Flicker 
• Hairy Woodpecker 
• Belted Kingfisher 
• Townsend's Solitaire 
• Bald Eagle 
• Red-tailed Hawk 
• Cooper's Hawk 
• Northern Pygmy-owl

Audubon at the Eppsom Center: Friday, September 19th

LAS board member Lisa Cox will be sharing her expertise as a member of the Laramie Audubon Society Board at the Eppson Center's Seniors on the Go Friday, September 19th outing.   The Eppson Center says the following regarding the September 19th event: 

"This is a birdwatching walk, if it’s not too muddy or windy. Bring binoculars if you want to study the wildlife up close. This is a repeat of our April bird watching trek, which yielded several species of interest! There will also be an opportunity to learn about the new Wyoming Toad Conservation Area, which is adjacent. The terrain is flat to gently rollin
g, and distance is about 3.5 miles, but time depends greatly on wildlife and weather conditions. There is limited parking, so carpooling is recommended."

According to the Eppson Center, Seniors on the Go is a "Hiking group that goes on a different Laramie trail each week. Hikes vary in length and difficulty, please check the newsletter description or with the center to ensure it is a correct fit."  The group meets at 8:45 a.m. on Fridays in the Eppson Center lobby.  See https://www.eppsoncenter.org/ for more information regarding their programming and watch for other trips with bird-related content!  Three of our members (Lisa, Brad Andres, and Heather Johnson) have been partnering with the Eppson Center to provide bird-focused information on select outings.

Habitat Garden Tour - Monday, Sept. 8th, 5:30 pm

Join us for a Habitat Hero Garden Tour on Monday (9/8) at 5:30 pm.  We'll visit two gardens, starting at 2303 Nighthawk Drive, where we'll stay for approximately 30 minutes.  We'll then continue on to 1167 Frontera Drive. After the tour we'll enjoy light refreshments and spend time sharing garden stories, bird stories, and ideas for the coming season!

(Yellow Warbler photo courtesy of LAS member Heather Johnson)

Bird Hike -- Saturday, Sept. 6th

We'll gather downtown** at 8 a.m. this Saturday (9/6) to discuss the trip and informally arrange rideshares.  The group will then caravan to Rock Creek Canyon, located approximately 45 miles west of Laramie near Arlington.  The trail has a steep uphill and then downhill section immediately after the parking area, but then levels out along the creek, where we may see dippers.  Our pace will be participant- and bird-driven.  If it is a small group, we will walk along slowly to accommodate both birding and all participants.  If we have a large enough group, we'll consider breaking into a faster "hiking" group and a more leisurely "birding" group.  

Please be prepared for a variety of weather conditions, with sturdy shoes, warm layers, rain and sun protection, snacks, and water.  We anticipate being back to Laramie by approximately 12:30 p.m., but participants with their own transportation are welcome to leave earlier or stay longer -- we do ask that you let the trip leader know if you decide to turn back or to forge ahead (leaving the group).  

** Meeting Location - 1st Street Plaza in downtown Laramie (corner of 1st Street and Grand Avenue).  All day parking is available along 1st Street.