December CHPAS Calendar

December 7, 1:00 to 3:00 pm – Introduction to the Christmas Bird Count

House Finch
House Finch – photo by Kirk Miller

This is a class and outing for families and kids of all ages. We will meet at the Children’s Village in the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and introduce you to some of the local winter birds. Then we will take a short hike in the park to see what birds we can find and record their numbers.
We will talk about the upcoming official Cheyenne Christmas Bird Count planned for December 14th.

December 9, 4:00 to 5:00 pm – Bird Counts and Birds Count!
Join us at the Laramie County Library in the Early Literacy Center on the 2nd floor: for kids from the 2nd through 6th grades.
Meet a volunteer from the Cheyenne High Plains Audubon Society who will tell us how and why we count birds. Discover how to find and identify birds then test your skills at spotting feathered friends (or their look-alikes) and learn about the library’s birding backpack program and the upcoming Christmas Bird Count.

Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker by Kirk Miller

December 14 – Cheyenne Christmas Bird Count

(Meet at the downtown Post Office at 8 a.m., 2120 Capitol Ave.)  Or be a field observer on your own.

If you are interested in participating, contact Grant Frost, 307-343-2024, so that he has a list of those expected, so he can let you know if the plans change for any reason such as stormy weather.
Grant will have a list of regular spots within our count circle and will encourage people to spread out to specific areas so that we can have good coverage of all hot spots first thing in the morning to assure a good count on the number of each species in the Cheyenne area, i.e. the number of geese before they all start flying around. Novice birders will be paired with experienced counters.  – Tally sheets and more  details about the area and process in the December issue of FLYER

December 14 – CBC Tally Party, 6:00 p.m., Perkins on Dell Range Blvd.
For the tally party have ready the numbers of each species you observe and the amount of time and distance you walk and the amount of time and distance you drive. Keep track of where and when you saw species of note so we can tell if you counted the same bird or flock as someone else. Feeder watchers can bring their counts too.  Please contact Mark Gorges at 307-287-4953 if you plan to attend the Tally Party so that we can arrange for enough room.

After the tally party contact Grant with any species that you see three days before or three days after December 14 that were not listed at the tally party. They are entered in the CBC data as “Week of the Count” species.

December 27, 8:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey
Contact Chuck Seniawski to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the Country Club’s clubhouse’s main parking lot. These counts are free and open to everyone, but please let Chuck know you are coming.

January 1 – Guernsey/Ft. Laramie Christmas Bird Count
If you are going to join the count, please let Jane Dorn know at 307-640-4002. Also call her if the weather turns nasty; she will set an alternate date. Bring water, lunch, warm clothes, binoculars, and a scope if you have one, and whatever you need for a day watching birds at Guernsey State Park, Ft. Laramie National Historic Site, the Oregon Trail Ruts and Hartville.

November CHPAS Calendar

November 16, 8:00 a.m. – Field Trip: Ft. Collins Lakes

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Redhead by Mark Gorges

We will leave the Lions Park parking lot south of the Children’s Village at 8 a.m. We plan to visit a number of lakes between the state line and the Ft. Collins area.  Although this is mainly a waterfowl trip with a dozen or more species, we hope to also see some raptors including Bald Eagles.  The trip is free and open to the public. We expect to head back towards town by 1:00 p.m. Be sure to bring water, lunch or a snack, and dress for changing weather. 

If you are interested in going, contact Grant Frost, 307-343-2024, so that he has a list of those expected, and can let you know if the plans change for any reason.

November 19, 6:30 p.m. – Program: A Peek into the Lives of Bats (Note the new start time.)
BatCheyenne Audubon invites the public for a free program, at 6:30 p.m. (this is a new start time) in the Sunflower Room, 3rd floor, at the Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave., featuring guest speaker Mason Lee from the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute.

Mason is the Senior Project Coordinator for the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute. She hosts Bat Walks and bat outreach programs in communities around the state to introduce Wyomingites to the wonderful world of bats.  At 4:45 p.m. there will be a no-host dinner with guest speaker Mason Lee at 2 Doors Down, 118 E. 17th St. Please text or call Barb to save a seat, 307-287-4952.

November 26, 6:00 p.m. – Monthly Board Meeting (Note the new start time.)  Contact us, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to attend and participate in helping to plan chapter activities, or if you are interested in volunteering in some of our activities. This meeting will be held at the Laramie County Library in the Windflower Room, 2nd floor.

November 29, 8:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey   Contact Chuck Seniawski to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the Country Club’s clubhouse’s main parking lot. These counts are free and open to everyone, but please let Chuck know you are coming.

October 2024 CHPAS Calendar

October 15, 7:00 p.m. – Program: Birding in Cuba
Vicki HerrenCheyenne Audubon invites the public for a free program, “Birding in Cuba,” Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave., featuring guest speaker Vicki Herren.
Board Member Vicki Herren will describe birding in Cuba: How to get there and what to see. Last February she traveled with five other birders on a 9-day trip guided by Cuban Adventures, from the mountains to the marshes. They counted 114 bird species of which 16 were endemic, some very hard to find.
Vicki started birdwatching the 1980s and took her first international trip in 1993 to Costa Rica. She’s been on numerous trips to South and Central America and was eager to make the trip to Cuba when it was suggested by a friend.
We will have a no-host dinner with Vicki before the program at 5:00 p.m. at Bella Fuoco Pizza (2115 Warren Avenue, Cheyenne). Everyone is invited, but you must let Barb Gorges know by Monday October 14th (307-287-4952) so that we can reserve enough seating.

October 22, 6:30 p.m. – Monthly Board Meeting
Contact us, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to attend and participate in helping to plan chapter activities, or if you are interested in volunteering in some of our activities. This meeting will be held at the Laramie County Library in the Sage Room, 2nd floor.

October 26, 9:00 a.m. – Field Trip: High Plains Arboretum

Mountain Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee by Grant Frost

We will leave the Lions Park parking lot south of the Children’s Village at 9 a.m. and drive to the Arboretum, which is located on the USDA Cheyenne Horticultural Field Station, west of Warren Air Force Base. If you drive there yourself, you can meet us at about 9:30 at the Arboretum parking area just past the Y in the road within the Ag Station.

No dogs are allowed on the grounds of the Ag Station. A wide variety of birds can be seen in the area, including prairie and forest birds.  The trip is free and open to the public. We expect to be back in town by 1:00 p.m. Be sure to bring water and dress for changing weather.
If you are interested in going, contact Grant Frost, 307-343-2024, so that he has a list of those expected, and can let you know if the plans change for any reason.

November 1, 8:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey
Contact Chuck Seniawski to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the Country Club’s clubhouse’s main parking lot. These counts are free and open to everyone, but please let Chuck know you are coming.

September 2024 CHPAS Calendar

more-garbage-dry-creek-1September 14, 9:00 a.m. – Greenway Cleanup
Cheyenne Audubon is hosting a Greenway cleanup event, Saturday, September 14th. The public is invited to help. The starting location is the parking lot adjacent to the intersection of Van Buren Avenue and Laramie Street (just north of East Lincolnway and east of its intersection with Pershing Blvd.).

Work will proceed to the north along Dry Creek and should take less than two hours. Trash bags and light-weight gloves will be provided. Participants should wear sturdy footwear (preferably waterproof) and heavy gloves and bring rakes and hoes, if available, for fishing trash out of the creek.  Join the fun and help your community! 

Important Note: Repairs continue on U.S. 30 and Van Buren.  Although Van Buren is closed to through-access, it is possible to turn onto the south end of Van Buren to get to the Dry Creek parking area. 

September 17, 7:00 p.m. – Program: How Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Initiative Helps Birds
Cheyenne Audubon’s free program, “How Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Initiative Helps Birds,” with Audubon range ecologist Cidney Handy, will be Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. The public is welcome to attend.

Cidney Handy assists in certifying ranches for the initiative. Grassland bird populations have declined over the past 50 years because of development, cropland conversion and wildfire. The Conservation Ranching Initiative offers ranchers incentives for grassland stewardship through a certification label on beef and bison products and offers resources for wildlife projects.

Double-crested Cormorants LCCD
Double-crested Cormorants at the LCCD pond. Photo by Mark Gorges

September 21, 8:00 a.m. – Field Trip: New Pond Area at the Laramie County Conservation District (LCCD) Headquarters
We will meet at their office at 1923 Whitney Rd., Cheyenne; it is located on the north side of Campstool Road. The address is in Google Maps, but their new building may not show on the map.

LCCD rebuilt their pond in the Cheyenne Business Parkway Natural Area. It is now deeper and has an island and a trail around part of it. It is not yet open to the public. No dogs are allowed in this natural area that is set aside for wildlife. A wide variety of birds can be seen in the area, including waterfowl, shorebirds and some prairie birds. The trip is free and open to the public. We expect to be back in town by noon. Be sure to bring water and dress for changing weather.

September 24, 6:30 p.m. Board Meeting
Contact us, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to attend and participate in helping to plan chapter activities. This meeting will be held at the Laramie County Library in the Windflower Room.

September 27, 8:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey
Contact Chuck Seniawski to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the Country Club’s clubhouse’s main parking lot. These counts are free and open to everyone, but please let Chuck know you are coming.

August 2024 CHPAS Calendar

Wet Western Meadow Lark
Drying Off In The Sun … Western Meadowlark by Lorie Chesnut

August 17, 7:00 a.m. – Field Trip: Snowy Range Hike-Libby Lake to Mirror Lake

            We will leave the Lions Park parking lot south of the Children’s Village at 7 a.m. and drive to the Libby Lake area, a little over 90 miles, about an hour and a half. We will hike from there to Mirror Lake, about 3 miles. The entire hike is above 10,000 feet in elevation.

            A wide variety of mountain birds can be seen in the area, including hummingbirds, nuthatches, kinglets, thrushes and more.

            Carpooling should be available but check with Grant (307-343-2024) if you will need a ride. The trip is free and open to the public. We expect to be back in Cheyenne before 3 p.m. Be sure to bring lunch, water and dress for changing weather.

August 20, 6:30 p.m. Board Meeting:

            Contact us, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to attend and participate in helping to plan chapter activities. This meeting will be held at the Laramie County Library in the Windflower Room.

August 30, 7:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey

            Contact Chuck Seniawski to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the Country Club’s clubhouse’s main parking lot. These counts are free and open to everyone, but please let Chuck know you are coming.

July 2024 CHPAS Calendar

July 19, 7:00 a.m. – Birding Float Trip out of Saratoga (a Friday trip)

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Redhead by Mark Gorges

You must pre-register with Dennis Saville at 307-899-2740. We will have two rafts to take only ten people. You can bring your own raft, but you must pre-register, especially if you have seats available for additional people. We plan to float from 10 am till 3pm starting at Treasure Island on the North Platte.
Dennis will have the contact information for everyone registered, and he can let you know if the plans change for any reason like bad weather.

We will leave the Lions Park parking lot south of the Children’s Village at 7 a.m. and drive to Saratoga. Carpooling should be available but check with Grant (307-343-2024) if you will need a ride. You might consider staying in the Saratoga the night before.

The trip is free and open to the public. We expect to be back in Cheyenne by 6 p.m. Be sure to bring lunch, water and dress for changing weather and getting wet.

July 19 – July 22 – Wyoming Statewide BioBlitz 2024
Contribute to conservation science from anywhere in Wyoming! Friday, July 19, 2024 – Monday, July 22, 2024, 12:00am – 12:00am – Online Event. Or go to:
https://rockies.audubon.org/events/wyoming-statewide-bioblitz-2024 for all the information about this event.

July 23, 6:30 p.m. Board Meeting
Contact us, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to attend and participate in helping to plan chapter activities. This meeting will be held at the Laramie County Library in the Windflower Room.

July 26, 7:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey
Contact Chuck Seniawski to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the Country Club’s clubhouse’s main parking lot. These counts are free and open to everyone, but please let Chuck know you are coming.

American Goldfinch by Kirk Miller
American Goldfinch by Kirk Miller

June 2024 CHPAS Calendar

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June 15, 8:00 a.m. – “Big Sit” Field Trip to Hynds Lodge in Curt Gowdy State Park
We will leave the Lions Park parking lot south of the Children’s Village at 8 a.m. and drive about 30 minutes to Hynds Lodge. Carpooling should be available but check with Grant (see below) if you will need a ride.

The “Big Sit” part of the trip is sitting quietly for an extended period and letting the birds come to us. Bring a camp chair if you do not want to sit on the ground.

Recent sightings in that area include hummingbirds, woodpeckers, flycatchers, vireos, and assorted open forest birds. There will also be an opportunity for an hour-long hike in the area. The trip is free and open to the public. We expect to be back in Cheyenne by 1 p.m. Be sure to bring water and dress for changing weather.

If you are interested in going, please contact Grant Frost, 307-343-2024, so that he has a list of those expected, and he can let you know if the plans change for any reason like bad weather.

June 25, 6:30 p.m. Board Meeting:
Contact us, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to attend and participate in helping to plan chapter activities. This meeting will be held at the Laramie County Library in the Windflower Room.

June 28, 7:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey
Contact Chuck Seniawski to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the Country Club’s clubhouse’s main parking lot. These counts are free and open to everyone, but please let Chuck know you are coming.

cropped-female-wilsons-warbler.jpg