Fall is around the corner!  Soon, the Aspens will begin to turn yellow with fall flowers blooming before the snow begins.  Throughout the Front Range, birders are on the lookout for interesting migrants (or rare birds like the Common Loon seen hanging around our local reservoirs all summer) and at night, Great Horned Owls can be heard hooting around the city. 

For those of you who love the outdoors, September is an ideal time to “run to the mountains”.  Temperatures are lower, days are getting shorter but still long enough for an adventure.  Join your friends at CHPAS for a lovely fall season. 

Calendar

September 17, 8 a.m. – Field Trip: Wyoming Hereford Ranch Birding Hike

We will meet at 8 a.m. at the ranch headquarters & museum (1114 Hereford Ranch Road). We will be hiking about 2 miles on trails and uneven ground.  Bring water and dress for variable weather. We expect to be done by noon. We may see raptors and woodpeckers, like the Red–headed woodpeckers that probably nested there this year. If the late summer weather holds, we could still find some warblers and other fall migrants. 

Please contact Grant Frost at 307-343-2024 if you plan to join us, so that we have a list of those expected and can let you know if the plans change for any reason such as bad weather.

September 18, 10:00 a.m. till Noon – Cheyenne Greenway Cleanup

Cheyenne Audubon is hosting a Greenway cleanup event, Sunday, September 18th. 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.

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.

September 20, 7:00 p.m. – Program: Snapshots from Wyoming’s Wildernesses with Kirk Miller

The Cheyenne – High Plains Audubon Society invites the public to a free, in-person program, Sep. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Willow Room of the Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Avenue.  Kirk’s pictures and stories from a lama-supported pack trip into Wyoming’s southern Wind River Range will be shared followed by thoughts for capturing interesting photographs with a cell phone.

BONUS!   September 20, “Show and Tell”.  Pick your favorite nature shot from this summer to share with us at the meeting. Please email it by Sept. 18 to Barb at bgorges4@msn.com so we can project it at the (hybrid) meeting. We will give you a minute or two to talk about it and answer questions.

September 27, 6:30 p.m. – Board Meeting – Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities (Windflower Room, Laramie County Library).

September 30, 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 County Clubhouse’s main parking lot.

Throughout the prairie and mountains, flowers are in bloom.  A trip to the Snowy Range brings spring flowers as you ascend to higher elevations.

Wildflowers are also blooming in Cheyenne.  Have you seen the extensive pollinator garden at the Laramie County Public Library?  Or Audubon’s demonstration garden at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens?  Or the Native Prairie Island project at Bella Fuoco on Warren Avenue?

Cool evenings are a wonderful time to venture out to enjoy the best that Cheyenne has to offer.  Be sure to visit these gardens over the next months.

Calendar

More information about all of the events listed below may be found in Flyer, our Chapter newsletter. And be sure to watch for your Annual Chapter Dues Renewal letter which will be sent to you in the mail during the month of August!

August 16, 8:30-10 p.m. – Bat Walk with the Biodiversity Institute in Cheyenne

Join the Biodiversity Institute and Bat Conservation International to learn all about local bat species and go on a short stroll to listen for bat calls. You may even get the chance to see one as they fly overhead! All ages welcome.

Registration is required and is restricted to 20 people. For more information, to register, and to find out where to meet you must contact Mason Lee and let her know how many people will be in your party. Contact her at: mlee37@uwyo.edu

August 20, 8 a.m. – Field Trip: Turtle Rock birding hike         

We will leave at 8 a.m. from the Lions Park parking lot between the Children’s Village at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and the picnic shelter. We will be hiking about 3 miles on trails and uneven ground.

Bring a lunch (if you want), water and dress for variable weather. We expect to be back to Cheyenne by about 1 p.m.  Contact Grant Frost at 307-343-2024 if you plan to join us, so that we have a list of those expected and can let you know if the plans change for any reason such as bad weather.

August 23, 6:30 p.m. – Board Meeting

Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities.

August 26, 7:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey

Contact Chuck Seniawski to take part or to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the County Clubhouse’s main parking lot.

After a period of hot dry weather, our region has enjoyed light rain as the month of July is ushered in. At our wetlands site off Campstool Road, ground-nesting birds like the Killdeer are on high alert for intruders in their territory. This is why it is so important to let prairie grasses flourish – they are prime habitat for ground nesting birds. As noted by CHPAS President Wanda Manley, “every time you mow and the native grasses fail to complete their life cycle, cheatgrass and Japanese brome will move into those areas.” These invasive grasses will burn, leaving the soil bare and scorched. So … four words to remember … don’t mow the prairie!

Calendar

More information about all of the events listed below may be found in Flyer, our Chapter newsletter.

July 13, 8:30 – 10 p.m. Bat Walk with the Biodiversity Institute at Mylar Park, Cheyenne

Join The Biodiversity Institute and Bat Conservation International to learn all about local bat species and go on a short stroll to listen for bat calls. You may even get the chance to see one as they fly overhead! All ages welcome.  Registration is Required. (Note: As of July 6, 2022, registration for the Cheyenne event has been closed but several other Wyoming locations are still available). For more information: Summer Bat Walks

July 15 through 18 On-line BioBlitz

You can use iNaturalist to observe species anywhere in the state of Wyoming from July 15th through the 18th. More information coming soon at https://rockies.audubon.org/events

July 16, 8:00 a.m. Field Trip: Birding and Picnic, Medicine Bow National Forest

This will be an all-day trip. If you drive, you can leave whenever you need to. We’ll drive to Laramie and then to Don and Belinda Moench’s cabin on Miller Lake, near Fox Park. Participants should bring a side dish to share; hamburgers will be provided. Bring a folding chair to sit on for the potluck and be prepared for the weather.

You must sign up with Grant Frost at 307-343-2024 at least a week before so that we know how many to expect, and so that we can let you know if the trip is canceled for some reason.

July 26, 6:30 p.m. Board Meeting

Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities. We have a special need for individuals interested in environmental education.

July 29, 7:00 a.m. Country Club Bird Survey

Contact Chuck Seniawski to take part or to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the Country Club’s main parking lot.

For those of you who enjoyed the birds at Lions Park during May, you probably were able to view a rare visitor, an immature Red-throated Loon. This special visitor stayed with us for nearly two weeks and was observed by many of our members. The Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) is a small loon that is usually seen along the east and west coasts. They breed in the far north. This species, while rarely observed in Wyoming, is of low conservation concern.

If you visited Wyoming Hereford Ranch during the month of May, you were likely to see other birders enjoying the variety of species that take advantage of this lovely habitat. June should be a good birding month too, although not as spectacular as May.

Calendar

More information about all of the events listed below may be found in Flyer, our Chapter Newsletter.

June 10-12 – 2022 Wyoming BioBlitz at Guernsey State Park

Join Audubon Rockies (one of the co-sponsors of the BioBlitz) at Guernsey State Park this year to discover this Wyoming gem, survey wildlife, and have a blast with your family and friends! Registration is now closed, but you can get on their wait list. For more information and the full schedule go to: https://rockies.audubon.org/naturalist/wyoming-bioblitz

June 18, 7 a.m. – Field Trip: Red Mountain Open Space.

We will leave at 7 a.m. from the Lions Park parking lot between the Children’s Village at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and the picnic shelter. We will be hiking about 3.5 to 4.5 miles on trails and uneven ground. Bring a lunch, water and dress for variable weather. We expect to be back to Cheyenne by 3 p.m. We can expect to see hawks, scrub-jays, towhees, and some warblers in the riparian areas.

Please contact Grant Frost at 307-343-2024 if you plan to join us, so that we have a list of those expected and can let you know if the plans change for any reason such as bad weather.

June 28, 6:30 p.m. – Board Meeting

Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities. We have special need for individuals interested in education.

June 24, 7:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey

Contact Chuck Seniawski to take part or to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the County Clubhouse’s main parking lot.

One of the biggest months in the birding world is here! May is filled with opportunities to see migrants as they pass through Goshen, Laramie, and Platte counties. Local birders have already seen Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Green-tailed and Spotted Towhees, Say’s Phoebe, and the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (all at Wyoming Hereford Ranch in May 2022). Once again we thank the Hales for allowing birders to enjoy their lovely ranch.

More species will be seen as the month continues. Personally, I’m waiting for the first Bullock’s Oriole to appear at our orange and jelly feeder. Don’t miss this special time of the year. Bird on!

Calendar

May 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May Flowers at the State Museum.

We will be there talking about birds and pollinator gardens. Let your imagination bloom and learn about the world of plants! Make your own potted plant, explore the root systems of your favorite flowers, and meet experts from across Wyoming.

To keep all families COVID-safe, they are requiring timed registration for this event. Use this link to reserve your one-hour time slot for FREE! May Flowers

May 21, 6:30 a.m. Annual Cheyenne Big Day Bird Count

Starting at Lions Park, we will cover birding hot spots throughout the Cheyenne area. If you want to join us later than 6:30 a.m., please call Mark, 307-287-4953, to get a location update. We also encourage people to report all bird sightings during the 24-hour period beginning at midnight on the free app at eBird.org.

We will leave from the Lions Park parking lot between the Children’s Village at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and the picnic shelter to hike around the park for about an hour or two. We will then head to the Wyoming Hereford Ranch. At about lunch time we will head out to the Agricultural Research Station and the Arboretum west of the Air Force Base.

Bring a lunch or pick one up on the way; bring water and dress for variable weather. Everyone, no matter what your birding skills, is invited. Bring binoculars if you have them. The more eyes we have, the more birds we will see. We may finish the planned routes by 3 p.m. However, you may join us for as long as you wish and leave when you need to.

May 22, 1 to 3 p.m. – Greenway Cleanup

Cheyenne Audubon is hosting a Greenway cleanup event, Sunday, May 22nd. 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.

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.

May 24, 6:30 p.m. Board Meeting – Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities.

May 27, 7:00 a.m. Country Club Survey – Contact Chuck Seniawski to take part or to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the County Clubhouse’s main parking lot.

So many exciting activities are happening in April! First and foremost, migration is underway! Every day, Laramie, Platte, and Goshen Counties welcome birds flying north from as far away as South America. The Sandhill Cranes (left) are likely part of the Rocky Mountain population and winter in New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico. April, May, and June are prime birding months in our region so get out there and enjoy this incredible opportunity. Not sure where to go? Check out our website (locations) for prime birding areas in our three-county area.

As always, more details are available in our monthly “Flyer” newsletter.

Calendar

April 16, 6:00 a.m. – Field Trip for Sharp-tailed Grouse Lek Viewing, We will meet at the Pilot Truck Stop in the front parking lot (off I-80 Exit 367, also known as the WHR exit, 8020 Campstool Road) for departure at 6:00 a.m. sharp. It is about a 40-mile drive to the lek area. We will be driving east on I-80 then north to an area north of Hillsdale. We hope to see grouse dancing on their lek as well as other spring prairie birds.

We will carpool to the lek site to keep the number of vehicles to a minimum. The outing will be about three hours, so we should be back to the truck stop by 9 a.m. 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.

April 19, 7:00 p.m. – Program: “Greater Sage-Grouse – The Largest Conservation Effort in U.S. History: The Ups and Downs,” given by Daly Edmunds, Audubon Rockies Policy and Outreach Director, and Vicki Herren, retired Bureau of Land Management National Sage-Grouse Coordinator. This presentation will be held at the Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. It can also be accessed virtually by using this Zoom link: Sage Grouse.

April 26, 6:30 p.m. – Board Meeting

             Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities.

April 29, 8:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey

            Contact Chuck Seniawski to take part or to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the County Clubhouse’s main parking lot.

April 29, 7:00 p.m. – “Bird Photography Using Blinds with Elizabeth Boehm”

This special presentation will be held at the Trout Room of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department headquarters at 5400 Bishop Road.

Award-winning Pinedale, Wyoming, wildlife photographer Elizabeth Boehm will be presenting a free talk open to the public. She will discuss different blinds and how to position, set up and use them as well as blind etiquette. She will end with a slide show of her photography.

Elizabeth Boehm has been photographing birds for more than 20 years and spends most of her time exploring and birding Sublette County, Wyoming. She is always seeking unique images of birds and wildlife in a natural setting. Using blinds, her goal is to be able to approach her subject a bit closer and to capture natural behavior.

She is an award-winning photographer having placed in the Top 10 photos in the North American Nature Photography Association Showcase, first place in the 2019 National Audubon professional bird photo contest, and grand prize in the Wyoming Wildlife Photo Competition along with numerous images published in books and magazines.             

The next day (April 30th), just us at 7:00 a.m. for a Free Workshop “Bird Photography Using Blinds Demonstrations with Elizabeth Boehm”. This event will take place at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens’ Paul Smith Children’s Village, 710 S. Lions Park Drive. Boehm will demonstrate various kinds of blinds and she will discuss any other tools needed for comfort and working with the weather conditions.

April 30, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Spring Bird Identification: “Meet the Birds!” a class for adults and children 12 and older (Bring your own lunch) at Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Paul Smith Children’s Village and Lions Park (some walking will be included). Registration required: $15 via Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. Class limited to 40 participants. Registration is required via https://bpt.me/5390763  or the Botanic Gardens. Just before the peak of migration, let Cheyenne Audubon members introduce you to 50 of our local birds. A combination of classroom discussion and short walks into Lions Park, a Wyoming Important Bird Area, with borrowed binoculars or your own, will make spring so much more interesting for you.

The Crane Cam at Rowe Sanctuary is an amazing way to view the annual spring migration of the Sandhill Crane (and many other birds) from the comfort of your home, no matter where you may live. The cranes fly in at dusk and leave the Platte River early in the morning, so these are the best times to witness the migration through the Crane Cam. Be sure to listen to the sound too – that is an integral part of the experience!

To see photos taken by the Audubon Explore camera, check out “Gallery“. The sunsets at Rowe are beyond belief. If you can, visit in person (Rowe is about 5 hours east of Cheyenne) but if you can’t, enjoy these wonderful photos today! And please consider supporting Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary if you can. They are integral partners in wildlife and habitat conservation along the Platte River.

Just today, we received a report that Mountain Bluebirds were spotted at Curt Gowdy State Park. A sure sign that spring is near! While our region could use more snow, this week has been a refreshing break from the below-zero temperatures that we experienced in late February.

Waterfowl counts at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge (north of Kansas City, MO) report over 800,000 Snow Goose present during the week of February 28th, 2022. The annual migration of Sandhill Cranes will follow soon. For those of you who haven’t seen this amazing migration, be sure to get out and enjoy this wonderful time of year!

More details about all of our events, as well as future events, may be found in the March 2022 issue of “Flyer“, the Chapter newsletter.

Calendar

March 15, 7:00 p.m. – Program: “The Secret Life of Wyoming’s Salamander” with Mason Lee from the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute. Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. Lee will introduce Wyoming’s only salamander species as well as the new Laramie Salamander Migration Initiative aimed at protecting salamanders in Laramie and other Wyoming communities. Join in person or by Zoom (link: Wyoming’s Salamander).

March 19, 8:00 a.m. – Field trip – Tour of the Wyoming Game & Fish Pheasant Facility near Yoder and birding in that area. We will leave from the Lions Park parking lot by the Children’s Village at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens at 8 a.m. Carpooling may be available based on Covid guidelines. We will drive north on US-85 about 66 miles to the intersection with County Road 42. Just to the west is the entrance to the pheasant facility where we will start our guided tour. Afterwards, participants may join us for birding at various nearby locations. We should return to Cheyenne at about 3:00 p.m. Please contact Grant Frost (307-343-2024) if you wish to join us.

March 22, 6:30 p.m. – Board Meeting, Windflower Room, Laramie County Public Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave., Cheyenne. Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities.

March 25, 8:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey. Contact Chuck Seniawski to take part or to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the County Clubhouse’s main parking lot.

Thanks to everyone who attended the 2022 Habitat Hero Workshop held at LCCC (and via Zoom) on Saturday, January 29th.  Materials from the workshop are posted on the Habitat Hero page of the CHPAS website.  At left, Buffalo Grass as an option to traditional Kentucky Bluegrass.  Learn more about this and other sessions on the CHPAS Habitat Hero page!

Calendar

Cheyenne Audubon’s Feb. 15 program about pronghorn and the I-80 barrier.

The public is welcome to a free talk Feb. 15, 7 p.m., in the Cottonwood Room of the Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. concerning pronghorn migration and habitat and the barrier I-80 presents.  Here is the Zoom Link for the program.

Speaker Ben Robb, currently a research ecologist for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Fort Collins Science Center, studied the impacts of Interstate 80 on pronghorn migration and crucial habitat for his master’s degree at the University of Wyoming. His study predicts the best corridors to restore pronghorn movement.

Cheyenne Audubon offering Weld County, Colorado, “Raptor Alley” field trip Feb. 19, 8:00 a.m.

Members of Cheyenne Audubon invite  the public to caravan with them Feb. 19 for a road trip to Weld County, Colorado, to look for hawks and eagles along “Raptor Alley” with “The Nunn Guy,” Gary Lefko.

The group will leave from the parking lot in Lions Park next to the Children’s Village at 8 a.m., expecting to return about 1 p.m. though participants providing their own vehicles may leave at any time. Round trip is expected to be 100 miles. Participants should bring water, snacks and dress for the weather. There will be a minimal amount of walking.

Please call Mark at 307-287-4953 to register so as to be on the list to be contacted if plans change.

February 18-21 – The 25th Great Backyard Bird Count

Each February, for four days, the world comes together for the love of birds. Over these four days people are invited to spend time in their favorite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and reporting them to us. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations.  To learn more, visit Great Backyard Bird Count.

February 22, 6:30 p.m. – Board Meeting, Sage Room, Laramie County Public Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave.

Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities.

February 25, 8:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey

Contact Chuck Seniawski to take part or to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the County Clubhouse’s main parking lot.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome, 2022.  The new year began with a *BANG* as one after another wave of snow blew into the Front Range, giving us a white Christmas and new year!  Today, Wednesday, January 5th, brings another snowstorm the promises to deliver a good bit of snow to our area.  Every additional snowstorm brings much needed moisture to this area.  Birds crowd around our feeders and a Great Horned Owl gently hoots outside the window every night.  Winter can be magical.  Enjoy and be safe out there. 

Calendar

More information about the Christmas Bird Count and coming events are available in the January issue of our newsletter “Flyer“. 

January 15, 8:00 a.m. – Birding Trip to the Buford area

We will leave from the Lions Park parking lot at the Children’s Village at 8 a.m. Carpooling may be available based on Covid guidelines. We will drive west on I-80 to Buford, about 27 miles.  We will hike through open ponderosa pine and aspen woodlands looking for winter birds such as crossbills and woodpeckers. We should return by noon or 1 p.m., but if you drive, you can leave whenever you need to. Bring water and dress for the weather and snow on the ground. 

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.

January 18, 7:00 p.m. – Program: Tanner Hoffman – Investigating plants and soil microorganisms after the Mullen Fire. 

Join us in the Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave.  The program can also be accessed virtually here.   University of Wyoming graduate student Tanner Hoffman is investigating relationships between plants and soil microorganisms after the Mullen Fire. He is in the University of Wyoming’s Soil Microbial Ecology Lab under Dr. Linda van Diepen.

January 25, 6:30 p.m. – Board Meeting, Windflower Room, Laramie County Public Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 

Contact Wanda Manley, cheyenneaudubon@gmail.com, if you would like to participate in helping to plan chapter activities.  We have several openings on the Board including Conservation Chair, Education Chair, and Advocacy Chair.  WE NEED YOU! 

January 28, 8:00 a.m. – Country Club Bird Survey

            Contact Chuck Seniawski to take part or to be on his email notice list: 307-638-6519 or chuckski@aol.com. The count will start in the County Clubhouse’s main parking lot.

Jan. 29, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – 8^th Annual Cheyenne Habitat Hero Workshop

You will not want to miss this important and educational program!  Details about how to register and more about the program are included in the January “Flyer” newsletter and are on the CHPAS Habitat Hero webpage.  In-person space is limited so register today!  You can also watch the morning sessions via Zoom.  Thank you Audubon Rockies for your sponsorship!