Casper native McKenna Paulley is a recent graduate from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. In May 2017, she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Zoology and was acknowledged as the Outstanding Graduate of the Biology Department. Following her graduation, she had the opportunity to travel to the Galapagos Islands, where she was able to experience the diverse flora and fauna the islands have to offer. While exploring the islands, she was able to capture several stunning photographs, one of which won the Galapagos

Conservation Trust’s annual photography contest. One day, she hopes to return to the islands that provided her with such an unbelievable experience.  McKenna will share her experiences of her trip at our February 9 program at 7 pm at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. for this program. As always, the program is free and open to the public!

Wyoming Game and Fish Wildlife Biologist Stan Harter from Lander will be our guest speaker for our November 10, 2017 program.

Stan will share what Wyoming Game and Fish Department and its partners have learned through recent collaring projects on mule deer in the Lander area and bighorn sheep on and near the Wind River Indian  Reservation.

The Wyoming Migration Initiative is a model for catalyzing science-based conservation and management of wildlife corridors. Founded in 2012 as a project of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the initiative collects data needed to effectively conserve migratory wildlife. The Wyoming Migration Initiative also produces risk assessments for managers and stakeholders, and uses multimedia storytelling to promote public understanding of large animal migrations.

Please join us on Friday, November 10, 2017 at 7 pm at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. for this program. As always, the program is free and open to the public! —–Bruce Walgren

Conserving Wildlife in a Boom and Bust State: Wildlife Conservation and Energy Development in Wyoming

Amanda Withroder, a staff biologist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Habitat Protection Program, will present “Conserving Wildlife in a Boom and Bust State: Wildlife Conservation and Energy Development in Wyoming” on Friday May12 at 7 p.m. at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. The talk is free and open to the public.

Withroder, who grew up in eastern Pennsylvania, has a BA in Political Science and a MA in International Studies and Environmental and Natural Resources. She started working for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in 2010 where her program is responsible for environmental commenting on development proposals of all types and sizes. The goal is to work with project proponents to avoid and minimize impacts to wildlife as much as possible, and to mitigate if needed. She spends a lot of time working with other state and federal agencies on large energy development projects, and to ensure that we have a process in place to adequately consider the needs of wildlife. She also works with project proponents on implementation of the State’s sagegrouse conservation strategy. In a state that is dependent upon energy development, and also is home to an amazing array of wildlife, it is sometimes hard to strike a balance that benefits both. The job of finding that balance falls in part on Withroder. She will discuss how Wyoming Game and Fish coordinates with state and federal agencies, industry, and other stakeholders to reduce the impacts of energy development on wildlife in Wyoming.

Identiflight and Windfarms?

As most of us know, wind farms do kill some raptors, and other birds and bats. But technology is contributing to the conservation of eagles at windfarms with IdentiFlight®, a machine vision system being tested at the Top of the World windfarm in Rolling Hills, WY. Tom Hiester, Senior Vice-President, Strategy, for RES (Renewable Energy Systems), leads the IdentiFlight® technology development, and he will describe the technology, its status of deployment, and testing. Tom has nearly 40 years in the renewable energy business as a project and technology developer. IdentiFlight is high-precision optical technology used to detect eagles and protect them from collisions with rotating wind turbine blades. Automatic detection of birds, and the determination if it is an eagle, occur within seconds for eagles flying anywhere within a one kilometer hemisphere around the IdentiFlight tower. If an eagle’s speed and flight path indicate risk of collision with a wind turbine, a signal is generated to shut down that specific wind turbine, so that the probability of impact with rotating turbine blades is substantially reduced or eliminated. By empowering wind farm operators with signals to make highly targeted, informed and objective curtailment decisions, unnecessary and costly interruptions are avoided and legally protected species are conserved. The eagle photo was taken with the IndentiFlight system at about 700 meters. The program will be on Friday, April 14, 2017 at 7 PM at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. And as always, the program is free and open to the public!!

What Ducks Eat and Why Does It Matter?

Have you ever observed a wild duck in a pond or marsh while it is eating “something” in the water? Have you ever wondered what in the world that duck is finding in this water?

Wyoming Game and Fish Migratory Bird biologist Nate Huck will be our guest speaker at the February meeting. Nate is a Wisconsin native where he got his Undergraduate degree; he got his master’s degree in Texas. Nate will talk to us about what ducks eat and why what they eat matters ecologically.

Murie Audubon’s programs are free and open to the public. The program will be on Friday, February 10, 2017, at 7 PM at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd.

(Note – we will not be hosting the Annual Murie Audubon Society Banquet and Fundraiser in February.)

MURIE’S NOVEMBER PROGRAM FEATURES BIRD BINGO
Join us, for a night of light-hearted fun and a chance to practice some new birds. Bird Bingo puts a new spin and educational insights on birds. You’ll be excited to see some of your favorites, but also included, but you may possibly walk on the wild side, with weird and exotic species as well. This experience is sure to be fun for all ages! The event will be held at our regular location, the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King
Blvd. at 7pm.

Murie’s October Program Features Extinct Birds

An imaginary tour of the world from 1500 B.C. forward will feature vanished bird species from around the world.  Russell Hawley, education specialist for the Tate Geological Museum at Casper College, will be our guide. The tour will include a look at the passenger pigeon, the moa, the du, and the elephant bird of Madagascar – the largest bird that ever lived.

Murie Audubon’s programs are free and open to the public. The program will be on Friday, October 14, 2016, at 7 PM at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd.

PROGRAM CHAIR—Bruce Walgren

Living with Lions

With the recent sightings of mountain lion(s) in the city limits of Casper, the Wyoming Game and Fish Dept. has been working to increase the public’s awareness of what to do if they do encounter Wyoming’s largest cat.

The stealthy nature of this large carnivore piques our interest and curiosity.  Join us on Friday, September 9^th, when biologists from the Large Carnivore Section of the Wyoming Game and Fish will discuss the history of mountain lions in North America, as well as their ecology and role in the landscape.  We will also learn what you can do to prevent potential conflicts with these big cats, and what you should do if you do find yourself face to face with a mountain lion.

The program will be on Friday, September 9, 2016, at 7 PM at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd.  And as always, the program is free and open to the public!!

Bruce Walgren—Program Chairman