Murie Audubon General Meeting and Program November 14, 2024

MURIE AUDUBON PRESENTS: NON-GAME BIRDS IN WYOMING

This month’s Speaker is Zach Wallace, the statewide Nongame Bird Biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, based in Lander. His presentation will cover the Department’s long-term monitoring programs for nongame birds, including Trumpeter Swans, Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles, and Harlequin Ducks, as well as current projects investigating the habitat needs of American Goshawks, sagebrush songbirds, and Pinyon Jays. He will highlight ongoing collaborations with academic researchers, community scientists, and other partners, all aimed at increasing our knowledge and ability to conserve Wyoming’s birds.

Wallace previously served as the Biometrician for the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database at the University of Wyoming, and he brings a strong background in research and coordination from leading projects on birds and other wildlife in Wyoming and across the western United States.

He received his master’s degree in wildlife science from Oregon State University in 2014, where his research focused on the nesting ecology of Ferruginous Hawks and Golden Eagles in Wyoming. Wallace’s graduate research was done in close collaboration with WY Game and Fish.

Murie Audubon members and the public are invited to this free talk on November 14, at 7 p.m., at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, 4205 Fort Caspar Road.

Murie Audubon General Meeting and Program October 10, 2024

MURIE AUDUBON PRESENTS:

In Wyoming, 15% of all reported vehicle collisions involve big game wildlife. Over 6,000 deer, pronghorn, elk, and moose are hit by vehicles and killed on our roads every year. These collisions are costing nearly $50 million annually for damages to vehicles, human injury expenses, and loss of wildlife. Serving as a partner foundation to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, The WYldlife Fund is uniquely positioned to have a profound positive impact. Specializing in grant agreements, the Fund ensures precise and efficient allocation of resources on the ground to advance wildlife projects across Wyoming. The WYldlife Fund has helped raise $377,028.78 to send to the I-25 Wildlife Crossing Project. These contributions have been made possible by numerous partners throughout Wyoming and the United States! This stretch of highway between Buffalo and Kaycee is the second deadliest stretch of roadway for mule deer in the state. This cost effective project will act as a model for other projects like it across the west, as existing agriculture underpasses are being utilized to provide safe passage for wildlife crossing the busy highway.

Approximately 18 miles of fencing has been installed to funnel wildlife to these existing agriculture underpasses. A camera study has proven these existing underpasses to be successful currently, as wildlife already navigate them and by installing fencing this success rate should skyrocket even higher and virtually eliminate wildlife being hit on this stretch of highway. Chris McBarnes, President of the WYldlife Fund, will be our guest speaker for our next Murie Audubon meeting to tell us more about the WYldlife Fund and to update us on existing projects and projects being planned to benefit wildlife across Wyoming.

Murie Audubon members and the public are invited to this free talk on October 10, 7 p.m., at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, 4205 Fort Caspar Road.

Bruce Walgren

Murie Audubon General Meeting and Program on April 11th, 2024

Murie Audubon Presents

It’s ?tting that during our spring bird migration, Will Robinson will be our guest speaker to inform us about the migration of the giant honey bees (Apis dorsata) in Thailand. And just like the ungulates and birds more familiar to us here, the honey bees travel the same route each year, following the food sources as they become available across the land. What started as a sabbatical for Robinson, has turned into four trips, in 2009, 2010, 2016, and 2023. On the latest trip that ended in December of 2023, Robinson and his wife, Maria Katherman, were working with the World Wildlife Fund to protect the migratory bee stopover site he identi?ed on their ?rst trip. On his original trip, Robinson soon found that what appeared to be large hives were in fact large clumps of bees hanging from trees as “bivouacs” while they rested during migration. And just as Wyoming has learned the importance of preserving migratory routes for mule deer, he feels the same approach should be applied to bees. Similar to the experience many of us have had observing the Sandhill Cranes or large ?ocks of geese, Robinson shared that “It’s absolutely incredible to have an entire group of 50,000 bees ?y right over your head. The adrenaline rush is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It is soul stirring.” Robinson’s presentations are always excellent, and we hope that you may join us for this free talk on April 11, 2024 at 7 p.m., at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, at 4205 Fort Caspar Road.
Bruce Walgren

Murie Audubon General Meeting & Program, 11 May, 2023

MURIE AUDUBON PRESENTS

Join us for a special presentation by Alan Corey as he debunks misconceptions about lighting and how to light your path more efficiently. The Light Pollution” program will be held on Thursday, May 11 at 7 PM at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse at the Fort Caspar Campground, 4205 Fort Caspar Road. Corey is the president of the Great Plains Astronomical Community. We live in a world of perpetual artificial light and it is causing big problems with human health, wildlife, and the environment. We call this artificial light “light pollution” and it is widely seen as a result of industrial civilization, but it doesn’t have to be. Artificial light is wreaking havoc on the natural body rhythms of both humans and wildlife and it affects the physiological processes in nearly every life-form on Earth. This discussion will focus on what light pollution is, what form it takes, where it comes from, and what we can do to lessen our impact. This program is free and open to the public.
Bruce Walgren-Program Chair

Murie Audubon General Meeting & Program, 13 April, 2023

The Casper Mountain Science Program will present an overview of the program on April 13th, 2023. Eric Reish, the program director of CMSP (and possibly some staff), will share an overview of the program and its history going back to the start in 2007. Included will be a summary of who the program reaches, the number of students it has served, and some of the impacts on our community and beyond. We will look over some sample curriculum and we will have a “hands-on” activity for those that choose to participate with us. We will share photos of our local students enjoying themselves while learning the Wyoming State Standards. To take part, come to the Murie Audubon free talk on April 13, 2023, at 7 p.m., at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, at 4205 Fort Caspar Road.


Eric Reish and Bruce Walgren

Murie Audubon General Meeting & Program, 9 March, 2023

MURIE AUDUBON PRESENTS EDNESS KIMBALL WILKINS STATE PARK: WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park (known by most simply as EKW) located near one of the most populous cities in Wyoming, is very popular among outdoor enthusiasts. Audubon members flock there for birding opportunities, as well as a good place for an outdoor walk. Carlo Migliaccio is the superintendent at Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park and will be our guest speaker this month. Users of EKW have no doubt seen changes in the last few years, from the removal of Russian Olive trees to the staging of pre-fab overnight cabins. Carlo reports that they are in the process of completing several projects started last year, and have a few others in the queue, which they are hoping to complete before December of this year. Plans are to complete several conservation-oriented projects, including renovations and replanting in Betty’s Garden, replanting along the river, and the construction of a pollinator garden near the Mountain View shelter. There are also several recreational projects in the works, including the completion and opening of the overnight cabin facilities, archery range, and installation of lifejacket stands along the pond. Carlo’s presentation will address the details of these projects, along with a brief history of the park, and a discussion of longer term plans for conservation and improvement.
This month we return to an in-person meeting and we will gather at the usual location at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse to participate. To take part, come to the Murie Audubon free talk on March 9, 2023, at 7 p.m., at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, at 4205 Fort Caspar Road.
Bruce Walgren

Murie Audubon General Meeting & Program, 9 February, 2023

Photo: Habitat Hero Awardee, Ellen Schreiner’s garden in Casper, WY

In this presentation on February 9, we learn how to create wildlife-friendly gardens that help combat the loss of open spaces. Learn how to create green corridors that link your wildscape to larger natural areas by providing habitat for wildlife. Jamie Weiss, Habitat Hero Coordinator for Audubon Rockies, will be presenting this program. Along with her B.S. in marine biology and chemistry from University of North Carolina Wilmington, Jamie is a certified interpretive guide through the National Association for Interpretation. Jamie previously worked at Boyd Lake State Park and the Georgia Aquarium as an educational interpreter, raising awareness of conservation.
When not working, she is often leading an active lifestyle trying to keep up with her Border Collie puppy and Golden Retriever. She enjoys hiking, camping, snowboarding, and long-distance running. Jamie will be presenting remotely from Colorado, we will gather at the usual location at
the Izaak Walton Clubhouse to participate. To take part, come to the Murie Audubon free talk on February 9, 2023, at 7 p.m., at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, at 4205 Fort Caspar Road.


Bruce Walgren

Murie Audubon General Meeting & Program, January 12, 2023

The Swift Fox, a tiny, lesser known, but valuable part of the grassland and desert ecosystems of Wyoming, will be the subject of our January 12, 2023 program. Weighing only five pounds on verage, with a black tipped tail, the Swift Fox is the smallest fox species in North America and the smallest member of the canid family. Historically found across western North America, these foxes were thought to occupy the eastern part of Wyoming and can still be found there in small numbers. Like many predators, Swift Fox numbers in the U.S. and Canada saw a dramatic decline about the turn of the 20th century due to anti-predator campaigns and habitat changes. Efforts have been made in recent decades to preserve remaining Swift Fox populations, and their work seems to be paying off. Wildlife officials in Wyoming are beginning to see an increase in Swift Fox populations, with more frequent sightings across the state. In fact, they’ve been expanding their range into higher-elevation areas like Big Piney and Pinedale. Researchers and Wildlife officials are currently using various methods to get an estimate of Swift Fox numbers, as well as some genetics from scat, to get an idea of how many individuals seem to be showing up within a given area. Research ecologists are working to trap and reintroduce Swift Foxes from Wyoming to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. Foxes were trapped in Natrona County this past summer. Heather O’ Brien, Nongame Mammal Biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department from Casper, will be our guest speaker.

To find out more about this fascinating Fox, come to the Murie Audubon free talk on January 12, 2023, at 7 p.m., at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, at 4205 Fort Caspar Road. -Bruce Walgren *All Swift Fox photos by Art Van Rensselae

Murie Audubon General Meeting & Program, October 13

This is the 2022 Wyoming Naturalist class, organizers, and trainers. The mission of the Wyoming Naturalist Program is to cultivate a community of volunteers to steward the state’s natural resources through conservation, education, and service. The program provides
education and training to participants in biodiversity, ecology, conservation, management, and interpretation so that they can become leaders in the effort to protect our natural resources and the special places where we live. Zach Hutchinson, community science coordinator from Audubon Rockies, will share stories from the first two years of the program. If you wish to learn more about Wyoming Naturalists, or how to become one, come to the Murie Audubon free talk on October 13, 2022, at 7 p.m., at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, at 4205 Fort Caspar Road.


Zach Hutchinson
Community Science Coordinator

Murie Audubon General Meeting & Program, May 12

BURROWING OWLS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA

Andrea is the statewide Nongame Bird Biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Nongame Program based in Lander, and will be presenting the meeting. She is collaborating on this project with colleague Dr. Courtney Conway from the University of Idaho and his research partners from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Recent developments in solar-powered GPS technology in the form of smaller transmitters are helping researchers collect data on the elusive seasonal migration and winter ranges of Burrowing Owls that nest in Wyoming during the summer months. In the past few years, researchers have placed satellite transmitters on Burrowing Owls in western states. Unfortunately, many of those have died or their transmitters have stopped sending locations. Owls outfitted with the new transmitters from Wyoming, along with other owls from western states and Canadian provinces, will add new data and hopefully new understating about these mysterious little birds. The Burrowing Owl is classified as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Wyoming, making this full annual cycle conservation project extremely important. Andrea will discuss the need for this work, project objectives and methods, and results of Burrowing Owl migration. Please join us on Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 7 pm at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse at 4205 Fort Caspar Road for this program. As always, the program is free and open to the public! Hope to see you there! -Bruce Walgren