| MURIE AUDUBON SOCIETY CASPER, WYOMING |
| VOLUME 38 - ISSUE 1 MONTHLY PUBLICATION JANUARY 2004 |
CALENDAR
Dec. 27 - Murie's CBC - contact Chris MichelsonJan 1, 2004 - Bate's Hole CBC - contact Charlie Scott or Stacey ScottJan. 2 - General MeetingJan. 3 - Field TripJan. 13 - Board MeetingJan. 16 - Feb.'s newsletter deadline for articlesFeb. 7 - Annual Banquet
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Click on title to go directly to article. Click on Sage-Grouse at end of article to come back HERE)
Winter can be a tough time for
birders. Not only do many of the birds head south (maybe they are more
intelligent than most of us humans), but the ones left behind seem rather
ordinary. After looking at house sparrows, winter gold finches and house
finches at a feeder, it just seems that looking hard for something different
is too much trouble. That is especially true if the temperature is headed
for zero or below and the wind is howling. What is needed is a good excuse
to spend all day birding, regardless of the weather. Then you are forced to
either find something interesting, or at least to compare your count of
house sparrows with prior years. The annual Christmas Count is exactly what
is needed. I am always fascinated with the differences over the years. I
like to cover the same area each year so that I can see the differences in
that area. I also try to do a better job of covering the area each year.
Other people like to see different areas, which is fine. It seems that every
year somebody gets lucky and either sees a really good bird, many more than
usual of a species, or maybe fewer starlings or house sparrows. Some years,
it is a lot of work for nothing unusual, but there is the satisfaction of
thoroughly covering your assigned area. Then there is the dinner afterwards
where we find out what everyone else saw. Christmas Counts are so much fun
that I look forward to them all year long.
One of Audubon's strong points is its support of and promotion of citizen
science in the annual Christmas Bird Count, the best recognized effort. This
year Murie's Christmas Count is Saturday, Dec. 27th, and Bates Hole's count
is Thursday, January 1st. This is an opportunity to not only contribute to
citizen science, but also to have some good fun. One of the best things
about the Christmas Count is that you don't need to be a very good birder to
participate. We have lots of good birders with whom we can put less
experienced people. In addition, the birds are not very difficult, and there
are not very many varieties in the winter. The only way you can really find
out how much fun the Christmas Count is, is to join us this year.
Field Trip - Saturday, Jan. 3, 2004. We will meet at the East Side Safeway at 9:00 am to go to the Dave Johnson power plant in Glenrock. Bring lots of warm clothes. We should be back by noon. . . . . . . . . . . . . Stacey Scott
The City of Casper Solid Waste Division has sent notice that Christmas trees (live, not artificial) can be disposed at 1) the end of Iris St. in Paradise Valley (Dec. 26-Jan. 30), 2) Fire Station #2 at 25th and Poplar (Dec. 26-Jan. 30), and 3) at the Balefill Compost Yard (anytime). So if you don't put your Christmas tree out in the yard for bird shelter (which they do appreciate, especially when small hawks check out your yard), please recycle the trees by taking them to one of these locations. And if you do put them in the yard, you can still take them to the balefill once they have served their purpose. . . . . . . . . . Donna Walgren
GULL
IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP REVIEWMurie Audubon's Gull Identification Workshop was held in Casper on November 8th with 14 people in attendance, including one person from Douglas and two people from Riverton. Doug Faulkner of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory guided us through a slide show of the gulls most likely to be seen in Wyoming. Doug showed us the plumage variations of each specie and what to look for in field marks. After the classroom session we went to the Casper landfill to test our newly acquired knowledge. As a group, we were able to identify four species of gulls of various ages: California Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull and Franklin's Gull. Because this workshop was so well received, we are considering having more on specific groups of birds. Watch WyoBirds, Plains and Peaks newsletter and Murie's website for details and information. We welcome your suggestions and comments. . Bruce and Donna Walgren
We want to express our sincere appreciation to Chris Saunders (Information and Education Specialist with Wyoming Game & Fish), Bruce and Donna Walgren, the Casper Journal, and all of the others who helped "get the word out" at the proper time to remind hunters to save game hearts for our hungry raptors in the Bird Hospital. Food is one of the most expensive items in out budget, and it has to be available every day!
A very big THANK YOU to all involved
in this project!!!!!
Lois and Frank Layton - Raptor Rehabilitators, Murie Audubon Bird Hospital
All but 17 (plus a little bit more) of our
classrooms have been sponsored this year. The bill was $3162 from National
Audubon. We have received $2415.50 from sponsors.
We would like to thank Charlotte Levendosy and Outdoor Women of Wyoming for
sponsoring more than one classroom. Don and Hallie Harris sponsored a
classroom. We received sponsorships in the form of a memorial for Lucy
Rognstad. Since Lucy was a sponsor for many years, I'm sure she would be
most appreciative.
Thank all of you for your continued support. . . . . .Ann Hines, Education Chairman
Our speaker for this year's banquet is John Acorn, an internationally known ecologist, educator, author, and musician from Edmonton, Alberta. John is perhaps best known in the United States as the writer and host of the television series Acorn, The Nature Nut, a family-oriented, how-to-be-a-naturalist show that aired on the Animal Planet cable channel. John will present A Field Guy and His Field Guides at our banquet at the Raddison Hotel on February 7, 2004. Tickets will be $25 each and will be available at our January monthly meeting.
Full biographical information on John and banquet information will be published in the February Plains and Peaks. Also, Murie Audubon's website will be updated periodically as details are available.
Any one wanting to donate items for the banquet raffle or silent auction, please contact Peg Cullen at 234-5692 or the Walgren's at 234-7455. . . . . . . . Bruce Walgren
NATURALISTS'
TOUR OF ICELANDEd Strube, Terry Logue, and Dana and Chris VanBurgh will be our guest speakers at our January 2, 2004 meeting. Ed, Terry, and Dana are well know for their teaching of the Field Science classes for the past forty summers. Dana's daughter, Chris, was also along on this trip - perhaps to keep our friends out of trouble! They found their roles reversed in the summer of 1999, as they became the students. Their trips were lead by locals who are experts in subjects such as geology, botany, zoology, and agriculture.
As of this writing, they are trying to edit all their pictures into a program for us. From lava flows to hay fields, off shore and in the air, the travelers enjoyed it all and are excited to share their experiences with us.
Come join us on Friday, January 2nd, 2004 at 7 pm at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building. As always, the program is free and open to the public, bring a friend and come join us. . . . . . . . . . Bruce Walgren
The October 25th Buffalo/Healy/DeSmet field trip found quite a few birds in spite of the cool temps and wind; species found included White-winged Scoter, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Horned Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Long-billed Dowitcher, Herring Gull, Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk, Am. Tree Sparrow, and Common Raven.
Interesting birds reported in November: Parasitic Jeager at the dump in Casper; an injured Ancient Murrelet found in the Afton High School parking lot; Gyrfalcon near Aladdin (Crook Co.); White-winged Scoter at the Buffalo water treatment plant; Surf Scoter at Healy; 2 Long-tailed Ducks and a Surf Scoter at Grey Reef; and at Woodruff Narrows Reservoir on Bear River - Pacific Loon, Surf Scoter, Am. Pipit, Sprague's Pipit, and Black Rosy-Finches. Also of note - the Curve-billed Thrasher is still being seen on the ranch in southern Sioux Co., Nebraska.
Of course, December is when we start planning which Christmas Bird Count we will help with - many bird enthusiasts participate in two or more counts every year. This is a good opportunity to get out and see winter birds and take part in "citizen science" activities. And remember, you don't have to be a "top-notch birder," to help with these counts; the more eyes and ears we have, the more birds we will find - and you will gain experience and birding skills in the process!
Wyoming Yard Birds - The Yard Bird list for October totaled 195 selections from 20 states and Yukon Territory. The No. 1 species picked was actually a 3-way tie between Downy Woodpecker, Dark-eyed Junco, and American Goldfinch. Second place was also a 3-bird tie - Steller's Jay, Northern Flicker, and Black-capped Chickadee. In third place (a 2-way tie) - Mtn. Chickadee and Blue Jay. There were still a few warblers reported -- Townsend's Warbler, Yellow-rump, and an Ovenbird. Sparrows, woodpeckers, and nuthatches are becoming more numerous, and also noted are hawks, especially accipiters, checking out the yard menus.
Casper: Pat Classen - Am. Goldfinch, Cecil Foote - Blue Jay, Joanne Odasz - Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Frank Odasz - Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon), Ed Reish - Am. Crow, Gloria Lawrence - Red-naped Sapsucker, Jim Lawrence - White-throated Sparrow, Jim Herold - Black-capped Chickadee, Rose-Mary King - N. Flicker (red-sh.), Mary Louise Zander - Blue Jay, Chris Michelson - Sharp-shinned Hawk, Peg Cullen - Mnt. Chickadee, Jack Kearns - Ovenbird, Norma McGee - N. Flicker, Stacey Scott - Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bart Rea - White-throated Sparrow, Frank/Lois Layton - Osprey, Sandy/Miguel Leotta - Black-billed Magpie, Doris Von Holdt - Am. Tree Sparrow, Dick Von Holdt - Sharp-shinned Hawk, Barbara/Jim Brown - Blue Jay, Bruce Walgren - Prairie Falcon, Donna Walgren - Am. Tree Sparrow; Alcova: Ed Reish - Townsend's Solitaire; Burgess Junction: Tom Varcalli - Brown Creeper; Centennial: Daniel Petroski - Pine Grosbeak; Cheyenne: Barb Gorges - Downy Woodpecker; Douglas: Billie Snell - Townsend's Solitaire; Dubois: Anna Moscicki - Am. Goldfinch, Ralph Moldenhauer - Painted Bunting; Evanston: Patti Gorman - House Sparrow; Fort Laramie: Alice Williams - Dark-eyed Junco (slate-col.); Garland: Nancy Ryan - Am. Goldfinch, Pat Ryan - Black-capped Chickadee; Glenrock: Tim Gorman - Am. White Pelican; Story: Bob South - Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Sundance: Jean Adams - Harris's Sparrow.
Thanks to all who helped with the Yard Bird Project in October. As winter progresses, more birds will be moving into our state looking for food and shelter. What will come into (or fly over) your yard? Pick the species you most enjoyed seeing in December and send your selection to Donna Walgren (ph. 234-7455), 4311 S. Center St., Casper 82601, or email Bruce & Donna.
To find out what has been seen around the state - other bird-related news, call 265-BIRD (in Casper), 1-888-265-BIRD (outside of Casper). . . . . . . . . Donna Walgren
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We are soliciting items for the Banquet (Feb. 7); Peg Cullen has a solicitation letter ready for anyone who needs a copy. |
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The Conservation Committee is looking for possible candidates for Conservation Awards to be presented during the Banquet. (If anyone has suggestions, contact a member of the committee.) |
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Christmas Bird Count post-count dinner - count participants must pay the $5.00 participation fee and $5.00 if they are coming to the dinner. (Dinner cost for guests is $10.00.) |
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Stacey Scott and Chris Michelson will be Murie's representatives on the Audubon Wyoming Chapter Relations Committee. |
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Murie is planning a series of monthly single-day bird classes in lieu of a 10-12 week session. |
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The Board
voted to donate $100 to the Murie Center in Moose in memory of Mardy Murie. |
Dorothea Graham says "I received my first P&P at Murie's website and I am so impressed! This is much better than a blah black & white mailing. Keep up the good work!"
(Ed.s note: Thank you very much, Dorothea! Send me an email message if you would like to save Murie money on printing and postage costs and receive your newsletter via the website. Your name will be dropped from the newsletter mailing list only.)
On October 22, 2003, Audubon Wyoming held a
volunteer appreciation event to thank the 60-plus dedicated and
committed volunteers who assisted with monitoring and conservation for
the IBA program.
This past field season, Audubon Wyoming continued to expand both the monitoring and conservation phases of its IBA program. Eight monitoring programs were initiated on six IBAs around the state, and each was conducted with the assistance of local community members and Chapters. Partnerships between the state office, four Audubon Chapters, and the community demonstrate how collaboration benefits conservation. IBA monitoring has contributed to better management and planning of the sites, increased conservation of key species and their habitats, and has promoted a community-wide conservation effort.
The success of the Wyoming
IBA program relies on local community interest in and engagement at
identified sites, particularly by Audubon Chapter members. The program
has prompted many to think about long-term protection of habitats under
both public and private ownership, and Audubon Wyoming continues to
receive nominations from Chapters as well as concerned local citizens
for new sites. The IBA Technical Review Group, composed of Audubon
Members with ornithological expertise and agency professionals, will
meet in November to discuss nine new nominations. For more information
on how Audubon Wyoming's program works, please contact
Alison Lyon at or visit
Audubon's IBA Program.
(From Audubon Newswire, Vol. 1, No. 7, 11-10-03 - excerpts.)
From Alison: I cannot say enough about the 62 individuals that have made
all these conservation and monitoring programs happen. Without their
help and dedication, the Audubon Wyoming Conservation Programs would not
exist.
Many thanks from myself, the
Audubon staff, and most importantly, THE BIRDS THANK YOU!!!
Volunteers: Bruce Dudley, Joe Scott, Stacy Scott, Jim Herold, Ann Hines,
Wilmer Hines, Chris Michelson, Bob Yonts, Rose-Mary King, Donna & Bruce
Walgren, Bud Byrd, Matt Holloran, Tom Varcalli, Peg Cullen, Betty
Rickman, Dina Utah, Carolyn Logan, Becky Holloran, Carol Deno, Ed Reish,
Tom Varcalli, Charlie Scott, Don Garrison, Doug Crowe, Joe Gerhart, Cory
Weibel, Matt Jorgenson, Miki England, Bradley H. Bakken, Scott Carleton,
Clark Cotton, Chris Sanders, Eric Anderson, Steve Slater, Jason Bennett,
Phil Stephens, Sam Richman, Tessa Dutcher, Daly Sheldon, Dave Edmund,
Lucy Rognstad, Carol Deno, Mary-Lynn, Tom Varcalli, Peg Cullen, James
Roberts, Bruce Woodward, Art Anderson, Vicki Herron, Barb and Mark
Gorges, Rodger Hammer, Val Dusek, Bill Gerhart, Dale Hanson, Greg
Johnson, John Hart, Chuck Saniawski, John Cornelison, Shay Howlin, and
Gary Johnson.
If I missed anyone, I greatly apologize!
Chapters' Volunteers and Friends
Art Anderson - IBA monitoring
Sophia Bogart - MAPS 2002
Peg Cullen - Pathfinder Monitoring
Carol Deno - Seedskadee and Wycott Ranch Monitoring
MaryLynn - Seedskadee NWR Monitroing
Miki England - MAPS 2003
Barb Gorges - IBA monitoring
Jim Herold - MAPS & Pathfinder Monitoring
Merlyn & Lynn Herold (Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc.) -
Care of MAPS injured birds
Ann Hines - Pathfinder Monitoring & MAPS 02-03
Wilmer Hines - Pathfinder Monitoring
Matt Jorensen - MAPS 03
Rose-Mary King - MAPS 02-03
Chris Michelson - MAPS 02-03, Pathfinder Monitoring
Ed Reish - Sage grouse monitoring
Betty Rickman - Pathfinder Monitoring
Karen Schlager - MAPS 03
Joe Scott - MAPS 02-03 -fishing trips!
Stacey Scott - MAPS 02-03, sage-grouse monitoring
Ed Strube - sage-grouse, MAPS 03
Tom Varcalli - Pathfinder Monitoring
Bruce & Donna Walgren - Pathfinder Monitoring,
MAPS 02, & sage-grouse monitoring
Cory Weibel - MAPS 03
Bob Yonts - MAPS 03, much support
James Roberts - Seedskadee NWR Monitroing
Bruce Woodward - Seedskadee NWR Monitroing
Brian Connely - sage-grouse 02
Dinah Utah - Pathfinder Monitoring
Dale Hanson - IBA monitoring
Charlie Scott - sage-grouse monitoring
National
Audubon Society and Rogers Family Coffee Companies last week announced
the launch of a line of habitat friendly, shade-grown, organic coffee
certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
Audubon magazine would like to
hear from Chapter members whose Christmas trees benefit wildlife. Do you
decorate an outdoor tree with winter delicacies like suet balls,
cranberries, and popcorn, or pine cones dipped in fat? Do you leave your cut
tree in your yard as winter habitat for birds and small mammals?
If so, or if you have other ways you help local wildlife with your holiday spirit, please send a brief description to Editor Jennifer Bogo. When sending your email, use the subject head: "Christmas Trees for Wildlife." Thank you and Happy Holidays!
(From Audubon Newswire, Vol. 1, No. 9, 12-10-03)
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November, 1968 - Officers: President - Florence Spring; Vice-president - Bayard Rea; Treasurer - Joe Yant; Recording Secretary - Willomae Green; Corresponding Secretary - Lois Layton. |
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Mid-November Field Notes: The bald eagles have been back for several weeks, there are many evening grosbeaks and chickadees in town for handouts, and Florence Spring and Willomae Green both report a pinyon jay at their feeders. Birders have seen whistling swan, snow geese, white pelican, many Canada geese and a weasel on short trips. Large flocks of gray-crowned rosy finches are back with us, and Dr. Scott reports a brown creeper in town and redpolls at his ranch, so winter must be here. |
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November, 1977 - Lois and Frank Layton report a cardinal and eastern blue jays in their yard recently. Both are obviously out of place, and probably learning to navigate in our stiff winds. |
Donna Walgren
I found an interesting bird list for Ocean Lake Wildlife Habitat Management Area (near Riverton) in the September, 1975 Plains and Peaks. (Charley Scott was president, Keith James was vice-president, and Bart Rea was secretary.) This list has some interesting birds on it. See if you can spot them!
Season seen: Spring to fall
Horned Grebe, Gadwall, Sandhill Crane, W. Grebe, Pintail, Sora Rail,
Pied-billed Grebe , Blue-winged Teal, Am. Coot, White Pelican, Cinnamon
Teal, Common Snipe, Short-skirted Hip Wobbler, Am. Widgeon, Am. Avocet,
Double-crested Cormorant, Redhead, Wilson's Phalarope, Great Blue Heron,
Lesser Scaup, California Gull, Snowy Egret, Ruddy Duck, Forster's Tern,
Black-crowned Night Heron, Common Merganser, Weekend Lark (closely related
to the Extra-Marital Lark, whose call is "kissy-kissy-kissy"), American
Bittern, Red-winged Blackbird, Canada Goose, Yellow-headed Blackbird,
Mallard, Long-billed Marsh Wren
Season seen: Migratory
Common Loon, Ring-necked Duck, Solitary Sandpiper, Eared Grebe, Canvasback,
Willet, White-faced Ibis, Am. Goldeneye, Lesser Yellowlegs, Whistling Swan,
Barrow's Goldeneye, Least Sandpiper, Wall-eyed Swan, Bufflehead, Long-billed
Dowitcher, White-fronted Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, Marbled Godwit, Snow
Goose, Virginia Rail, Ring-billed Gull, Green-winged Teal, Ruffled Spouse,
Franklin's Gull, Shoveler, Long-billed Curlew, Bonaparte's Gull, Bald Old
Coot, Upland Sandpiper, Black Tern, Wood Duck, Spotted Sandpiper.
Season Seen: Year around
Marsh Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Barrel Bellied Beer Guzzler.
If anyone knows who compiled this list, please let us know. (I do have a suspicion whom the author might be, as I bet several of you do.). . . . . . . . . Donna Walgren
The primary reason that our feathered friends migrate South in the Fall, or North in the Spring, does not solely lie in the cold of winter, as most are well-equipped to survive in extreme temperatures, but instead lies with the upcoming shortage of food. Mother Nature endowed birds with an internal clock that warns them to get out-of-town, or to face possible starvation. Because birds can to detect seasonal changes, they take note when the days become shorter, and fly South in search of alternate food sources, only to return home again in the Spring when there is an abundance of tasty insects, or small, scurrying rodents.
An additional trigger for birds to migrate is the need to breed to repopulate their species. Often, they return in the spring to procreate in the exact nesting spot they vacated in the fall. Birds certainly do qualify as creatures of habit!
The streamlined, aerodynamic birds go to great lengths to make their migratory trips, sometimes flying as far as to other continents, or from the lowlands to the highlands, or from the interior of a country to the seashore. The Arctic tern holds the long-distance medal for travel, as he travels from Antarctica to Massachusetts, logging up to 22,000 miles in stretches of up to 1,000 miles per week. Unfortunately, he does not rack up frequent flyer miles! Most land-lubbers make puddle-jumper like flights, with the exception of the American Golden Plover, who undertakes a non-stop, direct flight over the open expanse of ocean, from Nova Scotia to South America, without making one pit-stop!
For some reason, most migratory birds schedule their annual departure and return dates close to, or on the same day, as in the previous year. Their timing, however, is not exact, as is the case with the legendary swallows of Capistrano, California. Reportedly, their annual migration begins like clockwork on October 23, and ends with their return on March 19. The legendary swallows sometimes do disappoint and vary their migratory schedule, much to the chagrin of the California Division of Tourism!
No scientific certainty exists as to how migratory birds establish their flight plans or patterns. They are not blessed with the bat's radar system, so fly-by-night birds have no physical landmarks to guide them, and those who make overseas flights have no landmarks to go by, even during the daylight hours. The most prevalent, plausible theory is that migratory birds sense the magnetic fields that surround the earth, and guide their flights by these lines, which stretch from North to South. How else would young birds, who have logged no flight miles, successfully complete their migrations, especially in light of the fact that their mothers leave them in the dust, and begin their migrations first? Whatever the reason, neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these birds from the swift completion of their annual migrations!
(Submitted by Peg Cullen from Smilepop.com.)
California's Cedar wildfire, which raged out of
control through the San Diego area, burned all of the Silverwood Wildlife
Sanctuary, owned and operated by San Diego Audubon Society. The Silverwood
Sanctuary extends over 728 acres and is the largest privately owned nature
refuge in San Diego County.
All three of the residences occupied by the Resident Manager and her assistants were burned completely, but fortunately all Silverwood personnel were either out of the region or safely evacuated from the area. San Diego Audubon is assisting all three individuals both financially and in replacing some of their lost personal items, and will accept donations to assist them.
San Diego Audubon will monitor the post-fire ecology on the Sanctuary, to see how various species of flora and fauna respond and recover. The Sanctuary is closed to public visitation until further notice. For further information contact Phil Pryde at 619-465-9492 or 619-594-5525, or Wayne Harmon at 858-488-2250.
February 7 - 8, 2004 (#201) Limit: 16
Location: Lamar Valley
Instructor: Brian Thorpe, M.S.
$130 (Member's fee ($120)
Yellowstone National Park is the winter home to a number of charismatic bird
species, big and small, from eagles and swans to dippers and goldeneyes. In this
course we will learn how to identify many of these species, observe bird
behavior in the field, and explore how these remarkable creatures have adapted
to survive a long harsh Yellowstone winter. The course is geared for beginning
to intermediate birders. Fee includes $15 for course materials.
We will meet at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch at 9:00 am on the first day and end at 5:00 pm on the last day.
If you prefer to bring a larger group out, we also offer custom courses that can be tailored to your interests (10 or more students). For information on custom courses, please contact our Assistant Program Manager, Jenny Golding, at 406-848-2169.
For more information about our winter programs, please visit The Yellowstone Association or call us, Rebecca Pardo, Institute Registrar, (307) 344-2294.
The Yellowstone Association Institute is a nonprofit field school operated in partnership with Yellowstone National Park. It was established in 1976 and has grown to become one of the most respected field schools in the National Park System.
The Institute provides in-depth courses on the natural and cultural history of Yellowstone. These courses supplement the programs offered by the National Park Service and offer visitors an outstanding opportunity to experience the park in a small group with an expert instructor.
We have a multitude of programs this winter - one that particularly focuses on birds. Please feel free to share this information with staff or members of your organization.
REMEMBERING BOB & LUCY
From Sue Moore: The birders
all seem to remember Lucy for her cookies. I think she always made a certain
kind for Dr. Scott because they were his favorite.
Usually Wyoming doesn't have very many red cardinals, but one winter Lucy
had one in her yard.
Lucy loved to garden, but when it
got to be too much for her she was thrilled to learn that birds liked
"cover" and that she could just not do anything to her yard and leave it in
the "natural" state and that would attract a lot of birds.
Lucy seemed to always be running a bed and breakfast because whenever a
guest artist for Chamber Music, her relatives from Ohio, or her husband's
relatives from Norway, etc. came to Casper Lucy entertained them at her
lovely home, and they all seemed to love it.
From Bart Rea: To me, Lucy was the quintessential "Little Old Lady in Tennis Shoes" in the very best sense of that term. She was a devoted disciple of Dr. Oliver Scott who was considered by many to be the "dean" of birding in Wyoming. Like him, Lucy not only loved birding for her own enjoyment but felt it was her duty to instill a love and understanding of birds in others. Her appreciation of the natural world was infectious, and it was reinforced by her bottomless bowl of chocolate-chip cookies! She was one of the original "founders" of the Piggery and, together with Oliver and Bud Stratton, helped introduce many of us to the pleasures of birding using that locality as a teaching site. She had little use for the bureaucracies and politics of birding, feeling that it was more important to be outdoors with binoculars and a group of birding newcomers than to be sitting in a windowless meeting room.
I hope that now she can hear the birds singing a little more clearly.
From Ann Hines: There is an old saying, "When God made her, he threw away the pattern". I think it's appropriate for Lucy. What a wonderful person, she was! Unassuming, quiet, thoughtful, considerate and the list goes on and on. Wilmer and I spent many happy hours with Lucy on the road and at the cabin sipping wine, eating, and enjoying whatever happened along in the way of wildlife while there. I remember exploring the roads on Casper Mountain and taking her to the additional property on the backside of the mountain. I'm sure she is recording her daily list of birds in Heaven along with Oliver and Bud.
From Tom Rea: The deaths of Lucy Rognstad and Bob Lange recently brought back with a rush that Casper of the mid-1970s, when both their businesses made such a big difference in so many of our lives. Lucy and her twin sister Rose Earnshaw opened Gallery 323 on South David Street in the early 1970s. Bob and Naomi Lange opened their bookstore downtown on Wolcott Street in the early 1960s. By the early 1970s, when I first got to Casper, those were the two best places to hang out, if you liked to talk--or, for that matter if you didn't. If you just wanted a cool half hour on a hot afternoon to look at pictures at 323, or had some unmarked time to browse the shelves at Lange's, you were equally welcome whether you felt like talking or not. "Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee," ran the motto across the top of the Lange's Book Shop sales tickets. When I got a chance to work there, I was struck by how Bob's regular habits contrasted with his flamboyant discourse and opinions. What a great talker he was! Naomi was the level, quiet one--I remember her telling me the day I began: "Always greet the customer, make eye contact, find out if the person wants help and if not, let her browse as long as she likes." She was there most of the time, thank goodness; Bob would be in and out during the day but always, without fail, arrived an hour before closing to post out. Each book in the shop had an index card, and each sale got marked on each card the day it happened. By checking the card, Bob could check a month's or a year's sales of a title at a glance, and know when and how much to reorder. Running a shop well meant never having too much or too little stock on hand, it meant delighting in your customers, and it meant keeping track of both. Bob loved his family first, we all knew, but he loved his business second. His business included all the great books ever written as well as all the rest of us, customers and employees, and we in turn counted ourselves lucky to be among his friends.
Lucy and Rose's gallery spread similar energies through town and out into the world. There was always something interesting hung on those chic, bare-brick walls, and before too many weeks went by it would change, too--which meant there was another opening coming up. I confess, being twenty-three or -four years old then, to looking forward for days at a time to those openings. Once in a long while I actually bought something, but mostly I looked forward to a polyglot crowd of people--people of all ages and interests, a significant proportion of whom were sure to be female-new pictures on the walls, new weavings, pots sculptures--and, OK, a free glass of wine.
Some of us might have said we liked
the book store and the gallery because they were devoted to the life of the
mind. But Bob and Lucy knew something more important, even if they didn't
say it. They were devoted to the life of the heart.
From June Calmes: Remember
Lucy and the chocolate chip cookies? She carried them, freshly baked, to
give as treats to birders as we hiked along with Dr. Scott on Saturday and
Sunday mornings. (For him, she baked the cookies without nuts.)
Lucy, Jean Parson and I counted birds on the riparian survey along Garden
Creek in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Stop number 11 was at Lucy's
house - we would hurry into the kitchen for a quick cup of coffee and, of
course, chocolate chip cookies.
Those were special days spent with a kind and generous friend.
From Jim Herold: Over the years I have driven by Lucy's home almost on a daily basis. As I drove, I thought of Lucy and the warm friendly person she was and how appreciative she was of the little things one did for her. She was such a considerate person and when we conversed she would write to me so that she was sure I heard everything she was saying. I really appreciated that gesture. I still drive by her home almost daily and think of her each time and how I miss her not being there. She is truly a person I will always remember.
From Bob South: All of us who had the pleasure of birding with her will always remember her cookies. Not many ladies would take the time she did to see that we all had a cookie (or two) every time we went out and that was a lot of times. I went on a number of trips to Arizona, Texas, California and the East coast with Oliver, Lucy and others and invariably Oliver would be pacing the pavement early in the morning waiting for Lucy and other girls to bring their 100 pound bags of hair curlers, make up kits, clothes, etc. out from their rooms. More than once we had to keep him from driving off without them. She was a lovely person and we who knew her were blessed.
From Bruce and Donna Walgren: Murie Audubon has recently lost two of the organization's charter members. Our chapter and the Casper area are saddened by the passing of Lucy Rognstad and Bob Lange.
Lucy was a vital thread in our chapter's fabric. She was not only one of the charter members of Wyoming Audubon Society (later to become Murie Audubon Society), she was continually active within the organization - working as newsletter editor, serving on the board of directors for many years, helping with field trips for elementary classes, high school classes, and Field Science outings. She was an avid birder, rarely missing a field trip, and joining Dr. Scott and others on birding treks around the country (she had some wonderful "Dr. Scott stories"), and conducting the Garden Creek riparian survey for many years. And always she had a container of chocolate chip cookies with her. She was among the first birding friends Bruce and I met when we came to Casper. She loved music, reading, hiking, snowshoeing, and art. Lucy was also an amateur botanist, and she shared many wonderful floral experiences with me.
Bob Lange is probably best known for his book store - Lange's Bookshop in Casper. He also taught humanities at Casper College. Bart Rea describes him as a true scholar and a philosopher, noting that Lange's Bookshop became a gathering place for discussions of the classics and contemporary works on history, sociology, philosophy, and other genres of literature.
We will miss these two people who were such an important part of our chapter's history. But what is also remarkable to note is that their wide range of interests and expertise is representative of the people we have in our organization - and we can be very proud of that.
Personally, we can not think of birding without thinking of Lucy, her gentle quiet way of teaching about birds, and her hospitality (those chocolate chip cookies!!). Lucy will be missed by many, many friends and relatives.
Remember, when you are out birding, as Lucy always said, "Birds are where you find them."