SUBLETTE COUNTY — Looking for a great way to spend the end of 2023 or perhaps a new holiday tradition? Consider taking part in the 2023 Audubon Christmas Bird Count around Pinedale on Sunday, Dec. 31. Christmas bird counts are held annually across the country and add depth to the Audubon Society’s annual survey of a wide variety of birds and waterfowl that thrive around town. The data is used to increase knowledge of bird species in a given area. Some of the most “unusual birds” counted around Sublette County historically include the Woodhouse’s scrub jay, varied thrush and Harris’s sparrows. More common birds found in the area include golden eagles, goldfinches, black-capped chickadees, black-billed magpies, common ravens and trumpeter swans. Information from the count is turned over to Cornell University for compilation.
Participants should bring along binoculars or spotting scopes, a birding field guide, good walking shoes and a camera.
For times, routes and winter bird lists, contact Elizabeth Boehm at wildcolorpobox@hotmail.com. A potluck dinner and bird discussion will follow the count on Jan. 2, 2024.
Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey
The Pinedale Bureau of Land Management Field Office is seeking volunteers to participate in the National Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey along public roads in Sublette County. The event takes place on Saturday, Jan. 6, but volunteers must sign up by Thursday, Jan. 4 to be assigned survey routes and receive instructions on survey methods and eagle identification. Two-person observation teams are needed so that one person can safely drive while the other observes and documents eagles. For more information, contact Theresa Gulbrandson at 307-367-5359.