Many Birds Seen at Ucross Bird Walk

A sunny, slightly windy day greeted the nearly 60 guests who turned out at the Ucross Foundation to attend the Bighorn Audubon Society guided bird walk on Saturday, April 26. The event offered a special opportunity to witness spring migration and explore the diverse ecosystems of the Ucross Ranch, one of Wyoming’s officially designated Important Bird Areas (IBA).

JoAnn Puckett, member of the Bighorn Audubon Society, talked about the upcoming walk.

She described some of the birds that she had recently seen in the area, including marbled godwits, solitary sandpipers and lots of ducks. She added that several other observes saw other species.

On Saturday, geese, redwing black birds, meadowlarks, mallards, great blue herons, sandhill cranes, pelicans and bald eagles were some of the birds observed on the walk.

One young participate, Hazel Hoversten, wearing her princess dress, enjoys the hike.

Puckett added that in addition to sandhill cranes, a common crane was sighted in Dayton, which is the second time a common crane has been seen in Wyoming. “That’s a big deal,” she said. She wanted to emphasize that people should be aware of many different species and sub-species that can be seen. “When you see some of these birds, don’t assume it’s just a sandhill, it could be a common crane.”

Participants met at the Ucross Art Gallery before setting off on a scenic, 1.5-mile loop through the ranch’s varied terrain, including wetland areas and open grasslands that provide prime birdwatching opportunities.