Arrive To: Independent arrivals at motel by 5:00 p.m.

Dinner: Dinner at a popular local restaurant

Evening: Required orientation and introductory lecture

Lodging: Best Western University Inn

Meals Included: Dinner

Note: Walking up to 1 mile in morning on flat gravel surfaces; afternoon walk of 1 mile on paved trail, some short up and downhill stretches; evening walk on University of Wyoming Campus

Breakfast: Continental Breakfast in motel

Morning: Travel by van from Fort Collins to Cheyenne. Our first stop is the historic Wyoming Hereford working cattle ranch. In 2008, out of 123 bird species observed in the Cheyenne area, 81 were observed at WHR. Audubon Wyoming has designated WHR as an IBA (important bird area) and is one of the better birding sites in Wyoming. Target species will include an assortment of waterfowl, Willet, American Avocet, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Belted Kingfisher.

Lunch: Local restaurant lunch were we order off the menu.

Afternoon: We travel west out of Cheyenne to the Lincoln Highway high point and the US Forest Service Recreation area called Vedauwoo. We walk along a forest path surrounded by impressive rock spires birding the migratory and nesting birds of the area. Check into hotel in Laramie in late afternoon.

Dinner: We dine tonight at a local favorite restaurant in downtown Laramie where we order off the menu.

Evening: After dinner we will walk and bird the beautiful campus of the University of Wyoming.

Lodging: Hilton Garden Inn Laramie

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Van travel with several short stops and walks up to 1/2 mile.

Breakfast: Full Buffet Breakfast in Hotel

Morning: A tour of the grasslands and Plains Lakes, including Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, is on today’s agenda. We will bird our way to the refuge and spend the morning there. Target species include White-faced Ibis, Black-crowned Night Heron, Wilson’s Phalarope, Red-necked Phalarope, Sage Thrasher, McCowen’s Longspur, Golden Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, and Prairie Falcon.

Lunch: We return for lunch at a restaurant in Laramie.

Afternoon: We travel into the Southern Plains of the Laramie area with a canyon stop on the Wyoming-Colorado Border to search for Prairie Falcons that also may be nesting.

Dinner: We dine at a local restaurant in downtown Laramie where we order off of the menu.

Evening: After dinner in Laramie we may, weather permitting, take a drive north of town in search of Mountain Plovers and Burrowing Owls.

Lodging: Hilton Garden Inn Laramie

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Morning walk at Happy Jack, 1.5 miles on trail and road with some hills. Afternoon: short stops and very short walks.

Breakfast: Full Buffet Breakfast in Hotel

Morning: Early morning birdwalk on the Happy Jack trails, US National Forest land 12 miles east of Laramie. Target species for the birdwalk will include Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red Crossbill, Red-napped Sapsucker, Northern Goshawk. We return mid-morning to Laramie, check-out of the hotel and begin the drive West birding the Little Laramie River Valley.

Lunch: Box lunch in the Snowy Range Mountains

Afternoon: Continue our drive from Laramie to Saratoga, WY via the Snowy Range National Scenic Highway. Short stops along the way. The alpine wildflower season will be near its peak, and birds we will see along the way may include Cassin’s Finch, Pine Grosbeak, American Dipper, and American Three-toed Woodpecker. We arrive late afternoon at the Saratoga Resort.

Dinner: We dine at the Saratoga Resort Restaurant

Evening: Free to enjoy resort hot springs pools or explore town of Saratoga

Lodging: Saratoga Resort and Spa

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Two Morning walks, first is 1/2 mile on level trail along river; second is 1 mile along lake on level road. Afternoon one or two short walks at Ranch.

Breakfast: Resort continental breakfast

Morning: For the morning we’ll drive in the Saratoga Valley, visiting and walking at the Saratoga Lake wetlands and riparian areas along the North Platte River. We look for songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, and shorebirds.

Lunch: We dine at a historic hotel restaurant in downtown Saratoga

Afternoon: We drive north from Saratoga to the Wyoming Game and Fish Wick Habitat Management Unit near Arlington. This is an opportunity to observe more bird species plus Pronghorn, Deer and smaller mammals. Also this site has been developed for wind energy and we will learn by expert lecture the pros and cons especially for birds and wildlife of wind turbine farms such as we will observe.

Dinner: We dine at the Saratoga Resort Restaurant

Evening: Enjoy lodge and hot springs pools

Lodging: Saratoga Resort and Spa

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Walks in the morning on level trains, roads, and boardwalks: one for 3/4 mile and one for 1/2 mile at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge; afternoon walk at Sate Park Visitor Center of 1/2 mile.

Breakfast: Resort continental breakfast

Morning: We drive through the high valley of North Park completely surrounded by snowy peaks. We’ll pay a visit to the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge a few miles south of Walden.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant in downtown Walden.

Afternoon: Return to Fort Collins by way of scenic Cameron Pass and Poudre Canyon. We will stop at a State Visitor Center for a walk and to visit the exhibits looking for Moose and many song birds. We will be arriving in Fort Collins in late afternoon.

Dinner: We dine this evening at a local restaurant.

Evening: Farewells, compile week's bird list

Lodging: Best Western University Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Motel check-out is 11 AM

Breakfast: Motel continental buffet

Morning: Departures after Breakfast, Check-out time 11 am.

Meals Included: Breakfast