Cheyenne Birds by the Month

Book excerpt: Two of Cheyenne, Wyoming's well-known birdwatchers have collaborated on this celebration of 104 of the Capitol City's most-likely-to-be-seen birds. Photographer Pete Arnold, often found birding local hotspots camera at the ready, shares his art. Author Barb Gorges, bird columnist for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle for 20 years, shares insights into avian residents and visitors.Each of Pete Arnold's 6 by 6-inch bird photos is accompanied by 80-100 words by Barb Gorges about the species. She gives the reader a general impression of the bird from her experience birding Cheyenne for 30 years, plus interesting tidbits about behavior that might be observed in the month the bird is featured.Included is a checklist of all 326 bird species that may be seen in the Cheyenne area with information about what time of year and how easily they may be seen. There's also a list of birdwatching resources and the American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics.In the introduction Barb Gorges explains the genesis of the book as "Bird of the Week" blurbs for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle and thanks birding mentors and contributors to the book in the Acknowledgements. In "A Word from the Photographer," Pete Arnold writes about his fascination with photography and birds. Book designer Chris Hoffmeister, Western Sky Design, introduces each month with a chapter title page featuring a patchwork of closeups of the featured birds. While the book is not intended as a field guide, scanning these pages may help with quicker bird identification.