CAS Events Listings

Field Trip: Millions of Blackbirds at a Boone County Roost

Come witness a mind-boggling concentration of blackbirds at a northern Boone County winter roost, now confirmed in its sixth year (at least) of activity. Recent activity is as robust as we’ve ever experienced. This spectacle can impress anyone, from non-birders to globe trotters. Consider bringing a friend!

We’ll gather at 3:45 p.m (about an hour before sunset, which is at 4:46 p.m. on Dec 4). Expect to stay through ~5:30, and bring extra layers of warm clothing, as it can get rather chilly as the sun goes down. Leaders Eric and Joanna will be on-site to describe the background history of the roost, then we’ll watch as the show unfolds; each time is unique and exciting.

Meet at the site (click here for map; note that Google shows the name of the road as “Dun Bar” even though it is actually “Dunbar”). The viewing area is at the end of a dead-end gravel road with plenty of parking along the side of the road. No bathrooms are available.

One disclaimer: Human cases of histoplasmosis (a fungal infection) have been associated with other blackbird roosts with a multi-year presence. We have no way to assess the actual risk here. Use your own judgment about whether this is a good trip for you.

Contact cherthollow@gmail.com with questions.

Additional background on the roost:

• A short video about the roost: https://youtu.be/SO9AHgtRkSo
• “Birds in Big Numbers” (2023 talk for the Missouri River Bird Observatory): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omK7d7U4G2g
• An article about the roost:  September 2020 Bluebird, (p. 169-182).
• The original article for The Chat that led to the “discovery” of the roost: https://www.columbia-audubon.org/birds-in-big-numbers-flocks-of-blackbirds-and-starlings/

First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands

First Friday Fun! Join the Columbia Audubon Society for a bird walk. This walk is open to anyone who enjoys birds, and beginners are encouraged to attend. We will walk at the 3M Wetland Trail, just off the MKT Trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station parking lot (map) at 8 a.m. sharp and then drive down the hill to park near the wetlands (less than a 5 min. drive). We’ll enjoy all the Missouri birds in this natural, lush landscape. The walk is about 1.75 miles on a level, gravel trail. Waterproof shoes are recommended, but not required. After our walk, we’ll return to Songbird Station by 11 a.m. and enjoy coffee and donuts. Led by Lottie Bushmann.

Christmas Bird Count and Chili Potluck, Saturday, Dec. 14th

Join us this year for the 125th annual Christmas Bird Count!

We will plan to send out our teams on Saturday Dec. 14th. Please contact your section leader if you have worked with someone in the past to get details for your job. If you haven’t participated recently (or are a newbie!) please email Lottie Bushmann at lottie.bushmann@gmail.com to get set up with a team. All experience levels are welcome.

• Columbia Audubon has a strong tradition with participation in this amazing citizen scientist project. Please read Bill Clark’s article in the Nov. 2021 Chat at this link History of the Christmas Bird Count to learn more about this historic event.
• We’ll use ebird to compile our data as well as a count during the Chili Supper. Simply share your ebird lists from the day with the username: casbirddata.
• Not interested in going out to bird but would like your feeder birds included in the count? If your home is within our 16 mile count circle, you can submit an ebird list and share it with casbirddata. If you’re not sure if your home is in the area, email me and I’ll help you figure it out. Not an ebird user? You can still participate by emailing me a list of your yardbirds and I can submit an ebird list on your behalf. This is another fun way to become involved and make your birds count.

Chili Supper

After our bird quests in the field, come enjoy food, friends, and our total tally of feathered residents and visitors at CAS Christmas Bird Count Chili Supper/Potluck. We’ll look at species totals and see how this year stacks up against previous years.

Saturday December 14th at Fairview Community of Christ Church, 1111 S. Fairview Road (one mile S. of Broadway.) The event starts at 5:30pm, dinner should start at 6 pm. We have the building for the evening. Parking is in the rear. We’ll be in the Community Hall at the south end of the building as usual.

The Chili Supper is a potluck. We need contributions of chili, bread, veggies and desserts. If you weren’t able to sign-up to bring a contribution, you can email Emma Buckingham at buckinghame@missouri.edu to find out what we still need to round out our dinner. Drinks will be provided.

Tables are available for chili crockpots, and we will bring some multi-plug outlets, but if you have an outlet, that would be helpful. CAS would like help setting up tables and chairs and putting them away when done.

LOOK FOR CBC RESULTS in the January CHAT newsletter.
QUESTIONS? Ask John Besser (jbesser1@gmail.com) or Lottie Bushmann (lottie.bushmann@gmail.com)

December bird walk: Rock Bridge Memorial State Park (Sinkhole Trail)

Join us to look for birds along the Sinkhole Trail at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, traversing 1.4 miles of moderate terrain through old fields (lots of sparrows!) and both bottomland and upland woodlands. After leaving the trailhead in the Devil’s Icebox parking area, the trail follows an old road through the historic site of Rockbridge Mills and to a spring with a concrete pad and pipes left over from the early 1900s. The trail continues up a forested valley to the top of a ridge, where visitors can find old fields and sinkholes. The cedars are usually thick with Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows and even occasionally a Brown Creeper. White connector 3 is available to shorten the hike if we collectively deem the trail not very birdy that day.

Meet at the Devil’s Icebox Parking Area at 7:30 a.m. Wear sturdy shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. Bring your own water. Contact trip leader Allison Vaughn (allisonjv at yahoo dot com) with any questions.

First Day Hike at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park

Celebrate the New Year with the Columbia Audubon Society by joining an afternoon birding hike at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park on January 1st, 2025. We’ll walk the Grassland Trail from 2:30–4:30 p.m., exploring the mixed grassland, shrub, and forest-edge habitats to look for sparrows, raptors, and any other fauna or flora of interest.

This trip is officially hosted by Missouri State Parks, which requests that attendees register in advance (check back for details).

Meet at the Grasslands Trailhead parking lot at 2:30 p.m. If the parking lot is full, vehicles may be parked on the edge of the wide gravel road on the grassland side of the road. Contact trip leaders Eric & Joanna Reuter (cherthollow@gmail.com) with any questions.

First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands

First Friday Fun! Join the Columbia Audubon Society for a bird walk. This walk is open to anyone who enjoys birds, and beginners are encouraged to attend. We will walk at the 3M Wetland Trail, just off the MKT Trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station parking lot (map) at 8 a.m. sharp and then drive down the hill to park near the wetlands (less than a 5 min. drive). We’ll enjoy all the Missouri birds in this natural, lush landscape. The walk is about 1.75 miles on a level, gravel trail. Waterproof shoes are recommended, but not required. After our walk, we’ll return to Songbird Station by 11 a.m. and enjoy coffee and donuts. Led by Lottie Bushmann.

Self-guided moss walk: Wild Haven Nature Area

Have you taken the time to examine mosses close up? And to think about the relationships between mosses and birds? We’re excited to announce a new, self-guided moss walk at Wild Haven Nature Area that encourages you to do just that!

The trail guide is formatted to be easily read on a mobile device (with the goal of saving paper; please don’t print it).

Download the guide here.

The total length of the hike is under a mile, but it’s easy for time to fly when examining mosses, so plan for at least a couple of hours at Wild Haven. Conditions in winter and early spring are ideal for looking at mosses; sunlight bathes the forest floor, ticks aren’t especially active, and neotropical migrants aren’t yet distracting. But the trail can be completed at any time of year.

We suggest that you bring: 

—A hand lens or magnifying glass. This will help you appreciate the miniature world of mosses.
—A spray bottle with water (but no chemical residues). Use to rehydrate mosses when conditions are dry; watch the leaves swell with water in front of your eyes.
—A water bottle for yourself, plus snacks, standard hiking gear, and binoculars for the birds.

No bathrooms or potable water are available at Wild Haven.

Louise Flenner developed this trail to share her knowledge and enthusiasm about mosses and their importance to birds. Thanks, Louise!

Please direct questions and comments to: 

Louise Flenner (lflenner@hotmail.com), developer of the moss trail
John Besser (jbesser1@gmail.com), Nature Area chair
David Neely (dustandwood@gmail.com), volunteer manager of Wild Haven Nature Area

Second Saturday Birding: Leader needed!

Second Saturday birding: A series of field trips with a variety of destinations and led by a variety of Columbia Audubon Society members. We are currently recruiting leaders! Leaders do not have to be bird experts. It is more important to be familiar with the walk’s location; the destination, time of day, and duration of the field trip can all be chosen by the leader.

Are you at all interested in leading? Take a look at the guidance for field trip leaders, and send an email to field trip coordinators Eric & Joanna Reuter (cherthollow@gmail.com). We are happy to share a list of possible destinations with those who might be interested in leading.

January Membership Meeting: Book Discussion of “Backyard Bird Chronicles” by Amy Tan

For the January Membership meeting, join us for a discussion of Amy Tan’s new book The Backyard Bird Chronicles.

Mapping the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions and beautiful original sketches, best-selling author Amy Tan shares her search for solace, which turned into an opportunity to connect with nature in a meaningful way and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired.

Please note the location of this month’s meeting at the Daniel Boone Regional Library (Columbia) and slightly earlier time, 6:30 PM, to accommodate library hours.

Map to the Daniel Boone Regional Library

First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands

First Friday Fun! Join the Columbia Audubon Society for a bird walk. This walk is open to anyone who enjoys birds, and beginners are encouraged to attend. We will walk at the 3M Wetland Trail, just off the MKT Trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station parking lot (map) at 8 a.m. sharp and then drive down the hill to park near the wetlands (less than a 5 min. drive). We’ll enjoy all the Missouri birds in this natural, lush landscape. The walk is about 1.75 miles on a level, gravel trail. Waterproof shoes are recommended, but not required. After our walk, we’ll return to Songbird Station by 11 a.m. and enjoy coffee and donuts. Led by Lottie Bushmann.

First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands

First Friday Fun! Join the Columbia Audubon Society for a bird walk. This walk is open to anyone who enjoys birds, and beginners are encouraged to attend. We will walk at the 3M Wetland Trail, just off the MKT Trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station parking lot (map) at 8 a.m. sharp and then drive down the hill to park near the wetlands (less than a 5 min. drive). We’ll enjoy all the Missouri birds in this natural, lush landscape. The walk is about 1.75 miles on a level, gravel trail. Waterproof shoes are recommended, but not required. After our walk, we’ll return to Songbird Station by 11 a.m. and enjoy coffee and donuts. Led by Lottie Bushmann.

First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands

First Friday Fun! Join the Columbia Audubon Society for a bird walk. This walk is open to anyone who enjoys birds, and beginners are encouraged to attend. We will walk at the 3M Wetland Trail, just off the MKT Trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station parking lot (map) at 8 a.m. sharp and then drive down the hill to park near the wetlands (less than a 5 min. drive). We’ll enjoy all the Missouri birds in this natural, lush landscape. The walk is about 1.75 miles on a level, gravel trail. Waterproof shoes are recommended, but not required. After our walk, we’ll return to Songbird Station by 11 a.m. and enjoy coffee and donuts. Led by Lottie Bushmann.

First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands

First Friday Fun! Join the Columbia Audubon Society for a bird walk. This walk is open to anyone who enjoys birds, and beginners are encouraged to attend. We will walk at the 3M Wetland Trail, just off the MKT Trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station parking lot (map) at 8 a.m. sharp and then drive down the hill to park near the wetlands (less than a 5 min. drive). We’ll enjoy all the Missouri birds in this natural, lush landscape. The walk is about 1.75 miles on a level, gravel trail. Waterproof shoes are recommended, but not required. After our walk, we’ll return to Songbird Station by 11 a.m. and enjoy coffee and donuts. Led by Lottie Bushmann.