by Jim Gast

I hope all is going well with you and that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. December promises to be a busy month with the CoMoGives campaign starting on December 1^st and the Christmas Bird Count on December 19th. Instead of our usually chili tallying supper we’ll be having a ZOOM meeting to discuss the day’s birding.

Motus Tower Update

The Motus tower that CAS is funding in memory of Brad Jacobs will be going up at Bradford Farms

.  If all goes well, the tower should be operating by Spring 2021. It has a 15 kilometer (9.3 miles) range meaning that it should be able to track birds with collars at Bradford Farm, Little Dixie CA, Three Creeks CA, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, and possibly 3M Wetlands. The map shows the potential range.

Council House update

Bids are due on December 3^rd for the construction of the Council House at the Boone County Nature School. The contract we will be awarded on December 14^th. Several contractors attended the pre-bid meeting. Columbia Audubon donated $30,000 for the construction.

More Videos for You to Watch

If you missed the November general meeting on the Greenbelt Land Trust, you can watch it at  https://youtu.be/i7KFMV_oCcQ

Check out Bill Mees and Allison Vaughn at CANS, https://seamank7.wixsite.com/conservation/audubon, and Roxie Campbell at Wild Haven, https://seamank7.wixsite.com/conservation/honeysuckle-hack, in these two videos created by Mizzou students as part of a class project.

Dana Ripper and Ethan Duke of the Missouri River Bird Observatory conducted an online sparrow identification workshop for the Missouri Prairie Foundation.  You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT5f2skQTwY.

Winter Bird Identification Webinar

Speaking of Dana, she and Sarah Kendrick will be sponsoring a winter bird identification class on December 11^th at 7:00 PM To register, go to https://mobirds.org/ASM/SpecialEvent.aspx?id=3.  The event is sponsored by the Missouri Birding Society.  You do not need to be an MBS member to participate.

Runge Nature Center in Jefferson City had an interesting interpretation sign for social distancing: “Keep one turkey vulture of space between you and others.”