Author Archives: John Besser

Saturday, March 3rd

Field Trip to Eagle Bluffs CA

9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

  We will drive through Eagle Bluffs, stopping to look and set up scopes if we see something at a distance and finish around noon. Bring:  Binoculars, and spotting scope and FRS radio if you have one. Leader: John Besser Contact Info: jbesser1@gmail.com  

Saturday, February 24th

CAS Lake Tour 2018

8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

  We will leave the AC commuter parking lot at 8 a.m. and visit as many lakes as we can until noon in search of ducks and geese.  Phillips, R-1, and Little Dixie Lake will be visited, along with other lakes around Columbia. If it happens that the lakes are frozen we will visit Bradford

Saturday, February 17th

Great Backyard Bird Count Feeder Crawl

8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.

  The Feeder Crawl will start at Songbird Station at 8 a.m. From there we’ll ‘crawl’ to various backyard bird feeders in and around the Columbia area and count birds for at least 15 minutes at each backyard, then submit each checklist to eBird.  The trip will last about 2 to 3 hours and return

Saturday, February 10th

CANCELED: Field Trip to Eagle Bluff CA

9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

Canceled due to the forecast for wintry precipitation and lack of open water for water birds.

Saturday, January 6th

Field Trip to Grasslands Trail – Rock Bridge SP

8:00 am

This area was burned in March 2017 and hosts a great display of prairie grasslands teeming with prairie plant seeds and lots of sparrows and raptors. The 2 mile trail passes by natural sinkhole ponds that sometimes harbor wetland birds. A section of the trail traverses woodlands with open canopy structure and lots of woodpeckers.

Saturday, January 27th

Field Trip to Riverlands and Columbia Bottoms

6:00 a.m.

  WE will meet the St Louis Audubon Society group at Riverlands (Teal Pond parking lot) at 8:00 AM. Should be a great chance to see lots of swans and other wintering water birds, if the weather cooperates! The SLAS trip will last all day and the CAS group will plan to return to Columbia no later

Monday, January 1st

Cancelled – Field Trip to Forum Nature Area and Twin Lakes

1:30 p.m.

Due to extreme cold predicted for Monday it has been decided to cancel this field trip.  

Saturday, December 2nd, 2017

Field Trip to Chert Hollow Farm

8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Leader:  Eric & Joanna Reuter Contact Info:  eric@cherthollowfarm.com 573-474-0989 or Eric Wood ewood802@yahoo.com 573-673-0215   Come explore the 40 acres of mixed woods and fields managed by CAS members Eric & Joanna Reuter in northern Boone County (about 15-20 minutes from Columbia). We’ll look for winter birds and observe their behavior in a variety of habitats; our

Saturday, November 18th, 2017

Long Branch Lake field trip

We leave Moser’s at 7:00 a.m. and return by 3:00 p.m. Mostly driving and stopping at viewpoints looking for gulls, grebes, loons, waterfowl, and a possible Northern Shrike. With a possible easy trail walk. Bring:  Binoculars, and spotting scope and FRS radio if you have one.

Saturday, November 4th, 2017

Field Trip to Smithville Lake

10am

We will leave Moser’s at 8:00 am and meet with Grand River Audubon at the Crows Creek Shelter at around 10:00 am viewing the lake from there and the dam until 3:00 pm arriving home by 5:00 pm. We will be eating at the lake so a sack lunch will be necessary. Bring:  Sack lunch,

Saturday, November 11th, 2017

Field Trip to Binder Lake

8:00 am

The lot is on the southeast corner of the AC exit off Hwy 63 on Lenoir St.  If you’re not joining the carpool, meet at the tackle shop on the north side of the lake at 8:40 a.m.  where we will join with River Bluff Audubon Society. After the trip we’ll have lunch near Binder