Hi all, I hope this finds you well and enjoying this lovely reprieve in the formidable winter ice and temperatures. I hope you’re able to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather. As always, Columbia Audubon has lots of ways for you to fill your time starting with a hike this weekend with Eric and
Read MoreWith the funds MBS earns participating in the CACHE/SPARKS agreements with the Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri State Parks we are able to participate as funding partners in many MBS Partnership Projects. Special emphasis has been placed on encouraging birders to visit parks and conservation areas with few reports and to those with fewer than
Read MoreCAS has hired a short-term contractor for control of invasive plants at Wild Haven nature area. For the next couple months, Davyn Orcutt will be working at Wild Haven on Sundays and Mondays. Our goal is to recruit one or more CAS volunteers to work with Davyn on each of the planned work days. By helping with
Read MoreMissouri Birding Challenge… Get Ready For It! The Missouri Department of Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Missouri River Bird Observatory and the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation invite both new and experienced birders to join the first ever Missouri Birding Challenge, May 1–15, 2025. Learn more about the Challenge and related topics at the Missouri Birding Challenge website. Full Challenge rules
Read MoreThe Missouri Decoy Collectors is a group of individuals from around the State of Missouri and adjacent States who gather each year at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Runge Nature Center to both study and exchange historic waterfowl decoys. Their focus is largely to duck, goose, and other decoys that have been made in the
Read MoreSave the Date: Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon 2025 What: The Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon is a 24-hour birding event designed for participation by birders who are legally blind. This inaugural event encourages participants to identify as many bird species as possible by sound (or sight as able), celebrating accessibility and the joy of birding. Who: Any legally blind individual in the
Read MoreHappy New Year! I hope that you enjoyed the holidays in whatever way you celebrate and that you were surrounded by those you love (and that could be birds…just saying). There is much to celebrate within our chapter and you can read all about it in this month’s Chat. The Christmas Bird Count had a
Read MoreIt is hard to put into words what it means to the CAS board that so many members, neighbors, friends and family members donated during this holiday season to help us reach our goal of raising $10,000. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for taking the time out of your busy schedule during the most hectic time
Read MoreThe annual Columbia Christmas Bird Count was held December 15, 2024. After much concern about the forecast for rain on Saturday, we postponed the count to Sunday but held the Chili Dinner as scheduled, on Saturday evening. The dinner was well-attended (and delicious!) and Sunday brought much better weather for the count. Early morning drizzle
Read MoreBill Mees and all of his dedication to the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary was featured in the paper this week. See the video here: https://www.columbiamissourian.com/dedicated-conservationist-helps-restore-columbia-audubon-nature-sanctuary/article_4f76bb6a-c481-11ef-a17a-1b57702fd92e.html
Read MoreHi all! I hope this finds you well and looking forward to the change in seasons. Before I became a birder, I dreaded what I considered the drabness of winter. I couldn’t have been more mistaken. Where I once saw a field of “dead” plants I now see habitat and so much life. It’s just
Read MoreWin an Adorbee Smart Bird Feeder Camera! Thanks to a generous gift from Dick Madsen, we have an Adorbee Smart Bird Feeder Camera to give away. This is a solar-powered feeder camera with AI connected to Merlin. Wow! They are priced anywhere from $99-169 on-line. What a great gift for yourself or another bird lover
Read MoreToday marks the first day of the CoMoGives campaign and runs through December 31st. We are excited to be part of this annual online fundraising drive for the 10th year, which helps local nonprofits raise money to help our community. In 2023, 100 donors contributed over $10,000 to CAS through CoMoGives. Our goal during this
Read MoreBill Mees of the Nature Areas Committee has helped orchestrate the annual Band With Nature event with Columbia Public Schools. Here’s his report from this year of birds banded and many recaptures from previous Band With Nature events! Attached is my summary report for bird banding with the 2nd grade program at Columbia Audubon Nature
Read MoreCAS hosted a workday at Wild Haven Nature Area to remove invasive bush honeysuckle. There was a great crew working on this important project. David Neely, Nature Areas Committee, sends a heartfelt Thank You to everyone who helped! “THANK YOU to John, Kathy, Bill, Eric, Kent, Victor, Emily and Jean for a great day butchering
Read MoreLongtime CAS member and former Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative Steering Committee member, one of the founders from CAS Denny Donnell’s wife, Martha passed away earlier in November. She frequently accompanied Denny on drives through Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. She was always at Denny’s side at CAS picnics and the Christmas Bird Count Chili Suppers. In
Read MoreHi all. I hope this finds you well and enjoying some lovely fall weather. I also hope you were able to attend our CAS October meeting that was held on-site at the Boone County Nature School. I left feeling so positive and uplifted knowing that our future would be in the hands of children learning
Read MoreField trips led by experienced birders are proven ways for beginning and seasoned birders to expand their ability to locate and identify birds, learn about bird behavior, and share the pleasures of birding. Many beginning birders hesitate to go on field trips because they don’t know what to expect. Beginning birders are always welcome on
Read MoreFew Audubon members have visited the Albert Children’s Wildlife Area (Albert Area), although it has been owned by CAS for over 30 years. This approx. 80-acre property (see map here) is located in eastern Boone County along Cedar Creek. When CAS acquired this land, it was entirely covered by waste from coal mining which occurred
Read MoreOne person (Kim Kraus) from CAS joined me for the well-advertised field trip to the 28th annual Swan Lake Big Sit hosted by Grand River Audubon Society. Emma Buckingham and fiance Bruce drove themselves and arrived in time for lunch. Brenda Morris came from Jefferson City. The weather was great–clear, and a bit warm, but
Read MoreColumbia Audubon Society is participating in the 2024 CoMoGives fundraising campaign for the 9th year. This annual fundraising drive for local non-profit organizations begins Sunday, December 1st and ends on Tuesday, December 31st. CAS has been very fortunate to have members and friends who support our mission… “to preserve the natural world and its ecosystems,
Read MoreRumor has it that the Columbia’s Audubon Sanctuary provides a ready supply of organic, locally grown food for its bird inhabitants. A 2024 study by the Mizzou’s Department of Veterinary Pathobiology confirms the rumor as true. Without a doubt, the fauna of the sanctuary grounds includes a variety of mosquitoes and ticks for the avian
Read MoreI was talking to Emma Buckingham about the CAS January 15th book discussion on Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Chronicles and mentioned that I have been reading some other bird-related books this year. She said she was always looking for good books on birds to read. You might want to check these out especially if
Read MoreColumbia Audubon Society Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday October 16, 2024 Meeting conducted at Daniel Boone Regional Library Present: Lottie Bushmann, Lori Turner, Allison Vaughn, Vickie Park, Greg Leonard, Reed Gerdes, Shelby Thomas, Eric Wood, John Besser, Emma Buckingham Time called to order: 6:35 pm Previous minutes: John Besser moves to accept the August 28,
Read More1:00 PM
Meet at Wild Haven Nature Area, O'Rear Road at Hinkson Creek
We will visit the Albert Area on Sunday, November 10, starting at 1 PM. The neighbor, Jess Broadhacker, will open his gate to allow us to use his driveway to enter the Albert area. We will walk about one-half mile to see the variety of habitats on the CAS property. The route will be on
Read MoreAll Day
THE 2024 CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT IS BEING RESCHEDULED TO SUNDAY DECEMBER 15 DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER ON SATURDAY. CHILI SUPPER IS STILL SATURDAY NIGHT. SEE DETAILS BELOW. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHILI SUPPER INFORMATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join us this year for the 125th annual Christmas Bird Count! We will plan to send out our teams on Sunday Dec 15.
Read MoreHello all! I hope this note finds you enjoying the beginning of fall weather and the migration of species through our area. Columbia Audubon has many ways for you to be involved either through birding, counting birds, counting down honeysuckle, learning about the Boone Co. Nature school or helping work with 2nd graders. If you
Read MoreA group of birders got together September 9 to celebrate Edge Wade’s 80th birthday. To all of us Edge has been a mentor, a teacher, a warrior and a friend. To mark the occasion, we all dressed like Edge and tried to imitate her Edginess. We each proudly wore the Alpha Code of our favorite bird. As Edge’s favorite bird
Read MoreGold Crest hosts their annual Public Warehouse Sale on Saturday, October 26th. Open to all in the Mid-Missouri community, this sale features samples, overstocks and slightly imperfect items at fantastic prices from $2 to $20. It’s a great time to pick up holiday gifts! The sale is held at the warehouse, 1600 Bassford Drive in Mexico,
Read MorePaul MacKenzie is a butterfly, graminoid and bird expert. He often birds at CANS and Wild Haven, submitting robust eBird checklists. He had a happy find this past late summer at CANS: One of the most noteworthy observations this season was the presence of 8 Gemmed Satyr butterflies. I have observed this species here before
Read MoreHello friends! We’re off to another season with Columbia Audubon Society (CAS). Whether you’re reading this newsletter for the first time or the hundredth time, we hope that you’ll make your way to joining us either at a field trip, potluck or meeting. There are many exciting things happening in Columbia and Boone County. The
Read MoreVolunteers are needed for this year’s Band With Nature 2nd grade field trip for 1200 students. If volunteering is in your blood then consider volunteering either 9:00-12:00 noon or 12:00 noon -2:30 PM or all day if that strikes your fancy. Dates are October 14, 15, & 17 (rain dates 16th & 18th). This is
Read MoreThe Missouri Birding Society(MBS) and Columbia Audubon Society (CAS) are providing bird occurrence information in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation and Columbia Parks and Recreation Department at the recently opened Alspaugh Park in Columbia. Stipulations in the gift of the park land to the City of Columbia include proscriptions of many typical park development features (playground, athletic
Read More*Author’s note: Hey Columbia Audubon Society! I wanted to share a summary of the 2024 Range-wide Wood Thrush Motus-tagging Project since your chapter and many other Missouri birders helped support this project. The Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) is a medium-sized songbird of eastern deciduous forests that is known for its flute-like, ethereal, ee-oh-lay song
Read MoreNature Area Activities – Summer 2024 At Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary, Area Manager, Bill Mees continued to work on invasive species control. The abundant rains have encouraged Common Mullein and Sericea Lespedeza and increased the need for mowing around the CANS parking lot, areas bordering yards of two neighbors and over 2 miles natural surface
Read MoreSummer is ending, and as fall begins with it comes some of the best times of the year for area users of all interests to get out and enjoy the area! We currently have both river pumps operational and have started putting water on the landscape creating flooded habitat in many of the wetland units.
Read MoreInternational Pollinator Week (June 17-23) was kicked off by 13 CAS members on a three-hour field trip to the University of Missouri’s A.L. Gustin Golf Course at the invitation of course superintendent Isaac Breuer. Participants boarded two-person golf carts and paraded through the course with stops to step out and learn about the development and
Read MoreColumbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary (CANS) and Bonnie View (BV) Nature Area provide protection for plants and animals that live there as well as nature viewing for visitors. Nest boxes provide additional nesting sites as green space shrinks and urban areas expand. CANS/BV supports 14 nest boxes that are monitored weekly. The North American Bluebird Society
Read MoreThe world of birds is diverse and colorful. If you’re feeling creative, feel free to visit ColorBird.org, where you can download bird illustrations to color, crosswords to do, and more! These activities were created by Michael Erb, an Arizona birder who wanted to combine the wonder of birds with his love of science and learning.
Read MoreCAS was a founding member 21 years ago of the partnership organization, the Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative, a stepdown organization of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative. Denny Donnell was a longtime MoBCI Representative and today Bill Mees has filled the role, serving as Chair for a three year term several years ago. MoBCI helped
Read MoreIt was early Sunday morning with very little traffic and clear skies. Louise Flenner, Lottie Bushmann, and Vickie Park met at Perry Phillips Lake Parking lot to set out on a route that Louise frequently traveled on her ebike. All three CAS members had ebikes which have some advantages over regular bikes for birding.
Read More5:00pm
The 2024 MoBCI Conference will be held August 22-23 at the Columbia Country Club. Registration is now live at www.mobci.net.
Read More2:00-6:30pm
Come one, come all! Please join us for the CAS Fall potluck. Bring your favorite dish to share and come ready to share a bird story or two. We love to hear about all the birds you’ve been seeing. We’ll have a bird walk prior to the potluck. Meet at the pavilion at the Bonnie
Read MoreCome one, come all! Please join us for the CAS Fall potluck. Bring your favorite dish to share and come ready to share a bird story or two. We love to hear about all the birds you’ve been seeing. We’ll have a bird walk prior to the potluck. Meet at the pavilion at the Bonnie
Read MoreOn Sunday, May 19, Audubon members enjoyed lovely potluck food, incredible weather, a nice nature hike and all of the improvements that have been made to Wild Haven Nature Area in recent months. The May meeting was President Lori Turner’s last meeting as president, and incoming president Lottie Bushmann had some words to share after
Read MoreRepublished from the Columbia Tribune, May 16, 2024 Dolores was one of two daughters born to Carl and Berthenia Denny on a farm A dozen miles southeast of Clinton, Mo. She attended a one-room school and graduated from Clinton High School in 1955. She married Bill Clark on August 11, 1955, and the marriage produced
Read MoreFirst and foremost, I’d like to say thank you for entrusting me as your president. It was a joy serving you all and helping where I could. My tenure as President ends on May 31. Here’s a list of accomplishments we’ve made through the year to help achieve our mission: Nature areas Columbia Audubon Nature
Read MoreEditor: Brad Jacobs was a longtime Columbia Audubon Society member and incredible person and ornithologist who truly left a legacy for bird conservation not only in Missouri, but worldwide. Former State Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick penned this call to action for all of us as a way to commemorate his unfortunate passing four years ago on
Read MoreContact your MO Representative to support HB 2412, which bans the sale of disruptive and invasive plant species in Missouri. HB 2412, the Invasive Plant Bill, aims to prohibit future sales and intentional distribution in Missouri of five invasive plant Species: Burning bush, Callery pear, Climbing euonymus (also known as wintercreeper), Japanese honeysuckle, and Sericea
Read MoreIf you’ve been wanting a book on how to build bird boxes, then Bird Man Mel Toellner’s new book, Making Bird-friendly Birdhouses (2024), is the book for you! I’ve been wanting to build some nest boxes for different species and this book has plans for 15 species of birds and even a few bat houses.
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