Allison Vaughn | Columbia Audubon Society

CoMo Gives Begins November 30!

Columbia Audubon Society will be participating in the annual CoMoGives online community fundraising campaign for area non-profit organizations. 148 organizations are participating in CoMoGives this year. CAS has participated in CoMoGives for six years. Over $48,000 has been raised for CAS during past CoMoGives campaigns. This is the only fundraising effort for Columbia Audubon Society.

First Friday Bird Walk: November 5

8:00am

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 Wetlands trail, just off the MKT trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station Parking lot at 8 a.m. sharp

CAS November Meeting and Update on Missouri State Parks

7pm

Join us via Zoom for the CAS monthly membership meeting and program on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. Missouri Parks Association Executive Director Kendra Varns Wallis and MPA Vice President Shirley Wolverson will join us from Kansas City and St. Louis, respectively, via Zoom to report on the status of our state parks. They

Sierra Club’s Zoom Meeting on Columbia’s Renewable Energy Potential-10/21, 7pm

7:00pm

The Sierra Club has invited the Columbia Audubon Society to their Zoom meeting to discuss the conversion of Columbia’s energy sources to 100% renewable energy for Columbia Water & Light by 2030, 2035, or 2040. October 28 is the Public Input Meeting, and in this Zoom call on October 21, we’ll discuss the scenario briefing.

Missouri Young Birders Club Field Trip to Rock Bridge Memorial State Park- 11/6/21 9am-11am

9:00am-11:00am

The Missouri Young Birders Club will be hosting a fieldtrip for youth between 8 and 17 years old (families welcome!) at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. We will meet at the Rockbridge Mills picnic shelter and take a short hike to look for birds. Park Naturalist Roxie Campbell will be joining us to answer nature-related

Rescheduled Fireline Installation at Wildhaven Nature Area: Oct. 31 1:30-5:00

1:30pm-5:00pm

We will try again to prepare fire lines at Wild Haven for a prescribed burn planned for later this fall. We will gather on Sunday at the picnic shelter 6900 E. O’Rear Road, starting at 1:30 PM. One of the leaders will remain at the shelter until at least 2 PM to meet late arrivals.

News and Notes from the President

Due to the recap of the Open House at Wildhaven Nature Area in the President’s note, this article will also serve as the Nature Areas Update. Conservation Chair I am pleased to announce that Dee Dokken is our new Conservation Chair. Dee joined the board in September. She also serves as Conservation Chair for the

Noah Strycker will join CAS for the ‘Big Sit’ at Bradford Farm, Oct. 16

To follow up on Noah Strycker’s presentation at MU on the evening of October 15, Noah will participate in the CAS ‘Big Sit’ on Saturday October 16 at the University’s Bradford Research and Extension Center (4968 S. Range Line Rd., Columbia, MO 65201). We will count and identify birds seen from our Big Sit count

CANS to host the “Crepuscular Creep” Educational Pumpkin Walk

Pumpkin carvers needed! Below is a flyer that Mike Szydlowski has designed to advertise the pumpkin walk at CANS. CAS as a Partner in Education is cooperating with the Columbia Public Schools’ Science Department for a pumpkin walk fund raiser. Funds raised will assist students to participate in the extracurricular educational field trips to Grand

Big Sit at Bradford Farm with Noah Strycker-Oct. 16

8:00am-5:00pm

Noah will participate in the CAS ‘Big Sit’ on Saturday October 16 at the University’s Bradford Research and Extension Center (4968 S. Range Line Rd., Columbia, MO 65201). We will count and identify birds seen from our Big Sit count circle near the large pond on the west side of the area (see star on

October Membership Meeting & Book Discussion

7pm

Join us for our first in-person, regular monthly membership meeting and program since February 2020. CAS President Jim Gast and Education Co-chair Lottie Bushmann will lead a discussion of Noah Strycker’s book Birding Without Borders. The membership meeting will follow. Please plan to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Wild Haven Work Day-Sept. 11, 8am-Noon

8am-Noon

In preparation for the upcoming Open House and Picnic at Wild Haven, we plan to do some clean-up around the picnic area on Saturday Sept. 11. We have ordered a roll-off dumpster and we plan to dispose of some fencing and some landscaping timbers. We also hope to demolish and dump one or both of

Noah Strycker Presentation at MU

6 pm

Author and “bird man” Noah Strycker will deliver the keynote address at the annual meeting of the Friends of Mizzou Botanic Garden on Friday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m., in Monsanto Auditorium, located in the Bond Life Sciences Center on the University of Missouri campus. Columbia Audubon is co-sponsoring the event, along with the Missouri

Note from the President

Welcome Back! I hope you had an enjoyable summer. Conservation Chair Brooke Widmar, our Conservation Chair, is moving out of town so we need a new one. Job duties include: being alert to conservation issues including the conservation priorities of the National Audubon Society and of Missouri-based organizations such as the Conservation Federation of Missouri,

Wild Haven Open House and Annual Picnic

We hope you can make it! Open House and Picnic Scheduled at Wild Haven Nature Area on Sept. 19 Columbia Audubon Society members, friends and neighbors are invited to an Open House and Picnic at Wild Haven Nature Area on Sunday, Sept. 19, from 3-6:30 p.m. CAS leaders will be on hand to visit with

ComoGives Committee Seeking Winter Bird Photos

CAS CoMoGives Committee needs your help! The CAS CoMoGives Committee is seeking original, high-resolution photographs of a bird or multiple birds in winter for use in print and on-line materials during our upcoming CoMoGives campaign. You will be given full citation/credit for sharing your photography skills. Dig back in your photo archives to find your

Noah Strycker Talk and Field Trip in October

“Superstar” Birder Noah Strycker to Speak at MU Noah Strycker, author and self-described “bird man,” will visit Columbia on Friday, Oct. 15, as the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the Friends of Mizzou Botanic Garden. Columbia Audubon is co-sponsoring the event, along with the Missouri Birding Society, the MU Department of Fisheries and

A Note from a CAS Scholarship Recipient to Hog Island

Each year, the Columbia Audubon Society earmarks dollars from our Education Fund to send a teacher to the National Audubon Society’s Hog Island Camp for educators. This summer, we sent a few teachers, and here’s a report from recipient Heather Jones on her experience: It’s hard to put into words how attending Hog Island’s Educator

CAS Revised Bylaws-Please Review

Columbia Audubon Society Bylaws Adopted Date of Vote, 2021 Article I: Name This organization shall be known as the Columbia Audubon Society, Incorporated, hereinafter called Society. Article II: Purpose Section 1. The purpose and objectives of this Society shall be to preserve the natural world and its ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and the

Open House and Picnic at Wild Haven

3-6:30 p.m.

Columbia Audubon members, friends and neighbors are invited to stop by, starting at 3 p.m., to learn about improvements recently completed at Wild Haven Nature Area as well as future plans. We’ll have light refreshments and activities, featuring a demonstration with live raptors (hawks and owls) presented by the University of Missouri Raptor Rehabilitation Project.

Boone County Migratory Bird Count Results- May 8, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected just about everything Columbia Audubon Society has done over the past year, but we have fought to maintain some of our traditions, including the Boone County-wide bird count held on the traditional ‘Big Day’, the second Saturday in May. Our ability to conduct this count during the pandemic has a

Nature Area Notes

NATURE AREA NOTES, May 2021 Progress at Wild Haven It’s been a busy year at Wild Haven, Columbia Audubon’s largest nature area. All the work that has been put into the area really shows, and we hope it will achieve our goal of making the area more welcoming and increasing public use of the area.

Note from the President

Board Election Results Congratulations to Greg Leonard who won re-election to the board. He will be serving another three-year term as director. Picnic on May 22nd Instead of a monthly meeting for May, we will be holding a picnic at Wild Haven on Saturday, May 22nd from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Provided there is

Changes in Membership Dues

This month, the board approved updating the membership levels and amounts. Membership levels have not been reviewed in over ten years so we decided it was time to streamline the categories. The new updates are as follows: $15 – Student and Senior (65+) $25 – Individual $40 – Family* $60 – Donor* $300 – Friend*

CoMo Gives Committee Seeks Volunteers

The 2021 CoMoGives Committee is looking for interested CAS members and friends to help with the 2021 CoMoGives Community Fundraising Campaign which is sponsored by the Community Foundation of Central Missouri. If you like writing, photo selection and/or have technical skills, this is the job for you! Put your skills to work with other dedicated

New CAS Bylaws

If You Approve: New CAS Bylaws

Please read the proposed bylaws that are being offered for your consideration and approval. Some of the amendments are necessary to comply with life under COVID-19. Currently there are no provisions for conducting the business of CAS electronically. Additionally, this presents an opportunity to clarify other questions: 1. How many eligible votes accompany a family

Revised, Updated Enjoying Missouri’s Birds Now Available

State ornithologist Sarah Kendrick’s careful, page-by-page analysis and revision Enjoying Missouri’s Birds, a 42-page 6.5×9” FREE revised edition just out in March 2021 has a new sub-title: A Beginner’s Guide to Birding. It’ s available from MDC’s Nature Shop, either by toll-free phone at 877-521-8632 or online at mdcnatureshop.com, or at regional MDC offices, MDC

North American Migratory Bird Count-May 8

Join CAS for the Boone County migration count on May 8. Columbia Audubon Society will continue its tradition of doing a Boone County-wide Bird Count on the second Saturday of May (May 8 this year). Our count will be held on the same day the ‘Global Big Day’ promoted by eBird, and all the data

Nature Area Notes

All bird photos by John Besser, Nature Areas Committee: Indigo Bunting, Black and White Warbler, and Summer Tanager. Interpretive Panel signs by Jan Mees. Wild Haven wildflower walk draws a crowd About 20 people turned out for wildflower walk led by Roxie Campbell on April 11. The weather was great and lots of early wildflowers

Notes from the Conservation Chair: Spring Bird Migration!

Lights Out Campaign and other updates! May Conservation Updates: We’re in the final stretch of the 2021 Missouri legislative session – only 4 weeks left! That is plenty of time for great conservation successes like the Prescribed Burning Act (HB 369 and SB 301) to be passed, but damaging bills can still make it through,

Migratory Bird Count-May 8

All Day

Global Big Day is May 8 this year, the second Saturday of the month. CAS will be participating through eBird. Much like the Christmas Bird Count, each group will enter their checklist in to eBird as usual. Groups should submit as many checklists for their count area as needed to reflect what locations they birded

Cancelled: Annual Picnic at Wild Haven Nature Area-May 22, 2021

4:00pm-7:00pm

With the forecast for continuing rain, we have decided to cancel the CAS Annual Picnic scheduled for 4-7 p.m. Saturday at Wild Haven Nature Area. We are concerned about muddy conditions on the trails and the parking areas. We had planned to hold a brief meeting during the picnic and ask CAS members to approve

Wild Haven Bird Walk: Sunday May 16, 8:30-11:30 am

8:30-11:30am

Join us for a bird walk at Wild Haven. We’ll explore the varied habitats along Wild Haven‘s hiking trails. Songbird migration should be near its peak.

Joint Field Trip with MBS: 3M Wetlands-Great for Beginners!

8:00am-12:00pm

3M Wetland Bird Walk especially for beginners! We’ll meet at the Forum Nature Area parking lot and walk to 3M. It is approximately 2 miles of walking on level trails. There should be lots to see and beginners are encouraged to attend. Edge Wade and Lottie Bushmann will lead. In addition to our resident species,

Joint Field Trip with MBS: 3M Wetlands

8:00am-12:00pm

All trips will require birders to wear masks and to socially distance as much as possible. Tuesday, May 11 8:00 – 12:00 Birding at 3M Wetlands We’ll meet at the Forum Nature Area parking lot and walk to 3M. It is approximately 2 miles of walking on level trails. There should be lots to

Joint Field Trip with MBS: Birding at the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary

8:00am-12:00pm

Birding at CANS—Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary All fieldtrip attendees will need to wear a mask and socially distance as much as possible. We’ll walk and enjoy this special nature area right in the middle of Columbia. In addition to our resident birds, we’ll be on the lookout for migrating warblers. John Besser and Lottie Bushmann

Fieldtrip with Missouri Birding Society-Rock Bridge Memorial SP

8:00am-12:00pm

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Devil’s Icebox Parking lot We will meet at the parking lot and divide into smaller groups and head out on various trails including: High Ridge Trail, Spring Brook Trail, the boardwalk, Sinkhole trail, Shooting Star and Karst Trail. We’ll bird until we’re ready to head back to the parking lot.

Wildflower Walk at Wild Haven

2:00-5:00pm

Enjoy the beauty of spring wildflowers in bloom as we walk the white and yellow trails (total distance of about 2 miles). We expect to see over a dozen species of wildflowers in bloom and it will be prime time to see the bluebells and trilliums. We’ll also become familiar with the trails, enjoy the

Note from the President

April Election We have a three-year term board position to vote on . The only candidate is Greg Leonard, but you will be given an opportunity for a write-in candidate. Instead of voting at the April general meeting, we will be voting on-line and by regular mail. On Monday, April 19th, those members who receive

Upcoming Fieldtrips, Joint Fieldtrips with Missouri Birding Society in May!

These Columbia Audubon Society field trips are co-sponsored with the Missouri Birding Society (MBS, formerly Audubon Society of Missouri) as events in the MBS 2-week Spring Meeting activities taking place around the state. MBS, founded in 1901, is the independent statewide organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of birds and other wildlife; to education

Nature Area Notes

What’s in a name? Bill Mees, Nature Areas Chair, wants to put a new name on an old building. The former ‘workshop’ at Wild Haven is now retired, empty, and surprisingly tidy! This structure was built by Lee Jenkins, who donated Wild Haven to CAS, and It dates from the 1960’s or perhaps earlier.

Legislative Action: Note from the Conservation Chair

House Joint Resolution 55 (HJR 55) “Modifies the conservation commission membership composition and requires the election of the commissioners.” The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is governed by a four-person Conservation Commission, made up of members appointed by the governor, each serving year-year terms. HJR 55 wants to change all that, bringing membership from four to

April Meeting: Bird Songs and Sounds with Ethan Duke of MRBO

7pm

CAS April Meeting and Program on Bird Songs and Sounds with Ethan Duke, Missouri River Bird Observatory Wednesday, April 21, 2021 7 p.m. Zoom Ethan Duke, co-founder/director of the Missouri River Bird Observatory, will present cool facts, tips, and useful tools for learning bird sounds. He will talk about how to learn sounds, particularly with

News from the President

Board Position There’s still time to nominate someone for the three-year board position. To nominate someone, make sure they are willing to serve and submit that person’s name to Brooke Widmar at brookewidmar@gmail.com. You can also self-nominate. Nominations are due by March 9th. March Program On March 17th, in place of our regular monthly meeting,

Conservation Federation of Missouri Conference this week!

It’s the Conservation Federation of Missouri’s convention this week, March 1-6! Over this week, the 10 resource advisory committees will be meeting to present and vote on resolutions relating to conservation issues impacting Missouri. The pre-filed resolutions can be seen here: www.confedmo.org/resolutions2021/ General ticket registration for those break out sessions is already closed, but all week

Nature Area Notes

Most years, February is the month when winter’s grip loosens a bit and we get a hint of the coming spring. This year, we spent most of the month inside our homes, trying to avoid both coronavirus and frostbite. But we know that March will bring warm weather, spring wildflowers, and migrating birds, and many

Proposed Changes to Membership Levels

Reviewing membership subscriptions over the last decade, we’ve seen our members becoming increasingly generous with their support. As time has passed, the bulk of the local membership dues shifted from mostly $15 and $25 levels up to the $25 and $50 levels. Because of that — and also because these tiers have not been reviewed

Great Backyard Bird Count

All Presidents’ Day weekend, the Great Backyard Bird Count happens on ebird. Visit www.birdcount.org for more information!

Note from the President

Greetings, Columbia Audubon Society! We have a guest columnist from St. Louis Audubon Society this month, and great updates from our committees. Board Position up for Election There is one three-year board member position opening up that will need to be filled this year. I have appointed a nominating committee to find candidates. The committee

Author Archives: Allison Vaughn

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November 5, 2021

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February 12-15, 2021